Special needs parents already live with a lot of stress and anxiety. But when you add in the extra uncertainty that comes with COVID-19 and what’s going on with back-to-school come the fall, well, it’s possible as parents to go into anxiety overload.
There’s a verse in Isaiah that I think is very encouraging for all parents during this time of uncertainty regarding your child(ren) and our future.
“He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young.” Isaiah 40:11
He tends His flock like a shepherd
I’m sure we’re all familiar with Psalm 23, “The Lord is our Shepherd,” as well as in John 10, when Jesus declares Himself the Good Shepherd that lays down his life for his sheep. Both are an encouraging metaphor for just how much God loves and provides for each of us.
Sheep are not very smart animals. They can’t defend themselves. They can’t find their own food or water. They won’t rest when they need to. And flies and other bugs will bother their eyes, ears and nostrils so much that the sheep will bash their heads against rocks and trees to find relief—hence the reason the shepherd anoints the sheep’s head with oil. It may not sound attractive to say that we are sheep, but when we’re overwhelmed with anxiety, we are definitely just like those sheep and in need of a Shepherd who can offer us the guidance, comfort, provision, and rest we desperately need.
If we just rest in the fact that we have a Good Shepherd, who loves us so very much that He would die for us and will provide us with everything we need, that kind of perfect love drives out all fear.
Photo credit: LUMO - The Gospels for the Visual Age on Lightstock.com.
He gathers the lambs in His arms
We’re familiar with the idea of the Lord as our Shepherd, and we know that Jesus loves little children and wanted them to come to Him (Matthew 19:14, Mark 10:14, and Luke 18:16). So the image of God holding the little lambs close is special and comforting.
But a thought that once hit me about this verse is that the shepherd is only able to hold a lamb close if the mother will let the shepherd do that. If the mother trusts the shepherd, she knows the safest place for her child to be is in their shepherd’s arms. Clinging to that truth, and entrusting our children’s health, safety, and future to the One who already knows what the future holds will provide us with mental and spiritual rest, knowing our children are safe in His arms, the one who loves our children even more than we do.
He carries them close to His heart
I absolutely adore this image. Not just of a shepherd holding a lamb close to his beating heart, but of the Creator of the Universe cradling our children in His loving and powerful arms.
In the New International Version, the translation reads that “he carries them close to his heart.” Yes, we love our children, but so does God. He loves our children so much, they are in and near His heart, loved and cherished. Resting in that truth provides us with mental and spiritual rest, knowing our children are safe in His arms, the one who loves our children even more than we do.
He gently leads those that have young
As if this verse isn’t awesome and comforting enough for us as special needs parents, this last bit is just for us. He not only loves and provides for the helpless lambs, but for the parents as well. He doesn’t love and provide and lead us in a demanding way, but with a gentle invitation to seek Him and trust Him more completely. He will provide every parent with the wisdom, guidance, strength, comfort, and provision we need if we ask, seek, and follow Him, so that we can do our jobs as parents well.
Jenn Soehnlin is a mother to two boys who are precious blessings and who both have special needs. Her heart is to share encouragement and God's truths with moms who are also traveling the special needs parenting journey. She is the author of Embracing This Special Life: Learning to Flourish as a Mother of a Child with Special Needs.
Jenn enjoys blogging about faith, praying Scripture, and special needs parenting at www.embracing.life. For online encouragement and support for special needs mothers, check out the Facebook group Embracing This Special Life.
