365 Mental Health Devotional Challenge: Day 61

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Devotional

 Proverbs 3:5
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.”

There are moments in motherhood where life just feels completely overwhelming and outside of our own control. However, there are various different coping skills that one can learn to assist oneself in order to calm the nervous system and lean on God during moments of high stress or emotional overload. 

The following are 4 educational coping skills one can learn to utilize within their motherhood journey!

Disclaimer If You Need Immediate Help: Coping skills are wonderful tools, but they are not a substitute for crisis intervention. If you are experiencing thoughts of harming yourself or your baby, please call or text the National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988, or the National Maternal Mental Health Hotline at 1-833-TLC-MAMA (1-833-852-6262). These are free, 24/7, and confidential.

Self-Compassion Breaks

In a Christian context, we often forget that “loving your neighbor as yourself” implies that you must also show kindness to yourself.

• The Skill: When a mistake happens, speak to yourself as you would to a dear friend. Use a “comfort gesture,” like placing a hand over your heart, and say: “This is a hard moment. I am doing the best I can with what I have.”
• The Benefit: Reduces the “cortisol spike” caused by self-criticism.

Reframing: “Even If” Statements

“Leaning on your own understanding” often looks like a “What If” spiral (e.g., “What if the baby never sleeps?”). Cognitive reframing shifts the perspective toward trust.

• The Skill: Take a “What If” thought and transform it into an “Even If” statement.
  • What if: “What if I’m not a good enough mother?”
  • Even if: “Even if I feel inadequate today, I am learning, and God’s grace is sufficient for my mistakes.”
• The Benefit: It acknowledges the fear without letting the fear dictate the truth.

The “Surrender” Journaling Exercise

In the early stages of motherhood, we often try to solve every problem with logic—even the ones that don’t have immediate answers (like why the baby won’t sleep). This exercise helps move from “understanding” to “trusting.”

• The Prompt: Fold a piece of paper in half.
• Left Side (My Understanding): Write down a current worry or a “why” question that is keeping you up (e.g., “I don’t understand why I feel so overwhelmed today”).
• Right Side (Trusting the Heart): Write down a truth about God’s character or a moment of grace you saw today, even if it’s small.
• The Goal: Acknowledge that while the left side is confusing, the right side is where you choose to rest.

Five-Senses Grounding (The “Trust” Edition)

Postpartum anxiety often pulls your mind into a scary future. This sensory exercise brings you back to the present moment, where God’s grace is actually located.

• 5 things you can see: Look at your baby’s eyelashes, the light through the window, etc.
• 4 things you can touch: The soft fabric of a blanket, your own pulse, a cold glass of water.
• 3 things you can hear: The hum of a fan, the baby’s breathing, your own breath.
• 2 things you can smell: Fresh laundry, coffee, or baby lotion.
• 1 thing you can taste: A sip of water or tea.
• The Verse Connection: As you do this, whisper, “I am here, and God is here with me.”

Prayer Lord, I thank You that I do not have to carry the weight of this season on my own understanding. When my heart feels overwhelmed and my mind is full of “what ifs,” help me to lean fully into Your strength. I surrender my worries into Your care. Grant me the grace to be kind to myself today and the peace to trust that You are already in my tomorrow. Amen.

Additional Resources

Stop Avoiding It: Face your fears and improve your relationships with 8 coping skills rooted in scripture & science

Stop the “What If” spiral and step into “Even If” faith. Stop Avoiding It bridges the gap between modern psychology and timeless Scripture, offering 8 practical coping skills to help you face anxiety, heal your relationships, and trade overwhelm for God’s sufficient grace.

Want To Further Your Mental Health Journey? You can actually start reading the many book recommendations on this blog for FREE in the next 60 seconds. Grab a [Free 30-Day Kindle Unlimited Trial here] or [Get 3 months of Audible for just $0.99/mo] to unlock this title and thousands of other mental health tools, instantly on your phone or tablet. (Note: Kindle Unlimited selection varies over time; check the product page for current eligibility.)

Closing Thoughts

You have completed Day 61 out of 365 Days of our 2026 Mental Health Devotional Challenge. I hope you have enjoyed learning about these different coping skills. Let us know what your favorite coping skill is below!

Have the best and most blessed day ever!

Sierra Stratman MSW LMSW U/S PhD Student 

Disclaimer

I am a Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW), but I am not your therapist. The information provided in this blog post, including book recommendations and mental health insights, is for educational and informational purposes only. It does not constitute a therapist-client relationship, nor is it intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified mental health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical or mental health condition. Never disregard professional advice or delay seeking it because of something you have read here.