Originally published Monday, 24 February 2020.
Have you ever felt so overwhelmed that you wanted to scream or quit everything? How about a time when you felt so overwhelmed whereas you wanted to drop all of the balls you were juggling? Are you there now or know someone who is (share this post with that person, if so)? I totally know what it feels like to be completely overwhelmed.
Quite naturally, I’m a doer - a visionary. Also, by gifting, I’m an administrator and exhorter. In other words, I see what needs to happen and I focus on getting things done in strategic excellence and with vigor! I’m what some people might call “a mover and a shaker.” It’s just the way that I was created. And I’m good with that.
But guess what, sis? All of that “go-get” and “energizer bunny action” can not only be exhausting, but overwhelming at times. Honestly, sometimes I want to just throw my hands up and say, “I can’t do this! It’s too much!” Yet, the Holy Spirit reminds me of Luke 12:48, “To whom much is given, much is required.”
So I won’t give up! I won’t give up on God. I won’t give up on my family. I won’t give up on those whom I serve. I won’t give up on this Great Commission. I will not give up! And neither can you. We just have to know when to pause and consider. We’ve got to know how to overcome overwhelm when it comes on and how to beat it, quicker than later.
When overwhelm hits us, there are two choices. We can choose to let it overcome us or we can choose to overcome it. It is definitely a choice. Sure, I can choose to throw my hands up and say, I quit. I’m done. Whatever! You can, too. But is that really the right choice? No.
With that being said, we have to pray. Trust me. That is the starting place. Because God knows where we are when we feel overwhelmed. He’s actually right there willing and waiting for us to bring our heavy burdens to Him.
Truth be told, as Christian women, wives, mothers, leaders, employees, entrepreneurs, speakers, teachers, and content creators, God knows that we can easily become overwhelmed with the demands of life, work, and ministry. Throw in marital problems, broken relationships, kids acting up (or needing things), lack of moving forward in your goals or dreams and it’s the perfect mix for either throwing in the towel or crying out, “Help me, Jesus! I don’t know what’s happening, Lord.”
Yet, He is near – ready to encourage us in our innermost being. He’s there to lift our spirits and walk us through each issue or heavy burden. He can either supernaturally remove the heaviness or show us how to maneuver through it with divine insight, wisdom, instruction, strength, and peace of mind as we place our hope and trust in Him.
I want to encourage you as I encourage myself - let’s let God strengthen us to keep moving forward. Let His Word come alive for specific issues. Let Him comfort us when we’re hurting and don’t know the answers to our problems or questions. Let us put our faith and hope in the One who cares about us and all that concerns us.
Also, let us not give into the enemy’s tactics when we’re feeling overwhelmed. Because just as surely as the Lord is near, the devil is near as well. I just told Satan a little while ago before writing this post, “Not today!” And I was VERY serious about it.
James 4:7 tells us, “Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil and he will flee.” And let’s not forget to fight him off with our spiritual weaponry (see Ephesians 6:10-17). Amen! So let’s push him back in the name and power of Jesus Christ, through the life-giving Word of God, through perseverance, but also through resting in knowing who we are in Christ – we are overcomers, sis!
Overcoming overwhelm starts and ends with us. Once we feel it, sure, we can cry – but we’ve got to pray. We can scream in a pillow, but then we’ve got to rise up and ask the Lord to help us. We can absolutely take a ride to clear our minds, but as we take on the road, let’s have that heart to heart talk with our heavenly Father (and put on some worship music as we let the words of the songs minister to us – I totally love this option). I also want to add here that we can talk to someone whom we trust to listen, love on us, and encourage us through the overwhelm. God uses people to help lift our heavy burdens, too.
Before I close this post, I want to share with you a few scriptures that I pray will encourage you whenever you feel overwhelmed in life…
Matthew 11:28-30, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.”
Psalm 34:18, “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those whose spirits are crushed.”
Psalm 43:5, “Why am I discouraged? Why is my heart so sad? I will put my hope in God! I will praise him again- my Savior and my God!”
Isaiah 26:3, “You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you!”
1 Peter 5:7, “Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.”
1 Peter 1:6-7, “…There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you have to endure many trials for a little while. These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold – though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world.”
You can overcome whatever you’re feeling overwhelmed about right now. You can overcome overwhelm whenever you feel it coming on. You can win the day and you can win in life! Lift up your head, my sister. And I will do the same. Love you!
Remember, Jesus is coming back soon! And those who endure unto the end shall be saved. So let’s be ready from the Inside Out!
~Courtnaye
QUESTION: Are you feeling overwhelmed right now, sis? Need prayer? If so, write it out here or you can email me directly to join you in prayer on it @ insideoutwithcourtnaye@gmail.com. I look forward to hearing from you and praying for you.
*Grab my NEW book today! Visit www.courtnayerichard.comor Amazonto order! Thanks!
Courtnaye Richardis the founder of Inside Out with Courtnaye, a ministry that helps women grow in their walk with Christ from the heart and equips them to fulfill their God-given purpose. She is also the author of the book, IDENTIFIED: Knowing Who You Are in Christ and Moving Forward in Your Purpose. Courtnaye is married with three beautiful children and is a contributing writer for ibelieve.com, Women’s Ministry Tools, speaker of a host of women’s conferences, and her blog reaches thousands of women across the globe. She resides in the beautiful Texas Hill Country (outside of Austin, Texas).
Click here to see the full list of Inside Out with Courtnaye episodes!
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