7 Scriptures For Moms Who Feel Depleted

Motherhood requires our all. There are no true periods of rest or vacation because we are always still a mother. Even if we sneak a few hours away, our thoughts are often still on the kids. This continual pouring out can lead to a feeling of depletion.

We need to draw from sources richer and deeper than our limited strength. Thankfully, God’s Word provides encouragement and wisdom to fill us up when our spirits are dragging.

Take these seven scriptures to heart. Study them, write them on cards and place them on your mirrors, in the laundry room, at your work desk or in your purse. Then, when the sense of emptiness begins to seep into you, reach for these words you’ve stored up in your heart and refill yourself.

Galatians 6:9

“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up” (NIV).

Doing the good, right, and necessary things does not always make us feel good.

There is always a temptation to grow weary of continually doing what we ought to. Scripture shows the reality that we often won’t be rewarded for our work while we are doing it.

But this verse offers a promise and a hopeful reminder that the everyday work we are doing will one day bring us and others good things. Having this goal in mind can aid in our ability to persevere.

It reminds us that there is a finish line waiting somewhere around the bend.

When you are running on empty and your children ask for one more snack, or you see that last laundry pile to fold, repeat the phrase, “Do not become weary in doing good.” Take heart that what you are doing is good even when it doesn’t feel good.

Psalm 73:26

“My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever” (NIV).

Even the great King David felt weak at times. He wasn’t a mother, but he was mothering a country.

Like David, who was probably tempted to rely on his strength after slaying a giant and tens of thousands of others, we need to remember where our strength actually comes from.

The best part of this scripture is that God can supply not only our physical strength but also our heart strength. Mothering is full of physical needs, but it is often the heart stuff that saps us more.

God can continually provide us with “heart strength” in those moments when our hearts fail.

Proverbs 31:31

“Give her the fruit of her hands, and let her works praise her in the gates” (ESV).

Some may chalk Proverbs 31 up as a discouraging verse listing an unattainable ideal.

Let’s look at this scripture through another lens. These scriptures help to define our role and our purpose. We get to revel in the fact that we have our purpose, we are doing what we are called to do, and we are on the right track, living in God’s will and working toward a fruitful life.

When you are feeling down and unable to go on, remember that God created you for this role as a mother! He will equip you for what He calls you to.

Matthew 11:28-30

“Come to me, all who labor and are heavily laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light” (ESV)

Are you scoffing right now? Rolling your eyes?

We know God’s Word is true, so what are the words teaching us?

God’s Word can encourage us to evaluate our lives, tasks, activities and commitments. His words can help us say no to doing too much. This scripture can encourage us to develop systems and rhythms.

If God says His burden is light, are we perhaps burdening ourselves with things He has not asked us to do? He not only encourages us that Jesus can provide us rest if we come to Him but also that we can make changes in our lives to obtain more peace.

Isaiah 35:1-2

“The desert and the parched land will be glad; the wilderness will rejoice and blossom. Like the crocus, it will burst into bloom; it will rejoice greatly and shout for joy” (NIV).

Do you ever feel like a “parched land”? Well, good news: you will still bloom.

The image of a desolate wilderness turned into a garden of joy is a reminder that our barren places can produce beauty. What seems to us a waste can produce something worthwhile. In Jesus’ hands, even the bare and lonely places can become areas for rejoicing.

In our weakness, we can praise, and in our years of mothering, we can be filled with the hope that fills a gardener as she watches a flower slowly grow, unfurl its petals, and finally bloom.

Psalm 3:5-8

“I lie down and sleep; I wake again because the Lord sustains me. I will not fear though tens of thousands assail me on every side” (NIV).

This one makes me chuckle. I imagine myself falling into bed after an exhausting day, only to be woken by one child’s nightmare, another’s need for water, and somebody falling out of bed.

Many things “assail” us in motherhood, yet somehow God sees us through.

God gives more grace, and we need it more. He has the power to turn a few interrupted hours of sleep into plenty of rest.

Our job is not to fear. We may not be able to get all the rest and rejuvenation we need, but with the Lord’s help, we are sustained.

Isaiah 40:31

“They who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint” (ESV).

How restful. The ability to float on air? To ride the thermals and not even have to flap a wing? Expending energy without ever tiring?

The key is found in the words “wait” and “Lord.”

First, we must practice patience. Motherhood is often filled with repetition. We must carry on.

Second, we do so through the Lord. If we are not praying and reading the Word, those eagle’s wings will be hard to find. However, if we seek truth and rely on Him, that is when we fly.

Look to the Living Water

Motherhood is a continual act of sacrifice, service, and sanctification. In order to survive, we must look to the living water that never is depleted and drink from him. Take these verses as your own. Journal them, pray them and let them sink into your consciousness. Make them ever present in your mind as you continue on your journey of motherhood.