Overwhelmed?

“From the end of the earth I will cry to You, when my heart is overwhelmed; Lead me to the rock that is higher than I.”  -Psalm 61:2

“When my spirit was overwhelmed within me, Then You knew my path.”  -Psalm 142:6a

Overwhelmed.  I think we all get to this point sometimes.  Some other synonyms of this word would be: swamp, engulf, overthrow, crush, stir, devastate and flood.  It seems things just keep coming at you and you can’t catch your breath.  If I am to be honest with you in this writing, the last several months  have been pretty overwhelming.  So much coming at me, lingering on, and it feels like life just won’t let up.  Ever feel like that?  I know you have, because everyone feels like that sometimes.  We are not alone in that. It is definitely a word we all understand. We all know what it means to be overwhelmed.  We all sometimes just want it to stop.  We want to get off the merry-go-round ride and just sit on the bench quietly. Do you know what I mean? 

God knows how we feel.  Jesus felt this when He knew the fate that awaited Him, before He would have to endure the cross.  Matthew 26:38-39 says: “Then he said to them, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me. Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.”

I cannot fathom what this moment must have been like for Jesus.  The weight of the world on His shoulders had to be unbearable.  Crying out to His Father for a different possibility, but willing to stay in His Father’s will, despite the overwhelming circumstances.  It certainly makes me stop and think and consider that although I am tired and frustrated and want to press the pause button on life for just for a few minutes, in no way does it compare to what Jesus had to endure.  But it does make me realize that God understands that life is overwhelming.  He understands that we get tired and weary. 

Thankfully, God filled His Word with promises we can cling to.  He knew we would need some help.  Here are just a few:

“But they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint. “· · -·Isaiah 40:31

This verse gives us hope!  It is in these times of being overwhelmed that we must seek the Lord and wait.  That’s not easy, but He promises to renew our strength.  He promises to help with the weariness and faintness.  

“Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God…” - John 14:1

This verse tells us to trust God.  He does have our backs.  He is trustworthy and unchanging.

 “…despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.” –Romans 8:37

Overwhelming victory is ours through Christ that verse says!  Remember that.  He loves you.  Whatever you are facing today, however overwhelmed you feel, I encourage you to hold on to the Promises from God’s Word.  Find them, write them, sing them, print them, put them on your fridge, your mirrors, set them as your phone or computer background, etc…  Get them where you can see them throughout the entire day.  Keep filling your mind with them.  Bind up those negative, overwhelming thoughts and command them to flee in Jesus’ name.  Then ask God to fill your mind with His Peace and His Promises.  

“And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” –Matthew 28:20

He loves you.  He cares.  He is with you.  You can trust Him.  That’s a promise!

So, until I write again I encourage you to: Be Strong, Stand Firm and Believe in Miracles! 

Our God is a God of Miracles! 

Count Your Blessings…