Encouraging bible verses for motherhood
When you are in need of encouragement, where do you go? Do you pick up your phone and reach out to someone who loves you? Or search for a pick me up in the things around you? Do you sit down and scroll social media for inspiration but leave feeling discontent? If so… you’re not alone. I have been in that position, and I have had many days in motherhood that have left me feeling discouraged and dare I say it, a little bit hopeless. But guess what- God has so much more for us than this! Encouraging bible verses for motherhood help us to lean into God’s truth and fill our cup. These verses are a great place to start!
Bible Verses
- Philippians 4:6-7
- 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
- 2 Corinthians 12:9-10
- Matthew 25:40
- Galatians 6:9
- Ephesians 4:32
God wants us to come to his word when we are in need of encouragement.
Really, he wants us to come to his word no matter what we are in need of, or even if we don’t think we are “in need” at all. If you are like me, you would describe motherhood as “no greater joy”, but often times find yourself having trouble actually feeling this statement in your soul. In times like this the Lord wants us to run to him; to his word; where he can remind us of his love for us. I encourage you to go to God’s word and allow him to fill you up.
I grew up with many older women around me who played a pivotal role in my own personal testimony. One of these women was a dear family friend; I called her Auntie Bev, she was a wise woman, a true woman of God. She had a passion for leading women’s bible studies. Although I was just a young girl when she was doing this; I now get to reap the reward of the seeds she sowed over many years as she mentored my own mother. She constantly used encouraging bible verses to lift up the women around her. I’m going to share some of her wisdom with you, she loved to compare us to “chicks” and the Lord’s love for us to a mother hen. She wrote a note to the younger women in one of her studies (that included my mom) and this year my mom shared it with me for Mother’s Day.
Gathering Chicks
“Oh Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones God’s messengers! How often I have wanted to gather your children together as a hen protects her chicks beneath her wings; but you wouldn’t let me.” This verse is Jesus speaking about his beloved chosen people. Jesus was showing us a powerful reminder of God’s love. He was coming to the end of his time here on earth, and he still had “worries” about his people. The image of a hen gathering her chicks is so appropriate; and so comparable to a mother’s love. There are many scripture references that speak of God’s protective wings under whose shelter we find refuge. “He will cover you with his feathers. He will shelter you with his wings. His faithful promises are your armor and protection.” Psalm 91:4.
When a name is called twice; in this case “Jerusalem, Jerusalem” it indicates strong emotion. This is a beautiful reminder of the way God loves and cares for us. He wants to “gather us up”, but we resist. As chicks we tend to scatter; to flee when there is trouble. But thankfully we have a father; the father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who gathers us up at the proper time and shelters us under his wings. He is always on the look out to protect our hearts, ease our worries, and bring peace to our souls.
Scripture as Our Source
Now that we have talked about going to scripture for encouragement in motherhood, and we have seen the powerful reminder of God’s love for us, we can view these verses through the lense of God’s grace and love for us. When you go into a time of bible study it is always a good idea to start with prayer. To express gratitude to God for all the things he has done in your life. Come to him with a quiet spirit and ask him to reveal himself to you through his word. In doing so, we open ourselves up to the different ways that the Lord may use the passage of scripture to shape our hearts and make us more like him.
Top Encouraging Bible Verses for Motherhood
1. “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7.
I think this is the verse I visit most in my entire bible. It’s so full of direction and encouragement, and it fills my anxious heart with the much-needed reminder that trusting the Lord is a choice… and a good one at that. Have you ever been driving in the car with your kids or sitting together on the couch just longing for conversation with them? My oldest daughter just turned six, and she loves listening to stories and audiobooks in the car. Recently we were in the car just the two of us, which is a rare occasion, and she was begging for a kids story telling podcast. All I wanted was to have alone time and heart to heart conversation with her.
When I read this verse I think of that situation; and I realize that God’s fatherly heart is even more desperate for my attention and time then my own motherly heart is. He says to us, “don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need and thank him for all he has done.” He wants to be able to tell you how loved you are; how much he wants to lay blessing upon blessing on your life. He wants to communicate with you; for you to bring everything to him so that he can reassure you that HE has it all under control.
How can he do this for us if we are too distracted and busy to bring it all to him? If we are so focused on the world around us, we miss what he has for us.
God’s Peace is the result
God’s peace is different from worldly peace. His peace isn’t just the absence of conflict or positive thinking. It is peace comes from the understanding that HE is in control. He has won the battle, our destiny is sure. Our heavenly citizenship was bought by the blood of Jesus and we can have victory over sin. God’s peace can guard your heart from anxiety, if you let it. Come to this verse when the ways of the world are pounding on the door of your heart and threatening to invade.
