Sometimes the fear and anxiety of this world can suffocate a mom to no end. A churning anguish in the pit of your stomach and racing thoughts are all ways the world tries to keep your faith on edge. Isaiah 12:2 says, “…I will trust and not be afraid. The LORD, the LORD himself, is my strength and my defense…” That’s a sure-fire way to kick fear to the curb. We know that the LORD himself, covers us in his safety, his strength, and his wisdom, but how do we find and keep that faith-driven spark each and every day?
Nurture & Faith
We are women, moms, and mothers. God created us and designed our natural state of being to “nurture.” A quick Google search of “scriptures & nurture,” pops up with over 50 different verses on how God nurtures through scripture. In fact, Genesis 3:20 states, “Adam named his wife Eve, because she would become the mother of all the living.” In fact, “nurture” is defined as “caring for and encouraging the growth or development.” That is way beyond the spectrum of just feeding children and doing laundry/dishes. No one can nurture quite like a mom!
Nurturing faith, and growing our faith requires patience. It requires dedication, and it most definitely requires the care that we would give to our own children. It’s a relationship between us and God that is like no other. In fact, isn’t God actually nurturing us? He’s pulling us closer to him, and cleaning out the parts of our heart that need him the most. Fear has no room in a heart that has been nurtured by God.
Psalms 91:4 “He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield…you will not fear…”
Different ways we can nurture our faith can be done in solitude or as a family. Reading scriptures alone or integrating a morning routine with the kids can be rewarding. Writing down scriptures that hit your heart is another way to nurture your faith. Maybe save those scriptures in a journal or post them around the house. Most of all, find quiet time with just you and our savior Jesus, pray, read, and meditate on his words. The more we nurture our relationship, the more we find strength in his promises.
Practice Faith
I am so consistently inconsistent, it’s not even funny. My personal goal was to read the Bible in a year. It’s been one year, two months, and 20-something days, and I’m still working through the book of Jeremiah. I have slept in, put off my studies, and found shows to binge on Netflix, even though that voice in the back of my head was screaming at me. (I’m pretty sure it was the Holy Spirit trying to get my attention). Needless to say, I’m 100%, absolutely imperfect, and a hot-mess as a woman and mom, there’s no denying it. I do know one thing though, no matter how many times I fail, I’m never going to give up. I need to practice my faith.
God’s word is my foundation. His word inspires me, it builds me up, and it even smacks me upside my head when I need a good jostle. Practice is a lifestyle, we will never be perfect, it isn’t in our nature, but we will never give up. I love the way Ruth Schwenk in Pressing Pause: 100 Quiet Moments for Moms to Meet with Jesus shares her “God-honoring” definition of life. She explains how we have to intentionally learn and study or practice becoming “skilled” through faith. It won’t just drop into our lap, and we definitely won’t have some movie-magic eye-opening epiphany, we actually have to practice our faith every day.
“Be very careful, then, how you live- not as unwise, but as wise, making the most of every opportunity” – Ephesians 5:15-16
Ruth also goes on to teach us the word “wise” doesn’t mean Genius status IQ levels or intelligence, it actually translates to “skilled-living.” We need training and dedication to have these wise-skills, learning and growing in faith along the way. Unshakeable faithfulness doesn’t just happen over-night, it takes practice, repetition, and a hunger to see God’s words with our own eyes.
Ways we can practice faith, you guessed it! Get up early, even 15-minutes early, to share a fresh start each morning with Jesus. Practice historical biblical people, practice timelines, practice knowing Gods word.
Pray for Faith
When all else fails, and we’re still swimming in fear, pray it out! The apostle Peter says it best in 1 Peter 5:7 “Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you”. God gave us these words to use in our times of sadness, doubt, and chaos. He knows that “standing firm in faith” is an ongoing battle for believers in Christ. But what does that teach us about God? Jesus prayed intensely, he prayed alone, he prayed in public, he even prayed for his enemies.
Why is prayer so powerful? God the father encourages us to turn our hearts towards him, he wants a relationship with us. What better way to go to him, than through honest and whole hearted prayer. Prayer is so powerful because while we may hide certain aspects of ourselves from the public eye, we never have to hide from God. He understands our shortcomings, and wants to give us the tools to use. He wants us to draw close, to be comforted, to be heard.
Psalm 145: 18 “The LORD is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.”
Fear can hold us back from being honest, but the daily act of prayer helps us build our relationship with our Father in Heaven. Our hearts draw closer to his purpose and his will, and we find ourselves standing firmer in faith. So when you pray, pray for forgiveness, pray for strength, and even pray for a stranger, but pray it out!
I hope you find something in this article to spark the desire to search for God’s faithfulness a little more and less time with any anxiety or fear! Let us know how you practice building faith we’d love to hear what amazing tips you’ve found helpful!
