When Motherhood Feels Overwhelming: Learning to Trust God and Let Go of Control
Fifteen years ago, I found myself stepping into a season I never imagined I would walk through.
My divorce had just been finalized, and if I’m honest… it was one of the most painful and disorienting seasons of my life. There had been so much hurt, so many words spoken that cut deeply—not just toward me, but that echoed into the hearts of my children. I remember feeling the weight of it all… the responsibility, the uncertainty, the quiet fear of how this would shape their lives.
I didn’t have much during that time. Finances were tight, and everything felt fragile. But that year, I received a tax return—and instead of holding onto it out of fear, I used it to take my kids on a cruise to Bermuda. We needed it. I needed it. I needed space to breathe… to be with them in peace… to create a pocket of joy in the middle of so much pain.
That trip didn’t fix everything. It didn’t remove the hardship or answer all the questions I carried. But it became a marker for me—a quiet reminder that even in the middle of brokenness, God was still providing. Still present. Still holding us together in ways I couldn’t yet fully see.
And yet… even in that season—and in so many seasons since—I’ve had moments where the weight of motherhood felt overwhelming again.
Because motherhood has a way of exposing everything.
The love.
The fear.
The deep desire for our children to be okay.
And if we’re honest…
There are moments when it feels like too much.
Too heavy.
Too uncertain.
Too out of our control.
Maybe you’ve found yourself thinking:
“Why isn’t this getting better?”
“What am I doing wrong?”
“If I don’t step in, everything might fall apart…”
And underneath all of that…
There’s a quiet fear:
👉 “Can I really trust God with my child?”
The Hidden Struggle of Christian Motherhood
As Christian moms, we don’t just want our kids to succeed…
We want them to:
- walk with the Lord
- make wise choices
- be safe, grounded, and whole
And that desire is good.
But somewhere along the way…
That desire can quietly turn into:
- pressure
- anxiety
- control
Not because we don’t trust God in general…
But because in this specific situation…
It suddenly feels very personal.
Very urgent. Very fragile.
Psalm 105: A Call to Remember
In Psalm 105, we see something powerful.
Not a parenting strategy…
Not a step-by-step plan…
But a repeated invitation:
“Remember…”
Remember:
- what God has done
- how He has been faithful
- how He has provided
- how He has kept His promises
The psalm walks through generations…
Showing how God was working:
- in famine
- in waiting
- in suffering
- in deliverance
Even when His people didn’t understand what He was doing…
👉 He was still faithful.
Why We Struggle: We Forget
Here’s what the Lord gently revealed to me:
The problem isn’t just what’s happening with our kids…
it’s what we’ve forgotten about God.
When we forget:
- His faithfulness
- His sovereignty
- His timing
We don’t stay neutral. We shift.
The Unhappy Kid Triangle in Motherhood
When fear takes over, we often move into one of three patterns:
Helpless Baby: “I don’t know what to do… this is too much… God isn’t showing up…”
Bossy Helper: “I need to fix this… control this… make this better…”
Blaming Bully: “Why is this happening… why is my child like this… why isn’t anything working…”
These aren’t just behaviors…
👉 They are signals of what we’re believing.
And often, they reveal this:
We’ve stopped trusting God in this area.
God Is Still Writing Your Child’s Story
Psalm 105 reminds us of Joseph.
Betrayed.
Forgotten.
Imprisoned.
And yet…
“The word of the Lord tested him…”
God was working the entire time.
What looked like delay…
What looked like loss…
Was actually preparation.
And as moms, we have to wrestle with this truth:
👉 God may be doing something in your child’s life that you cannot yet see.
A Word Picture for Your Heart
Motherhood is like standing in the ocean.
You cannot control the waves.
You cannot predict every current.
But you can choose where you stand.
You can stand:
- in fear
- in striving
- in control
Or…
You can stand anchored.
Rooted.
Steady.
Not because everything feels calm…
But because you remember who God is.
Write Your Own Psalm 105
This is where everything begins to shift.
Instead of spiraling in fear…
👉 Pause and remember.
Take time this week to write your own “Psalm 105.”
Reflect on:
- Where has God shown up in your life?
- Where has He provided when you didn’t see a way?
- Where has He been faithful, even when it was slow?
And then gently ask:
What am I believing about God right now?
Where am I trying to control what only God can hold?
What am I afraid will happen if I let go?
AN EXAMPLE TO GET YOU STARTED
You don’t have to do this perfectly.
Just start honestly.
Here’s a simple example of writing your own Psalm:
“God, I remember…
I remember how You carried me when I didn’t think I could keep going.
I remember how You provided when I didn’t see a way.
I remember how You were faithful, even when I didn’t understand what You were doing.
And if I’m honest…
I’ve been forgetting.
I’ve been trying to control things that were never mine to carry.
I’ve been looking at my child’s life through fear instead of faith.
But today…
I choose to remember.
You are still faithful.
You are still working.
You have not forgotten me…
and You have not forgotten my child.
So I release my need to control.
And I choose to trust You.”
You Are Not Alone in This
If you’re in a season where motherhood feels overwhelming…
Where fear and control keep creeping in…
You are not failing.
You are human.
And you are being invited…
Not to try harder…
But to remember deeper.
Want to Go Deeper?
🎧 Listen to the Full Episode
If you’re in a season where motherhood feels especially heavy right now… I want you to slow down as you listen. This isn’t an episode to rush through. Let it meet you where you are. Let the truth settle into your heart. And as you listen, ask the Holy Spirit to gently reveal where you may be holding on, striving, or forgetting—so He can lead you back into peace, trust, and surrender.
If this resonated with you, I invite you to listen to the full episode here:
👉 When Motherhood Feels Overwhelming: Learning to Trust God and Let Go of Control
If you’re ready to walk this out in your own life or family:
Book a Biblical Counseling or Family Coaching Session
Explore the Happy Kid Toolkit (a practical framework for emotional regulation, responsibility, and healthy communication)
Join a Renew & Restore Women’s Healing Retreat
These retreats are sacred spaces where women:
- encounter God deeply
- experience healing and breakthrough
- build meaningful connection and community
With time to slow down, reflect, and be restored—through teaching, prayer, nature, and shared experiences.
👉 You can learn more about upcoming retreats on my website.
Final Encouragement
You don’t have to carry this alone.
God is not absent.
He is not late.
And He is not finished.
👉 He remembers… even when you forget.
With you in this journey,
