God's Love Means We Are Never Alone

Parenting can be isolating at times. I was the first of my closest friends and siblings to become a parent. My life, routines, and priorities changed dramatically overnight. The freedom I had to meet up with people changed because I had to consider things like my daughter's routine, how much sleep we had been having or childcare.

I returned to work for a while after maternity leave but then left after a few months to spend as much time as possible with my daughter. I found the rhythms of my days no longer matched up with those of working family and friends who were not parents. The love was still there but I sometimes felt I barely saw them and missed the range of conversations I used to have with different adults. Feelings of loneliness and isolation were exacerbated because I had also recently moved to a new area and was yet to make new friends. Eventually, I made some pleasant mum friends through baby groups which led to play dates, birthday parties and trips to the local park. These connections helped a lot and I am grateful for them.

My relationship with God also changed. I found it difficult to have regular daily devotional time with a baby, but I discovered that God does not limit His communication to my schedule. I found God to be the most understanding of friends when I had to cancel my plans to meet with Him due to sleepless nights, teething, or other baby-related reasons. God never judged me and never left me. My life, routine, priorities, and even my body had changed, but God remained constant and present.

Never Alone

Shortly before His death and resurrection, Jesus said,

"And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you". - John 14:16 NLT

And He did. We see in the book of Acts that the Holy Spirit came in a way He never had before and filled the disciples of Jesus in that upper room on the Day of Pentecost. You can read about this in Acts chapter 2.

I love the Greek word Parakletos which is used exclusively by John and translated above as "Advocate". The Amplified Bible says: "Helper (Comforter, Advocate, Intercessor - Counsellor, Strengthener, Standby)". Parakletos means all these things and more.

I felt the Holy Spirit on my walks, I heard the Holy Spirit in the shower, and I found the Holy Spirit in my interactions with my daughter whether morning, noon or the middle of the night. Parakletos was always with me. I was never truly alone. When I felt lonely God encouraged me to go out to baby groups, and when I needed advice, God's Spirit and Word guided me. When I was worried about my daughter, my life or my future the Holy Spirit was my Comforter and Counsellor.

I now have three children and my first child is a teenager. I have experienced many aspects of parenthood and acknowledge there is more to come. Children change so quickly, physically, mentally, and emotionally. God never changes. I have learnt that the challenge is not only to acknowledge God's presence but to lean on God's presence. The presence of God's Spirit with me has the power to transform how I live and how I parent. I do not need to wait until a set time or place to commune with God, or ask for advice, encouragement, direction or comfort. God's Spirit is with me and within me because God loves me.

Learning to Lean on God

Then Jesus said, "Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest" - Matthew 11:28 NLT

I have heard preachers say when we see "therefore" in the Bible we need to read a few verses back and find out what it is there for. This is good advice which also applies here. We may know that the Holy Spirit is right there with us, but do we understand what He is there for? Because we are never alone we never have to do it alone. Whatever our relationship status, no matter whether we have friends and family near or far, we do not have to parent alone. We never need to carry the challenges and responsibilities of parenthood alone.

Speaking about God, Peter tells us to:

Throw all your anxiety upon Him, because He cares about you - 1 Peter 5:7 CJB

The presence of the Holy Spirit, as all that Parakletos embodies, is to have a practical impact on our lives. We who may feel we carry so much as parents have One who will not only share the load with us but will take it all from us. We only need to throw our cares upon Him. When we do so we practice parenting from a place of rest rather than worry as we rely on God's Spirit with and within us to lead us and guide us.

This takes trust. When I look back on my life, I see that God has been faithful in loving me. I see evidence of God's presence in my life and the good that this has made available to me. I also see God's love in action and His trustworthiness throughout the Bible, even and especially in the face of the lack of faithfulness from individuals and His chosen people, the Israelites. Reflecting on God's love and faithfulness helps me to trust Him and lean on His Spirit as I go about my day.

Think Pray Pause

Lean on, trust in, and be confident in the Lord with all your heart and mind and do not rely on your own insight or understanding. In all your ways know, recognise, and acknowledge Him, and He will direct and make straight and plain your paths - Proverbs 3:5-6 AMPC

Read the Scripture then think about it, use it to pray, and pause to listen to what the Holy Spirit has to say. Do this in any order or configuration that you like.