There are 24 hours in a day, and all 24 of those hours, I am a mom. Being a mom is a full-time job—there are no sick days or paid vacation days, and the only pay is the smiles, giggles, hugs, and kisses you get on a good day. In our daily lives, we all play so many different roles—wife, mom, employee, choir member, daughter, sister and the list just goes on and on. How do we find balance in the midst of all those roles? We spend time with God! As a mother of three children, I know this is easier said than done. There are days that I ache and long for quiet time with the Lord and alone time, but with all my responsibilities, it’s just not possible each day. On the rare occasions that I do get that time with God, or even time to myself, the guilt that the world puts on us as mothers for not spending every waking moment with our kids begins to slowly creep in my mind and makes me feel like I’m not worthy of alone time because I chose to be a mother.
The truth is that’s a lie. Everyone is entitled to their time. Even Jesus and the disciples had to take time alone. Mark 6:30-32 NLT says, “30 The apostles returned to Jesus from their ministry tour and told him all they had done and taught. 31 Then Jesus said, ‘Let’s go off by ourselves to a quiet place and rest awhile.’ 32 So they left by boat for a quiet place, where they could be alone.” He said this because there were so many people coming and going that Jesus and his apostles didn’t even have time to eat. It’s okay to have time for yourself. If you don’t take care of you, everything else in your life will be off balance.
Your spiritual and physical health are the roots or foundation of everything else in your life. If we don’t take care of ourselves, especially in the spiritual department of our lives, we will be like the foolish man who built his house on the sand. Matthew 7:24-27 says, “24 Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. 26 And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. 27 And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.” What it all boils down to is when I don’t have my time with Jesus or myself, I am not the best mom I can be, and I don’t have my best foot forward. Having time to yourself is healthy and good for you and, ultimately, good for your children.
By: Rachelle Myles
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