Balancing private and professional life is a real struggle. No one really tells you until you’re there. Well, okay, maybe some working moms may have mentioned it, but you really had no idea how your heart would be torn in two, until you actually worked.
I remember when my two oldest daughters were 1 and 3 and I had just finished my master’s degree in advanced literacy. Oh, how I couldn’t wait to live my dream as a reading specialist. Before that, I was pregnant in a master’s program the first year and with a newborn the following year. Yes, it was interesting to say the least! I was completely exhausted, functioning on fumes, and still have no idea how I managed to get any work done some days. So I am very grateful for the understanding and sincere teachers.
However, once I finished those two years and got hired at a school with some pretty amazing people, I knew it was God’s work. This was part of His plan for me and our little family. I guess you could say I’ve always had a working mom spirit. But, in full disclosure, for the longest time, I felt a bit of guilt. Mom guilt as a working mother is harsh and was a brutal reality for me. Maybe you can understand?
Yet, over time, I learned that my role as a mother and my role as a reading specialist were not necessarily in competition. God called me to both roles, and I knew deep in my heart that He would support me in both roles.
Now I work from home as a writer. I can assure you that I still feel the same way. My heart is still torn. I still struggle with guilt. I deal with all the insecurities. But I also know that this is where God has placed me, and I trust it fully. So on tough days or tough times, you want to know what really gets me through? It’s simple, really. It’s my lifeline to God through prayer!
My friend, if you are a working mom trying so hard to juggle everything, walking the tightrope between work and home life, and you have a tender heart torn in two, I get it! But I also invite you to place everything at His feet. Do it today!
Below is a list of whispered prayers you can pray to the Father at any time. Whether you’re at work, at home, or in transit, let’s put your heart in the right place and believe the truth about where God has placed you on this beautiful journey of motherhood!
A prayer for your trust
Father, I ask you to give me the confidence today to complete all the tasks I have at work and at home. I need your strength. When I buckle under the pressure and give in to the lies that I am not enough or incapable of fulfilling this list of demands, please fight on my behalf and push back the enemy. I am so grateful that you are my safe haven and place of retreat when I lose sight of my worth and worth (Psalm 91:1-2). Amen.
A prayer to guide us
God, if I’m honest, sometimes I think I can do this on my own, without any help, so I put on a brave face. I know you do, so please help me trust you with all the daily choices and decisions I have to make. Offer me guidance, wisdom, and a gentle heart to accept your help when I am overwhelmed. I desperately need and want to follow the direction you have for me because I know your plans are good (Jeremiah 29:11). Amen.
A prayer for the protection of your family
Lord, with each new day, I ask for Your fierce protection around each member of my family. While my children are in daycare and school, help them feel loved and cared for, while placing a protective hedge around them, protecting them from harm. I ask you to do the same for my husband and me. Give us safe passage to and from our various destinations to our humble abode (2 Thessalonians 3:3). Amen.
A prayer to be intentional
Oh God, thank you for the gift of my beloved family. I am very grateful that you have given me the means to help them in this way. As I try to juggle my work life and home life, help me to be conscious of my time and intentional in my actions. Give me the ability to stay focused at work and fully engage with my family when I’m home (James 5:12). Amen.
A prayer for when guilt hits
Merciful God, thank you so much for the ever-present abundance of your mercy and grace. Please give me this grace when that insurmountable, sneaky mom guilt creeps in and wants to envelop me, stifling the call you have placed on my life. When I feed on these lies, put me back on the path to Your righteousness, reclaim my heart, and restore Your will to my heart. I love you and I want to serve you alone (Romans 8:1). Amen.
A prayer for friendly colleagues
Jesus, you gave us such a great example of how to be a good friend. As I make connections in my work, help me follow your loving example. Give me the courage to step out of my comfort zone and create a community for my colleagues to become friends while fostering meaningful relationships. When the time comes, give me the courage to share my story and be your witness (1 John 1:7). Amen.
A prayer for All responsibilities
Father, you have given me the strength I need to take on these responsibilities. I know this because You called me to them. However, very often, I feel the stress rising and worry taking over my heart. I can so easily lose my way and questions flood my tired heart. So, I ask for your help. Grant me the strength to be a good steward in my work and at home while granting me permission to rest and seek peace in You (1 Timothy 1:14). Amen.
A prayer to be happy
Lord, thank you for blessing my work and being able to work for You in this way. I ask that you give me a place of contentment while I do my work and only pursue what you would have me pursue. It’s so easy (and human) for me to want to chase more, to wish for more, and to want more for myself and our family. Please protect my heart so that I only have eyes for what You offer me (Hebrews 13:5). Amen.
A prayer for patience and peace (with yourself)
Peace. I am so grateful that You, O God, are a God of peace. As I complete all my tasks at work and come home to my precious family, give us all peace of mind, body and soul, and grant us a sense of calm in our home as we gather together to discuss our day. We seek your comfort and pray that you grant us your insurmountable peace when life seems heavy and our burdens become too heavy to bear. Thank you for being our source of serenity (Colossians 3:15). Amen.
Photo credit: ©GettyImages/monkeybusinessimages
