In the Midst of the Storm

Not too long ago, one of my children had a potty accident. Potty training has been such a source of discouragement and contention for me. So, when this accident occurred, my response should have been different than what it was. In the moment it felt like the end of the world. I felt defeated. Here I was, day in and day out teaching the same skill and it just wasn’t being understood, thus resulting in constant discouragement for me.

Once I cleaned up the mess, I stepped back from the situation and regrouped. I had to think through how I was going to respond next time (because this is a child, it may happen again). What was I going to do the next time I felt discouraged? For you, potty training may not be the source of discouragement. Maybe your child is making unwise decisions, perhaps your children are not responding to discipline and their behavior is discouraging to you, or maybe your relationship with a child has been fractured. I want to give you a few tips that have helped me during these moments.

Pray

Situations in this life are bound to present themselves in a way that may cause us to be sad, discouraged or disheartened, and we may feel powerless to fight or overcome these situations. It is important to remember that there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother, who is able to help us overcome any situation that presents itself, and his name is Jesus.

When we communicate to our creator through prayer, it allows us to give our burdens to the only person who is able to give us perfect peace in the midst of a difficult and discouraging situation. I am reminded of the song “What a Friend We Have in Jesus”. There is a portion of the song that says “Have we trials and temptations? Is there trouble anywhere? We should never be discouraged, take it to the Lord in prayer. Trust the Lord with your situation, he knows us and he loves us. He will guide you and see you through.

Read Scripture

It is my belief that the Bible is true. The word of God has everything we need to deal with the perils of life. When we pray, read and meditate on His word; it has the power to change our attitudes and ultimately our hearts.

A passage of encouragement for me is found in Psalm 121: 1-2 “I will lift up my eyes to the hills, from whence comes my help? My help comes from the Lord, Who made heaven and earth.” (NKJV) Not only is God my help, but He is my perfect help. If He can create the heavens and the earth, then surely he can help me through a difficult situation, if we trust him.

Seek Wise Counsel

Depending on the heaviness of the situation(s) that may be causing you to become discouraged you may need to seek counsel. When choosing someone to talk to, make sure they are a wise person. This may be your spouse, pastor, an older lady in your life, your parents or a close friend. Sometimes it’s helpful just to talk out everything to help your mind reset.

Since I became a parent, I have been blessed to have mommy friends who are experiencing motherhood at the exact same stage as me. This has been so helpful because we text each other any time of the day (or night) and talk about what’s currently going on with our children. Sometimes we share funny situations, situations where we need advice, situations that can be discouraging. My friends have been essential especially when things are tough. Many times they know exactly what I’m going through because they have experienced or are currently experiencing the same situation.

If you don’t have close friends to talk to, seek out local mom groups or social media mom communities. You do not have to walk this road alone!

Encouragement

Let me not pretend like this is easy. When a discouraging moment arises, it takes practice in responding well. There are times where you may also have to put on calming music, turn on your favorite podcast, or take a walk before you address a situation. When you become discouraged, it may take time to resolve but we have the power to control our response in the midst of the storm. As always, I hope this was helpful to you and remember YOU GOT THIS!