2. “Always be joyful. Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for all you who belong to Christ Jesus.” 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
I love this passage of scripture because of how concise and straight forward it is. The language Paul uses here is very strong. Words like always and never are not used frequently in scripture; but they are used back to back here and I think it is worth our time make sure that we don’t miss the power of what he is saying. “Always be joyful. Never stop praying.” He is giving us clear directions to posture our hearts before the Lord and to be in constant communication with him. The Holy Spirit often uses this verse to speak to me in the daily grind of motherhood when I am short tempered, lacking grace, and easily frustrated.
These things can overcome my attitude so easily- but if I quiet my emotions for just a minute and take the time to listen to him speaking this verse to my soul it quickly convicts me. Just as I mentioned earlier; the unconditional love of our heavenly father is even stronger than the love I have for my own children. His desire for us is that we can always come to him, just as I desire my own children to bring all their thoughts to me.
We do this in prayer. And when we are constantly coming to him in prayer he can change the attitude of our hearts. He takes us from frustration to joy, from resentment to gratitude. I long for my children to be joyful and filled with the fruit of the spirit because it brings delight to everyone in the room. That is what the love of God can do to us when we follow the commands in this verse.
3. “Each time he said, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” 2 Corinthians 12:9-10
In this passage Paul is writing to the Corinthians about boasting in our own weaknesses because it is in that weakness that God’s power is made perfect. It may be a difficult human quality to come to terms with- but we are weak. God’s plan for us was full dependence on him. He made us this way completely on purpose, it was not a mistake. Our human weakness brings glory to his power; this simple truth floods my brain with relief when I feel like I am not enough.
I had 4 children in 5 years; my physical body has been stretched to its limits along with my energy, my patience, and my dependence on the Lord. But this verse has a wonderful way of reminding me that I don’t have to do it all. I can’t do it all. But what I do have to accomplish can be done through God’s grace and power in my own life. Dependence on him brings glory to his name, and allows his power to rest on us. So, the next time you feel like you have an empty tank, turn to this verse and soak in the powerful reminder that God’s grace is sufficient, and you don’t have to do it all.
4. “And the King will say, ‘I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these, my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!'” Matthew 25:40
Dirty dishes in the sink, a mountain of laundry that needs attention. Floors that need sweeping, snotty noses that need wiping, and dirty bottoms that need cleaning. A toddler screaming while you answer an important phone call, or a baby that will only sleep while being held. A teenager in need of an attitude adjustment, or a pair of siblings that can’t stop arguing. Such things make for hard days that can feel slow, mundane, and overwhelming. We have all been here, and know that the days can be long and tiresome. However, when you are in this place- where the role of a mother feels heavy, come to Jesus!
This is Kingdom Work
It is in this season of life with littles that I have found myself understanding that the “mundane” duties of a mother is good work. Better yet, it is kingdom work. In this parable in Matthew Jesus is telling the crowd to feed the hungry, give the thirsty a drink, care for the sick, and visit the prisoner. And he says when you do this for “the least of these” you do this for me. He is using the parable to explain to his followers that when we love others, it is an expression of God’s love. The importance of this passage in Matthew is that we should love and serve others when there is a need because such love for others glorifies God by reflecting our love for him. When you serve and care for your family you are serving those who need serving. Our children are fully dependent on us; and in serving them and loving them unconditionally we bring glory to God. This is kingdom work!
5. “So let us not grow weary in doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we do not give up.” Galatians 6:9
Now that you see the value of this kingdom work- hear Paul’s reminder to the Galatians. We know that the hard days can be long and tiresome; but do not grow weary of doing good. Allow God’s power to rest on you, to work through you. Keep your hand to the plow. Because when you do, you will “reap a harvest of blessing if you do not give up.” What encouragement this is! My favorite podcaster, Durenda Wilson, uses this analogy of “keeping your hand to the plow” often. It is one that gives the picture of a busy mama, hard at work, plowing her field, on the verge of exhaustion. But- when we keep our hand to the plow and we sow the seeds; the Lord waters them and in his perfect timing we get to reap the harvest of blessing. What a gift motherhood is!
6. “Instead, be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving each other, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.” Ephesians 4:32
Lastly, this is a life verse that I recite to my children on a daily basis… but it is just as applicable to me in my own self talk as it is to bickering siblings. At the end of the day, we all fall short. We lose our temper, we forget important things, we hurt the feelings of our children or spouses, we brake dishes, or burn a meal. A mother’s teaching can be relayed through how we model what we want to see in our own children. Teaching our children to be tenderhearted can start with how we treat others and how we treat ourselves. Take heart mama, you have been forgiven!
Encouraging Bible Verses for Motherhood
It is my prayer that the word of God will be where you turn for encouragement. The challenges of motherhood can bring us to our knees, but the cross of Jesus has paved the path ahead. The father of mercies keeps no record of wrongs. Come to the Lord with your shortcomings, let his power rest on you, his peace guard your heart, and his forgiveness free your soul. Praise God for his unfailing love!