I Didn’t Sign Up for This

Nobody really warns you that parenting would feel like this. Sure, people talk about sleepless nights and messy houses but they don’t tell you about the level of anger that bubbles up when your child talks back like you’re nobody. They don’t talk about the shame you feel when you snap, slam a door, or cry in your closet just to breathe for five minutes without someone asking for a snack.

You imagined cuddles, bedtime stories, cute milestones. You didn’t sign up for slammed doors, rolling eyes, disrespect, or feeling like you’re losing yourself in the process. And yet here you are showing up anyway. That alone is proof you’re stronger than you think.

God knew this would break you in ways you didn’t expect but not to destroy you. To build you. Parenting is sanctifying. It drags buried wounds into the light. It shows you the parts of yourself that still need healing. It brings you to the end of you so you can lean on the One who never runs dry.

Jesus never asked you to hold it all together. He asked you to bring the parts that are falling apart. He sees the version of you that snaps. The version of you that whispers, “I don’t even like my kid right now.” And He says, “Come to Me anyway.” You didn’t sign up for this version of parenting but you did sign up to love them. And He signed up to carry you. You’re not doing this alone.

Reflection Questions:

1. What parts of parenting feel heavier than you ever expected?
2. What hidden feelings have you been afraid to admit to God?
3. Where do you need His rest and strength today?

Prayer:
Jesus, I didn’t sign up for this version of parenting: the anger, the guilt, the exhaustion. But I trust You did. I bring You the truth I’ve been hiding: the feelings I’m ashamed of and the mess I can’t fix alone. Carry me today. Remind me that Your grace is bigger than my gaps. Help me love my child well and trust You to heal what I can’t. Amen.