When Following Means Leaving
Being a mom often feels like wandering through the wilderness with a diaper bag instead of a map. You’re surrounded by mysterious cries, questionable smells, and the constant voice in the back of your head saying “Am I doing any of this right?” There’s no GPS for motherhood, just a lot of trial, error, and maybe a few tears in the shower.
But following Jesus? That’s a different kind of unknown. Because it’s not just about what we believe; it’s about what we do with that belief. Sometimes, following Him means leaving behind what’s familiar — the comfort, the control, the “I’ve got this” — for something deeper, harder, and far more life-giving.
In Luke 5, Peter was having a very normal, very frustrating day at work. He’d been fishing all night and caught exactly zero fish. Thats a bad day for someone whose entire identity was “professional fisherman.” Then Jesus showed up. He told Peter to let down his nets one more time, and when Peter obeyed, the nets nearly burst from the catch. Right then, Jesus said, “Follow Me.”
And Peter did something wild. He left his nets — his livelihood, his security, his entire sense of who he was — and walked straight into the unknown. That wasn’t just belief; that was action. Following Jesus meant stepping into the awkward, the uncertain, and the unfamiliar. But in doing so, Peter’s entire life, and really, the course of history, changed forever.
Sound familiar? Maybe you haven’t left a pile of fishing nets, but you’ve probably left something: a career path, a dream, a plan, maybe even a sense of who you thought you’d be by now. Motherhood alone is a series of daily leavings; leaving sleep, leaving privacy, leaving clean countertops and quiet mornings. And yet, in those moments of surrender, Jesus is doing His best work.
Nobody loves the awkward stuff — the hard conversations, the vulnerable confessions, the feeling that everyone else has it together except you. But Jesus isn’t asking us to perform; He’s asking us to follow. To trust Him enough to step out, even when we can’t see where it leads.
Because authenticity heals. When we’re brave enough to speak from our real, messy, unfiltered lives, we give others permission to do the same. And in that shared space of imperfection, grace shows up.
God’s Word doesn’t just inform us — it transforms us. Even the ordinary parts of motherhood — packing lunches, wiping tears, repeating yourself for the ten-thousandth time — become sacred.
And when you hit those “empty net” moments, when your energy’s gone and your heart feels hollow? That’s often the moment Jesus steps in. He fills what’s empty. He turns exhaustion into endurance, and chaos into calling.
Weakness, insecurity, vulnerability — these aren’t disqualifiers. They’re starting points. They’re the exact places where Jesus begins His work in us.
So when He whispers, “Follow Me,” it might mean leaving something behind. But what you’ll gain — peace, purpose, and the presence of the One who never leaves — is worth every step into the unknown.
