One of my favorite scripture verses is Isaiah 40:11 “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.”
For me, this verse speaks about seasons of life. As a mom it’s really easy to pile guilt on myself because I’m not spiritual enough, or I’m not having my devotions on a consistent basis. But frankly, the last time I was in the bathroom alone was probably last Tuesday, so I’m pretty sure that God understands that there’s not much time to myself in my day. He sees that I crave quite time with him simply because the word “quiet” is in the phrase. But quiet is not part of my reality at this phase in my life. And he knows that.
So here’s what that verse says to me. I am the sheep with young lambs. God, being the Good Shepherd that his is, knows that he has to slow his pace to accommodate us Mommas who move only as fast as our youngest child. He knows and he is tender and gentle with me. He’s not demanding that I keep up a strenuous pace with the rest of the flock. It’s OK if I lag behind with my toddler. He’s walking with me… at my pace.
And he loves my little lambs too! He holds them in his arms and hugs them close to his heart. See that? My little lambs are not a liability, not a hinderance, not a burden… my little lambs are close to His heart!! So you see, God is the Good Shepherd. He knows what we need at each phase in our life, and he’s not making demands that I can’t deliver. He’s not putting a heavy burden on me, and he’s not guilting me for being in this phase of life. He knows what’s going on with me, and he’s here to walk slowly with me as I care for my young. He is the Good Shepherd.
Monkeys in My Bag 