With the birth of my sweet baby number seven, I have been reminded that nothing is worse then being sleep deprived and overwhelmed by young children, especially in the middle of the night! This is the time when I struggle most. For some of us (like me), lack of sleep can take a toil on our personality and disposition. The fact is, it can make me a real grump.
Motherhood can be exhausting and these are moments that put you to the test! Learning how to adjust to sleepless nights can be a challenge, but also a real opportunity for spiritual growth. St. Faustina writes in her diary ““With God’s grace a soul can overcome the greatest difficulties.” Diary 287
I have found long nights can be a time of prayer and bonding with our children. I have learned that instead of grumbling and becoming more irritated the longer I am awake, I try to take the time I am awake with a child to pray for that child and the rest of my family.
Even though I am tired, its easy to repeat the prayers of the Chaplet of Divine Mercy or the Rosary as I am feeding the and rocking the baby. Sometimes I just go through the list of all my family members specifically and ask Jesus to have mercy on them and to bless them. It can be hard to focus when you are tired, but Jesus knows the purity of our intentions and that I’d rather be flicking through the TV channels or staring off into space instead of praying! The more that we show this love to our family, the greater our bond will be.
In Ephesians 5:1 It states “Be imitators of Christ, as beloved children. And walk in Love as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us.”
When I am needed at night, I try to focus on Christ and how much he has sacrificed for me, and how he is calling me to prayer and service for my family. These small sacrifices done with love help soften my heart bring a great spiritual benefit to my family.