There is always hope: Parenting through dark seasons with God

There are seasons in motherhood that feel heavier than anyone prepares you for. Seasons where you’re doing everything you know how to do—and still feel like you’re drowning.

I know that place well.

One of the hardest seasons of my motherhood journey came when I was caring for a newborn with significant needs while trying to meet the emotional needs of my other children. I was exhausted, overwhelmed, and navigating postpartum depression that left me feeling fearful, isolated, and unsure how to move forward. Simple tasks felt impossible. Leaving the house felt terrifying. And hope felt distant.

I remember sitting on the couch, nursing my baby, staring out the window, thinking, Something has to change—but I don’t know how.

When nothing seems to work

Like many parents in survival mode, I tried to fix the situation on my own. I changed my diet. I adjusted routines. I read more parenting books. I tried new strategies and searched for answers—anything that might help me climb out of the hole I was in.

But for a long time, nothing worked.

What made this season especially painful wasn’t just the exhaustion—it was the hopelessness. The feeling that no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t manufacture peace or healing on my own.

Eventually, I reached the end of myself.

God as the turning point

Real change didn’t come from another strategy or parenting method. It came when I finally surrendered the situation fully to God.

Instead of asking, What else can I try? I began asking, Lord, what do You want me to do?

God gently redirected my focus—not toward perfection, but toward connection. Connection with Him. Connection with my children. One step at a time.

I began prioritizing time with the Lord, not out of obligation, but out of desperation. And in that space, God met me with clarity, truth, and healing. He didn’t remove the challenges overnight, but He walked with me through them.

Why intimacy with God changes everything

It’s possible to know about God—to read Scripture, consume teaching, and understand biblical concepts—yet still miss the relational intimacy that brings transformation.

Just like knowing facts about a person isn’t the same as walking through life with them, knowledge alone doesn’t change the heart.

Intimacy with God does.

As I learned to sit in God’s presence, invite Him into my pain, and allow Him to heal deep places in my heart, my perspective began to shift. I started to see myself differently. My children differently. My parenting differently.

The more I understood how God parents me—with patience, truth, grace, and correction rooted in love—the more I was able to reflect that same posture in my own home.

The role of mentors and inner healing

Along the way, I discovered two powerful accelerators in this healing journey.

The first was mentorship—trusted people who were willing to lovingly point out blind spots, speak truth, and walk alongside growth. Blind spots keep us stuck. Safe, godly mentors help us see clearly and move forward.

The second was inner healing.

By inviting God into the places that needed healing—old wounds, lies, and unprocessed pain—I experienced deep restoration. This wasn’t about striving harder. It was about allowing God to do the work only He can do.

When truth replaces lies, and God’s love fills broken places, lasting change begins.

One step at a time is still progress

Growth doesn’t happen all at once.

There are no shortcuts in the Kingdom—but there is grace.

You may still struggle in some areas while seeing breakthrough in others. That doesn’t mean you’re failing. It means you’re growing.

As God works in one area, His healing begins to permeate others. Awareness increases. Compassion deepens. Peace slowly replaces chaos.

And hope returns.

A reminder for weary parents

If you’re in a season that feels dark, overwhelming, or never-ending, I want you to know this:

There is always hope.

God is near. He is faithful. And He specializes in redemption and restoration—especially in the places where we feel weakest.

Take it one step at a time. Invite God into one area. Focus on connection. Trust that He is working, even when the progress feels slow.

You are not alone. And this season is not the end of your story.