Mental Health & Mother's Day

Erin Canter
May 7, 2025
4 min read

Not every woman can say that Mother's Day is a day that is filled with wonderful greetings, get-togethers or feelings. It can be hard for various reasons. Here are a few:

You have lost a child.
You have lost a mother.
You have been struggling with infertility.
You have a child who is not speaking to you.
You have a physically or mentally ill child.
You have a child who is far from the Lord.

I am in and have been in several of these situations. I find great solace in my relationship with God, in the Word of God, and in utilizing certain tools. Whether you are struggling or not, I want to share some great tips to keep your mental health in check this holiday.

Tip #1 - Show Yourself Some Grace

This first tip is to give yourself something that you have so freely been given. Treat yourself the same way that Christ would treat you. After all, who are we to change that narrative? But especially on these difficult holidays, you should practice this. What are some ways to show yourself grace?

Learn self-compassion. Be kind to yourself. You might have all sorts of feelings. And maybe you will not act or react the way that you intended. It's okay to not be okay.
Let it go. Forgive your imperfections in the situation and move forward.
Practice gratitude. Recognize God's amazing grace in your life. What are you thankful for today? Break out that gratitude jar! (1 Thessalonians 5:18)
Check your thought life. Work on silencing the negative self-talk and replacing it with the Word of God. You have the power to bring those thoughts into captivity and to create new thought patterns in your brain. (2 Corinthians 10:5 & Philippians 4:8)
Stop comparing. Your situation cannot be compared to anyone else's. Remember this: Just as your hurt is unique to you, so are you unique to God. You are highly valued by Him!

Tip #2 - Shut The Door On Doubt

One example that I find in the Word of God is the Shunamite woman in 2 Kings chapter 8, whose son had died. What did she do with all of those "feels" that she had? She first shut the door. There is something very powerful about simply shutting a door. It says, "I am not going there. I am not going to ruminate on it today, I have a made up mind. I will trust God in this situation." Shut that door on doubt, determine to have an "it is well" on the day, and understand that God cares about your situation. He loves you.

Then the Shunamite woman went to the prophet. We can do one better: Take it to directly to God. Lay the hurt, the disappointment, and all of the cares on Him. He can handle it, my friend. You need Him today. You need His strength.

"Shut that door on doubt, determine to have an "it is well" on the day, and understand that God cares about your situation." – Pastor Erin

Tip #3 - Persevere In Prayer

When Hannah (1 Samuel 1) struggled with her infertility, she prayed. In fact, she prayed until she could only whisper. Her posture of prayer and dedication to God was overriding all of the hurt and pain in her life. God was faithful. He will be faithful to you on this day and every day forward. Things might not happen the way that you want or in the way that you had planned. But you can count on who God is every step of the way.

He. Is. Faithful. Nothing less! Continue to seek Him in prayer about your life and circumstances. (1 Thessalonians 5:17)

Tip #4 - Focus On Connection

We were made for connection with others. Try not to isolate, but rather find those who are important to you and spend time with them on this holiday. (Hebrews 10:24-25)

We were also made for connection with God. Get saturated with His presence. A great way to do this is to praise Him, regardless of how you feel today. Praise takes the focus off of your hurt and places that focus onto the greatest Comfort you will ever find! (Psalm 34:1)

Tip #5 - Take Some Time For You

Self-care is not selfish! You need to take some time to pamper yourself. How can you love others if you do not love yourself first? God loves you so who are you to not love who He loves? (Mark 12:30-31)

How can you honor yourself on this Mother's Day?

In Closing...

Remember this Mother's day to tend to your mental health: Show yourself grace, shut the door on doubts, persevere in prayer, focus on connection, and take some time for you!

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