Ash Wednesday begins with a humbling reminder:
You are dust.
Not invincible.
Not limitless.
Not responsible for holding the whole world together.
And yet, if you’re anything like most overwhelmed moms I know, you live like you are.
You push.
You plan.
You scramble.
You try harder.
Because stopping feels dangerous.
Especially when you feel chased.
Maybe not by an army, but by:
⏰ Deadlines.
💸 Debt.
📝 Expectations.
📉 Unfinished goals.
💝 Other people’s needs.
❤️🩹 Your own disappointment.
That feeling of being pursued… of having something closing in behind you… is not new.
The Israelites knew it too.
Pharaoh’s army was behind them.
The Red Sea was in front of them.
And there was nowhere to run.
They panicked.
And Moses said something that makes no logical sense in a crisis:
“Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today… The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.”
— Exodus 14:13–14 (NIV)
Be still?
When the enemy is chasing you?
When the outcome feels uncertain?
When everything in you wants to scramble and solve and fix?
Yes.
Because sometimes striving is just fear in disguise.
Naming Striving
Striving isn’t always ambition.
Sometimes it’s anxiety.
Sometimes it’s the belief that if you stop pushing, everything will fall apart.
Sometimes it’s fear that God won’t come through unless you “help” Him.
The Israelites weren’t striving because they were lazy.
They were striving because they were afraid.
And God did not shame their fear.
He invited their stillness.
The Tension Between Striving and Surrender
Notice what Moses didn’t say.
He didn’t say:
“Do better.”
“Run faster.”
“Strategize harder.”
“Figure it out.”
He said:
Stand firm.
Stillness is not weakness.
Stillness is not giving up.
Stillness is trust in action.
It is choosing to plant your feet when panic tells you to scramble.
It is refusing to let fear dictate your next move.
It is believing that God is fighting battles you cannot see.
Where Do You Feel Chased?
Maybe right now you feel like:
- You’re behind on your goals.
- Your finances feel tight and stressful.
- Your energy is depleted.
- Your schedule is overflowing.
- You’re disappointing people no matter what you do.
You’ve been pushing and pushing.
And you’re more tired than you’d like to admit.
What if this season isn’t asking you to push harder?
What if it’s asking you to stand firm?
To pause.
To pray.
To surrender the outcome.
To let God fight what you cannot fix.
This Is What Lent Is For
Lent is not about doing more.
It’s not about performing better spiritually.
It’s not about adding one more thing to your plate.
It is about creating space.
Space to notice where fear has been driving you.
Space to lay down false urgency.
Space to stop striving long enough to hear God again.
This week, we begin by naming striving.
Not to condemn ourselves.
But to recognize where we’ve been running scared.
And to gently ask:
Where is God inviting me to be still?
Reflection Questions
As we begin this Lenten journey together, sit with these reflection questions:
- Where do I feel chased right now?
- What am I afraid will happen if I stop pushing?
- What would it look like to stand firm instead of scramble?
You do not have to fight every battle.
The Lord will fight for you.
You need only to be still.
A Prayer of Surrender
Lord,
You see the places where I feel chased.
You know the pressure I carry,
the expectations I fear,
the outcomes I’m trying to control.
Forgive me for striving in places You never asked me to fight.
Teach me what it means to stand firm.
Help me release false urgency.
Help me trust You with what feels unfinished.
Help me be still long enough to see You move.
Fight for me where I cannot fix it.
Steady me where I want to scramble.
Give me courage to surrender.
Amen.
✝️ Invitation: From Striving to Surrender
Today, we are kicking off a gentle Lenten journey for overwhelmed moms called:
A guided (and completely free) community experience running from Ash Wednesday through Easter inside a small, private Facebook group.
No pressure.
No performance.
No perfect plan.
Just Scripture, reflection, prayer, and companionship as we learn how to walk through this season with less fear and deeper trust.
If your heart feels tired…
If your soul feels stretched thin…
If you’re exhausted from trying harder…
This might be your invitation.
✝️ Join us here: juliemassie.com/lent
You don’t have to strive your way into peace.
You can stand firm.
God is already fighting for you.
And you’re not alone.
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