Seeking God first as a mom has reshaped the way I think about planning, pressure, and peace. In my last post, I shared about seeking God first before making plans. What I didn’t expect was how deeply that message about letting go of pressure would resonate. It made me realize that so many moms- especially those walking the unique journey of autism and motherhood- aren’t craving more productivity right now- they’re craving peace, not pressure.
If you missed it, you can read the full post here: https://spectrumspecter.org/preparing-your-heart-for-gods-plans-trusting-gods-timing/
That response encouraged me more than I can say, and it inspired me to write this post. Not because I’ve mastered seeking God first as a mom, but because it reminded me that I’m still learning daily how to let go of pressure and seek God first, especially when my mind wants control, answers, or certainty.
I want to be clear, this post isn’t written from a place of “I’ve arrived.” It’s written from the middle of the journey. From the place of growing, returning, and choosing faith again and again, when the pressure to be productive feels louder than choosing peace.
My last post was about surrendering plans. This post is about letting go of pressure by preparing the mind and heart after surrender, not to strive harder, but to align ourselves with God’s presence.
Because in this season, I’m learning that letting go of pressure isn’t about doing less- it’s about trusting God more.
Seeking God First As A Mom in the Quiet Pressure Of Starting Over
January feels exciting because it brings fresh rhythms, goals, and renewed hope. But over time, I’ve also discovered the quieter side of January- the mental and emotional pressure of starting over, especially when we feel the need to keep up, stay consistent, and get it right.
That pressure often shows up the moment we miss a day, fall off track, or don’t meet the expectations we set for ourselves. Instead of extending grace, we look down on ourselves and begin questioning our worth or faithfulness.
Don’t get me wrong- I believe in goals, vision, and being intentional. Scripture tells us that without vision, we perish. However, I’m learning the difference between God-led vision and pressure driven by performance.
In this season, I’m choosing peace over productivity. Not the absence of effort, but effort rooted in trust. Faith still has works- but those works are meant to flow from peace, not pressure.
As a mom, the pressure can feel heavy. You question whether you’re doing enough, advocating enough for your child, or keeping pace. Timelines and milestones can quietly turn into measuring sticks.
Even faith-filled women get overwhelmed. And the truth I keep coming back to is this: Pressure feels heavy because it was never meant to lead us. God leads with peace. Pressure only pretends to.
Why Seeking God First Shapes Our Mind
I am a strong advocate for mental and emotional health, shaped deeply by my own personal testimony and mental health journey. Walking through a mental health scare changed the way I care for my mind and heart- a journey I share in my post about my mental health scare. https://spectrumspecter.org/when-the-weight-was-too-much-my-mental-health-scare-during-pregnancy/
Mental and Emotional health matters- but true mental preparation comes from seeking God. Caring for our minds without first anchoring them in Him leaves us striving for peace instead of receiving it.
When I choose to seek God first, clarity begins to replace confusion. My emotions feel anchored instead of scattered, and anxiety softens when I stop trying to control everything and place it in His hands.
Scripture reminds us, “Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”(Matthew 6:33). This promise doesn’t move responsibility, but it does remind us of order. God comes first- and everything else flows from that place.
I’m learning that peace doesn’t come from perfect routines or having control. Peace flows from presence, from sitting with God before planning, fixing, or preparing.
Mental health matters. Mental preparation matters. But neither were meant to lead. Seeking the Lord comes first- and that is where true peace begins.
Preparing My Mind By Surrendering Control
When God is at the center, mental preparation looks different than the world’s vision of self-control or mindset work. It isn’t about trying to control my thoughts- it’s about surrendering them to the truth.
This often begins with replacing anxious or negative thoughts with what God says instead. When fear rises, I return to His promises. When doubt creeps in, I choose truth over worry. This is my mind, and I surrender it to Him.
Surrender has led to emotional freedom in ways control never could. When I stop carrying what was never mine to carry, my mind feels lighter, and my heart is less anxious.
Preparing my mind through surrender is an active choice to trust God instead of giving in to fear.
Releasing Pressure I Was Never Meant To Carry
As I prepare my mind this season, I’m also learning to name the specific pressures I’m intentionally releasing. Some of them are loud, others subtle- but all of them have weighed heavier than they were ever meant to.
I’m letting go of the pressure of being behind. The pressure to measure my life, my motherhood, or my child’s progress against someone else’s timeline. I’m also releasing the pressure of getting everything right, of believing I have to be perfect to be faithful. And I’m laying down the pressure of having all the answers, especially in seasons where God is still unfolding the story.
Pressure has a way of clouding clarity and stealing peace. When I carry it, I’m more reactive than discerning, more anxious than attentive to God’s voice, pressure pushes me to rush decisions instead of resting in prayer.
I’m reminded again and again that God does not work through pressure. He leads with peace, patience, and invitation. When something feels heavy and urgent in a way that produces fear instead of trust, it’s often a sign that I need to pause and seek God, because I was never meant to carry it alone- or at all.
Replacing Pressure With God-led Practices
Letting go of pressure doesn’t leave space- it creates room for God to lead. In this season, I’m learning to replace pressure with God-led practices that are simple, realistic, and rooted in grace.
One of those practices is prayer before planning. Before I make lists or decisions, I’m learning to pause and invite God in. Not every prayer is long and fancy. Sometimes it s just a quiet, “Lord, lead me today.”
Another practice I’m still working on is scripture before scrolling-, and I say that honestly, preaching to myself here. Some days I get it right. Other days I don’t. This isn’t about perfection, but about gently training my heart to reach for truth before noise.
I’m also choosing grace before guilt. When I miss a day, fall off track, or react instead of respond. I’m learning to meet myself with the same grace God gives me. Guilt has never produced lasting growth- grace has.
What I’m discovering is that growth comes through consistency over intensity. Small, faithful steps matter more than big, unsustainable ones. You don’t have to change everything all at once to stay rooted in God.
Start small. Stay rooted. God honors faithfulness- even when it feels quiet and unseen.
For The Moms Walking The Slower Road
If you’re raising a child on the autism spectrum, I want to speak directly to you for a moment.
Your pace is holy. The slower steps, the repeated lessons, the unseen progress- none of it is wasted. What feels delayed to the world is often deeply intentional in God’s hands.
Your child’s journey is not behind. It isn’t late. It isn’t off schedule. God is not surprised by the place of your child’s growth, and he is present in every small step forward- even the ones only you notice.
I know the mental and emotional fatigue that comes with this road. The constant advocacy. The decision-making. The quiet grief mixed with fierce love. Loving your child well can be beautiful and exhausting at the same time- and acknowledging that doesn’t make you self-critical or weak.
This journey is hard, and it’s okay to say that out loud. But there is still hope here. Not a superficial, dismissive hope- but a steady one rooted in God’s presence. He walks with you in the slow progress, the long days, and the moments that feel unseen.
You are not alone. God is with you here, and he is faithfully at work- even when growth feels quiet.
Call To Action
Seeking God first as a mom doesn’t mean doing it all perfectly – it means letting go of the pressure and trusting God with your day. Pause, surrender your worries, and invite God into the journey of motherhood with you. How are you letting go and seeking Him first? Share in the comments-I’d love to walk this journey with you.