How to Stop Feeling Discouraged as a Mom: Finding Faith and Hope in Hard Times

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Discover how to stop feeling discouraged as a mom with faith-based encouragement, practical steps, and uplifting Bible verses to guide you through tough times.

Motherhood and homemaking are some of the most beautiful callings, but they can also be one of the hardest things we face as human beings. Between stubborn kids, endless chores, and the pressure of balancing a day job with homesteading and homemaking, feelings of discouragement can rear their ugly heads.

And I’m not talking about excessively difficult times. No, I’m talking about the day-to-day trials that knock us off our feet, like the cold and flu season that never goes away, a setback with a child’s behavioral problem, or frustrations with a marriage that rock your family’s core. Those are just a few that come to mind, but I’m positive we could add more to the list because our lives are complicated!

If you’ve ever wondered, “How do I stop feeling so discouraged?” you are not alone. I have been there too—more times than I can count. The good news is that through our faith, we will often discover that our discouragement can become our encouragement. As we fight those negative feelings, let’s step into hope together.

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Motherhood Discouragement

I recently found myself battling a bout of discouragement as I awoke to another day with a sick family. It sounds so trite, doesn’t it? I’m sure months down the road I’m going to look back at all the content I made surrounding this period of time and shake my head in subtle embarrassment.

However, when you are in the thick of a family sickness that just will not lift, it’s easy to descend the steps of discouragement and in that valley, you may find yourself wondering if you’ll ever step back into the joy of Christ. I’m also finding that getting a family of 6 through a bad bought of sickness is very different than a family of 4.

But let me bring you back to reality. The joy of Christ is not found in our circumstances but in the deep places of our hearts that have already discovered the fortress of the neverending love and depth of Jesus. Let’s bring our hearts and minds back to the things above, not the things of earth. This is the best way to fight discouragement.

How to Stop Feeling Discouraged – Let Discouragement Be Your Encouragement

The way out of discouragement is not to put up defenses but to return to God’s reality. When we have that feeling of discouragement, we can reduce Jesus from our living Savior to an abstract idea—still believing, but distant in our hearts. Silence your negative thoughts by leaning fully into what is already yours in Christ: adoption, forgiveness, reconciliation, dignity, and freedom.

“Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.”

Colossians 3:2 ESV

The Jesus you’re disillusioned with isn’t the real Jesus—He is infinitely vast, and there is always more to explore. In motherhood and homemaking, collapse into Christ with fresh surrender. Pour out your heart, wrestle with Him, and trust that your discouragement is a stepping stone to deeper intimacy with Him.

As you collapse into Christ, you may find that your discouragement will become your greatest ally in bringing you back to the rest of Jesus.

1. Shift Your Focus to God’s Truth

One of the best things you can do when you’re in a period of discouragement or hard times is to anchor your heart in God’s Word. Negative emotions and thoughts often cloud our vision, making us forget the bigger picture. But Scripture brings us back to what is true.

The LORD is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.

Psalm 34:18 ESV

Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

Matthew 11:28 ESV

There are so many examples of discouragement described in the Bible. One that comes to mind is in 1 Samuel 17. Saul and his army fell to the temptation of discouragement as they listened to the taunts of Goliath. Fear immobilized them (we’re going to talk more about fear in a minute), but God brought them back to the truth of his faithfulness when a small shepherd boy stepped up to remind them that God’s strength is not found in size or stature. If you remember the story, once David defeated Goliath, the Israelites decimated the Philistines.

Although in the trenches of motherhood and homemaking, we’re probably not going to face something as towering as Goliath, we do face a number of day-to-day troubles and negative things that can tempt us to lose courage.

The Matthew 11:28 passage does not give qualifications to. It does not say ‘come to me all who have a good enough reason to be heavy ladened.’ There is no qualification. The truth is whether you have a good enough reason or not, God invites you to come and accept his rest.

2. Reject the Fear

Sometimes discouragement is rooted in fear—fear that God won’t come through or that your hard work will be in vain. Acknowledge those fears that rear its ugly head and speak truth to them.

On this day, I felt off—like a heavy, grey fog had settled over my mind. At first, I didn’t even realize what was happening. I just felt that familiar, sinking fear of disappointment. My courage started slipping away, and suddenly, I didn’t have the energy to open my Bible, pray, or do anything that felt spiritually meaningful.

But then—I caught myself. I paused and thought, Wait a minute… why am I doubting God’s faithfulness now, why do I have a fear of failure today? Hadn’t He been so good to me before? I could think of countless times He had carried me through hard mothering days and lifted me up when I was worn thin. And honestly? I could also remember plenty of times I had felt this same kind of discouragement—only for it to pass when I turned back to Him.

It’s in these times where we need to strengthen our weak knees.

Therefore lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees, and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint but rather be healed. Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord.

Hebrews 12:12–14

When fear creeps in, pause and ask yourself, “Why am I doubting God’s faithfulness?” Recall the times He has been faithful before. Pray for His help and dive into Scripture. Faith-fueled courage will revive your spirit and bring new meaning to your journey.

3. Keep Going and Confront Discouragement Face On

Our own sinful flesh and Satan loves to tempt us to discouragement because we are easily intimidated by what looks overwhelming. Satan can cast God as the bad guy who brought us to this place of discouragement. Then like any good drama, our flesh and mind will feel justified in our discouragement.

So what is the way out of this pit of discouragement? To confront it head-on. We need to preach to ourselves daily to goodness of the gospel. Answer the question the Psalmist wrote with truth.

Why are you cast down, O my soul,
    and why are you in turmoil within me?
Hope in God; for I shall again praise him,
    my salvation

Psalm 42:5 ESV

Sometimes in these hard days of simple homemaking and motherhood, we need to rest and that’s totally fine, after all, discouragement is just a part of life. On other days, we need to put on our spiritual armor and fight. Fight the temptation to wallow and keep on going. It will make a huge difference.

For me, this usually means I need to keep going physically. A great way to do this is to clean the house, homeschool the kids, sort the shoes (which was what I was doing on this particular day), empty the trash, do the laundry, and put my mind and my hands to something useful. Doing something active is a simple way to get our nervous system going and a wonderful way to get out of a fixed mindset.

Answer the question honestly, why are you cast down, O my soul? God is faithful, so if God is faithful then once again answer the question. Sometimes we need to make our own path straight.

And make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint but rather be healed.

Hebrews 12:13 ESV

Make your path straight by getting out of the mental place that is bringing discouragement.

Final Thoughts: Trusting God Through the Journey

If you are in a tough time right now, take heart. The hardest things often become the biggest blessings in our personal growth. Trust that God is working in this part of the journey, even if you don’t see immediate results.

Sometimes it’s that little thing and the small step that may bring the most encouragement.

You may have noticed that in the accompanying YouTube video, I switched out my mantel hanging, which spouts a verse I love,

but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength;
    they shall mount up with wings like eagles;
they shall run and not be weary;
    they shall walk and not faint.

Isaiah 40:31 ESV

The next time discouragement creeps in, remember that your journey as a mom and homemaking is worth living but we cannot get out of discouragement in our own power. Take a deep breath, remind yourself of God’s truth, reject that fear, and confront the temptation of discouragement.

You are on the right track, walking in your own path, and God is with you every step of the way.

Video and Blog Resources:

You will notice in the accompanying YouTube video a few resources that I do not mention in this blog post. I list these below for your convenience.

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