This blog post is all about Parenting Burnout.
Parenting burnout is no stranger to any mama—it’s real, it’s tough, and it can feel overwhelming. This season can weigh heavy on your heart, whether it lasts a few days or stretches into months.
But here’s the truth: you don’t have to face it alone. God is right beside you, ready to carry the load of your anxious thoughts, sleepless nights, and struggles. He doesn’t demand perfection from you—so why demand it from yourself?
Let’s take a deep breath together and explore how to find grace, rest, and strength in Him, even in the most challenging moments of motherhood.
Keep reading, mama—you’re not alone in this.
Rely on God During Parenting Burnout
Signs of Parenting Burnout
There are many signs of Parenting Burnout, and the way you experience it might not be the same for the next person. In general, though, the signs of Parenting Burnout are:
- Short Temper
- Comparison
- Physical Exhaustion
- Fatigue
- Frequent Illnesses
- Sleep Issues
- Brain Fog
- Overwhelmed
- Decision Fatigue
- Resentment
- Loss of Purpose
The number one sign that gives it away that I’m experiencing Parenting Burnout is “loss of purpose.”
After so many sleepless nights, picking up the same mess over and over and over again, feeling like it’s Groundhog Day, every day starts to feel too much, and I start asking myself, “Is this all there really is of life?” It all goes downhill from there.
Becoming self-aware of when I’m about to burn out has been a game-changer. It allows me to take a break before I burn out.
If you’re already experiencing burnout, this blog post can help you overcome it.
“You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you.” Isaiah 26:3
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28
Surrendering
Surrender your whole heart, self, children, and marriage to God. He cares deeply about you and your family. He is the only one who can control every little aspect of our lives.
More often than not, parenting burnout comes from trying so hard to control every little thing.
When things don’t go as planned, you start to burn out. You feel like you’re swimming against the current, and when you finally get up to get some air, another wave comes crashing down, pushing you down further.
When you finally surrender to him completely, a huge weight will fall off your shoulders, bringing a sense of relief and comfort. Until then, you may feel a massive burden in your life.
Surrendering is a daily, even hourly, ordeal.
So, lay it out to God.
God is SO FAITHFUL.
Letting Go of Control
In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps. – Proverbs 16:9
We want to feel like we are in control of everything. It makes us feel safe. However, you have no control over anything at the end of the day.
Control is an illusion.
Anytime you have a thought where you have absolutely no control, oh boy, does it strike great anxiety in your heart. You try to avoid all the possible dangers that would keep you out of that situation.
For example, we are farmers. Most of the children who pass away young around our community are due to farm accidents. This drove this mama crazy with anxiety.
The first thing I did was try to control the situation. “My girls will no longer go to the farm,” I said.
Having that control made me feel better, but they missed spending time with their dad and building memories with him. Even though they didn’t go out to the farm for a while, it didn’t ease my anxieties.
I finally talked to God and my husband about my stress around the farm.
Well, it could happen, but it’s out of our control. Obviously, we teach farm safety and keep our little ones out of danger, but that’s all we can do.
You can’t control everything, and you were not meant to.
Prayer
Prayer is going to be your saving grace during this season of life.
Sometimes, before we even think about praying, we start planning or strategizing the next step. Instead of going to God for guidance, we look online or other sources to fix the XYZ problem. However, prayer is a powerful tool that can provide guidance and support during this season of life.
There are two reasons why one might turn to the latter instead of God…
- You don’t believe prayer is powerful.
- You don’t know where to start or what to pray about.
Elijah prayed for it not to rain, and it didn’t. Three years later, he prayed to make it rain, and it rained.
(1 Kings 17:1 & 1 Kings 18:41-45 ) (James 5:17-18 summarizes it)
He was just like you and I. He was a sinner who trusted God with his whole heart.
God listens, and God provides. He’s ready to listen to your prayer and plead for help. When your thoughts are running wild, ask God to intervene and listen to them. Surrender to him through prayer, knowing he is always ready to listen and provide.
Read The Word Daily
When you feel like you have fallen off the wagon and are in no man’s land, Reading The Word will get you back where you want to be.
Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. Psalm 119:105
Scripture will realign your heart with what matters most.
If you struggle with anxiety like this mama over here, reading the bible will provide you with peace, reassurance, and rest. Isaiah 26:3
If you feel like your thoughts are sabotaging you, making you feel like you’re not good enough, or that you aren’t cut out for motherhood, reading the bible will remind you that you are God’s handiwork; you were created for this. He doesn’t expect perfection, and neither should you!
Psalms 23 is a fantastic chapter in the Bible that will refresh your soul.
God speaks to His people through the means of The Bible.
Turn to God
Instead of Turning to God, Modern Mom Culture turns to wine, coffee, screen time, complaining, etc.
But for Christian Mamas, you should and need to be turning to God throughout the day.
We often think that our problems are small and that we need to figure them out ourselves, but that is not true. God wants to hear it all.
Even in the tiniest of choices in life, ask God.
“I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye on you.” Psalms 32:8
Hard is Not The Same Thing as Bad
God says children are a blessing. They are a gift from Jehovah God.
Raising kids is HARD work, but it is not a bad thing. Every tantrum can teach you more about yourself and how you can be more Christ-like, which is the goal in life—to imitate Jesus Christ.
Kids expose all the evil and selfishness in our hearts, which is a blessing because we would continue our selfish, evil ways without it.
It triggers us to change and to seek God more than seeking that world.
Recognize Your Limitations
We all have limitations. It’s time you recognized that about yourself. It’s good that God set this boundary; otherwise, we would never seek him.
Instead, we would rely on our own understanding, and we can see where that got us, thanks to Eve.
There are seasons where you can do much more than you can right now. It’s completely okay.
Recognizing that you have limitations doesn’t make you a bad mom or an unworthy mom. It just makes you realize you were never intended to carry all the weight on your shoulders.
Vertical View
Make sure your gaze is looking vertically.
What does God want? How can you please God? What is the bigger picture?
A horizontal view will give you mediocre motherhood. Moms who stick to the bare minimum, rely on wine to get them through the days, prefer passive parenting instead of intentional parenting, and those who, if you aren’t busy, are doing your family a disservice. She compares and measures her family’s behavior and success to the world’s expectations.
A vertical view brings you rest, fills you with His love and wisdom, reminds you that God’s grace is sufficient, and keeps you level-headed and steady.
Memorize Scripture
Reading the Bible is essential, and memorizing scripture is non-negotiable.
When tough times come, having those verses in your heart can really make a difference. It helps you feel grounded and pushes away any confusion or doubts that might creep in.
Circumstances Doesn’t Equal Peace
You will go through so many seasons of life with your children. They are unpredictable. One day, it’s going well; the next, it feels like someone threw a whiny bomb in the living room.
If you tie your sense of peace to specific circumstances—like well-behaved children going to bed without frequent interruptions—you might find yourself on quite the rollercoaster ride!
Instead, focus on anchoring your day in Christ, allowing that foundation to provide stability, regardless of nap times or daily chaos.
Parenting Burnout
Parenting Burnout is real and can happen before you know it! It’s okay to feel overwhelmed and exhausted. Relying on God when going through the trenches can lift a huge burden off your shoulders.
Remember, you were not created to do everything by yourself. Just as you’re there for all your kid’s needs, God is there for you. He cares for you in the same way you care for your little ones. He protects you just like you protect your little ones when they’re about to do something unsafe.
You are not alone in this journey.
God’s love for you is constant and unwavering. He is always there for you, ready to listen and support you. All you have to do is surrender, pray, and turn to Him. His presence is a source of strength and comfort in your parenting journey.
