I’ve been there. Have you?

I’ve had those days when I was barely holding on. When the rope seemed to be slipping right between my fingers. When I thought I couldn’t handle being a mom one more day.

Oh sure, not all days are that difficult, but what about the not-so-great days that seem to stack up, one upon another upon another like a pile of blocks that’s just about to tumble?

What do we do when we lose it with our toddler in the grocery store? Or when our newborn just won’t sleep through the night? Or when our teenager decides she knows so much more than we do, stomping off to her room in an indignant huff?

Some days simply threaten to defeat us as parents.

I think Moses probably felt like a parent to the Israelites some days, and I find it encouraging to see how he responded when they whined and complained like children.

In Numbers chapter 11, we read about the people of Israel who had been wandering around in the desert for quite a while. They complained about being hungry, thirsty, and generally unhappy with their circumstances. In fact, they dreamed about going back to Egypt—the place where they had been enslaved!

Moses had had enough, so, in one of the most honest, heartfelt prayers in the Bible, he cried out to God. We read in Number 11:14 (NLT) these words of Moses: “I can’t carry all these people by myself! The load is far too heavy!”

Have you every felt like the load of parenthood is just too much? I have. And in those moments I have felt like Moses crying out to God saying, “The load is far too heavy!”

You know what God did for Moses? He sent helpers. Seventy men to help carry that burden.

And every time I cry out to God that my job as a mom is just too big, He sends a helper to me too. Sometimes the help comes in the form of a text of encouragement. Other times it comes as a hug from a friend.

And other times, He sends His Spirit to reassure me that He is with us and will give us

• wisdom when we need it.
• strength to discipline when we just don’t want to do it.
• energy when we’re tired.
• patience when we’re at the end of our rope.

Moms, I think that this is exactly where God wants us to be—recognizing that we cannot do this job on our own strength. Calling out to Him for help. Relying on His power to do the work when we feel we can’t do it anymore.

What are you calling out to God for today?