🌸 A Moment For the Caregiver

“Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” — Matthew 11:28

Caregiving can be an act of deep love.

It can also be exhausting.

Sometimes it looks like sitting beside a hospital bed. Sometimes it is helping a spouse get dressed, taking a parent to another appointment, picking up prescriptions, preparing meals, answering the same question again, or simply making sure someone you love is safe.

A lot of caregiving happens where no one else sees it.

People may ask how your loved one is doing.

They may ask what the doctor said.

They may ask whether things are getting better.

But sometimes no one asks:

How are you doing?

And even when someone does ask, you may not know how to answer.

Because you love the person you are caring for.

You are grateful you can be there.

You would probably do it all over again.

And you are tired.

Those things can all be true at the same time.

You can love someone and still need a break.

You can be thankful and still feel overwhelmed.

You can be strong and still have moments when you want somebody else to make the decisions, answer the phone, prepare the meal, or sit beside the bed for a while.

That does not make you selfish.

It means you are carrying something heavy.

Jesus never asked us to pretend that heavy things are light.

He said,

“Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden…”

He already knows you are tired.

He knows about the interrupted sleep.

He knows about the worries you do not say aloud.

He knows the decisions you are trying to make.

He knows what it feels like to watch someone you love change.

And He sees the things you do that may never receive a thank-you.

Perhaps today you do not need another list of things you should be doing better.

Maybe you simply need permission to admit:

This is hard.

And maybe your prayer does not need to be long.

It can simply be:

“Lord, I need You today.”

Sometimes rest will look like sleep.

Sometimes it may look like accepting help.

Sometimes it may mean letting someone else handle one thing.

Sometimes it is sitting quietly for ten minutes without answering anybody.

And sometimes rest is simply remembering that while you are caring for someone else, God is still caring for you.

A MOMENT to Reflect

What do you need today that you have been hesitant to admit you need?

You do not have to explain it to anyone.

Just bring it honestly to God.

A MOMENT Prayer

Father,

Thank You for seeing me as I care for someone I love.

You know the parts that are beautiful, and You know the parts that are difficult.

You know when I am tired, worried, frustrated, grateful, afraid, or simply trying to make it through another day.

Help me remember that I do not have to carry everything by myself.

Give me wisdom for what needs my attention today and peace about what can wait.

And remind me that the caregiver needs care too.

Thank You for caring for me while I care for someone else.

Amen.

🌸 A MOMENT to Carry With You

You can love someone deeply and still be tired.

You can be the caregiver and still need care.

And you do not have to carry today alone.

❤️ Every MOMENT Matters.

— Monica Lynne Wilkins
MOMENT Moms™
MOMENTMoms.org