Too Much!

When doubts filled my mind,
    your comfort gave me renewed hope and cheer.

Psalm 94:19 

 

Think about this, how many advertisements have you seen for sleep aids?  How many different types of sleep aids are you aware of?  It's as though there is a pill, patch, device and concoction for every situation of our feeling overwhelmed.  You know how awful it is to feel as though you are drowning in your own thoughts and schedules, yet....we just keep on struggling.  Mostly because we're stubborn.  We don't like change.  And even though the answer is right here with us, for some reason we just won't use it.

 

The answer?  God, who knows every thought we have, every stress we hold, every hair that turns grey, knows exactly what we need and when we need it.  He is right here with us, yet we forget that He willingly listens to us when we talk with Him, He willingly touches us with His comfort, He willingly calms our fears.  So why are we so stubborn to talk with Him? 

There IS A Way Out

For we do not want you to be unaware, brothers and sisters, regarding the affliction that happened to us in the province of Asia, that we were burdened excessively, beyond our strength, so that we despaired even of living. 

2 Corinthians 1:8

 

This is not a topic many people want to consider, yet it is one of the extremely important because it can help save someone's life...perhaps even yours.

 

We endure a lot every single day, and if we allow it, we will carry it with us until the burden builds up and threatens to destroy us.  Think of it this way, take your every day stress and think of it as a stone.  The bills you have to pay (each one being a stone), the demands of the job (each one is a stone), the expectations of others (each one is a stone), dealing with family matters (each one is a stone), getting the children to all their activities (each one is a stone), keeping your relationships positive and meaningful (each is a stone)...you get the idea.  Now, each stone gets put into a backpack you have to carry everywhere you go, even in the shower, to bed, everywhere.  How long do you think it would take for you to get uncomfortable?  How about until you get overwhelmed?

 

Each stone, in and of itself, isn't that heavy.  Yet when we let them build up and build up without dealing with them, they can become too much fairly quickly.

 

Also consider those who have endured traumatic events and are now haunted by those events and are constantly replaying them in their minds unable to stop them.  The doubts, the questions, the self accusations, the self condemnations that scream in their minds are relentless.  Then add on the regular daily stresses and you can see how this can very quickly become overwhelming.

 

You see, when get overwhelmed, we start to despair.  Despair is the loss of hope.  When we despair, we tend to withdraw into ourselves because we have been trained to believe being overwhelmed is a weakness and if you seek help you are a worthless wuss.  This train of thought needs to stop!  

 

The reason there is help available is because help is needed.  However, if no one knows what's wrong, they cannot help.  

 

This thought of despair came crashing down on me over the weekend when I was informed that someone I knew had surrendered to despair and took his own life.  That should not have happened!  Yet, I now have to accept that it did and I was not able stop it because I had not kept in contact with him.  

 

Here are some things we need to understand:

     1.  We are NOT alone!  No matter what we are enduring, there is always someone else who has also dealt with or is dealing with the same or very similar situation!

     2.  If you can see no way out, reach out for help.  Reaching out is a great step to take!

     3.  Write down what's on your mind. Sometimes just the act of getting the issues out on paper or a Word Document can alleviate some of the stress.

    4.  Stay around other people!  We tend to isolate ourselves when we are feeling overwhelmed.  Keeping around other people can help distract us from sinking into despair.

     5.  Keep breathing!  That may sound silly, but remember life happens to us one breath at a time.  We cannot take more than one breath at a time!

 

Please, and I cannot ask enough, PLEASE reach out for help!   

 

"Weeping may only last the night, but joy comes every morning." - Psalm 30:5 

Life.....Driving Me Crazy!!!!

When my heart is overwhelmed, 

lead me to the rock that is higher than I.

Psalm 61:2 

 

If we were to look at all that is going on in your life, job, and mind...what would we discover?  I'm willing we would discover many who are either on the verge of, or already, overwhelmed by everything.  We have quite the balancing act to perform while we are on this Earth.  

 

We have family issues (finances, activities, juggling childcare, clothing, housing, food, transportation, where to we go first for Christmas/Thanksgiving, what do we need to do not to offend the family members, and on and on); 

 

We have job issues (am I doing a good job, will I be able to get promoted, how do I stay out of the gossip/politics, how am I going to afford the new insurance rates, what mood is the boss in today, how can I find time for vacation when I have projects that need my input, does my family come first or does the job, and on and on and on);

 

We have relationship issues (Does he/she like me, have I messed up, he/she ticks me off with her actions/words/inaction/silence, how can we have a relationship with my crazy schedule,  how do I deal with the people who insist on criticizing my very existence, how do I repair this broken relationship or do I even want to, is this relationship good for me or is it creating more stress than it's worth, and on and on);

 

Toss into the mix the daily items of which we have no control (traffic, engine trouble, weather, etc.) and it is amazing that we haven't crawled into a cave to wait it out.  We feel the stress and anxiety mounting with unrelenting progress and the faster we try to keep juggling everything the more frantic we become until we finally just can't take it anymore.

 

What happens when we become overwhelmed?  We begin to doubt our worth.  We begin to feel as though we are a failure.  We lash out at others because they seem to be able to handle the pressure better than we can. Our neck and back muscles  begin to knot and even the chiropractor can't unknot our knots.  Our sleep gets disrupted because our mind won't shut down, OR we can't seem to get enough sleep because we don't want to face the world any longer. Our health begins to decline. And finally, we begin to shut down.

 

So what do we do? Allow me to offer some helps, please note this is not a complete list by any stretch, but hopefully something will offer a bit of relief:

1. TAKE TIME OFF!  I know, you don't believe you have the time to get away, but you do.  So what if the project moves forward without you.  It your health declines because you won't take time to recharge, the project will still move forward without you.
2. FOCUS ON THE IMPORTANT! If your home life is in turmoil, it will bleed into your work which will cause your work to suffer.  God provided you a family for a reason, embrace them.  Make them your place of refuge!  If you are dating, your relationship status will take a toll on your performance in every other aspect of your life.  Therefore, if the relationship is building you up and making your WHOLE life better, good.  If you are left constantly wondering if this is going to work out....walk away.
3.  Take Care of YOU!  God only gave the universe ONE you!  You are the only you EVER!  Therefore, take care of you...your health, your sleep, your life, your everything.  Remember, the same God who keeps the seas from enveloping the world is the same God who holds you in His hand and knows how many hairs you have.
4. Learn To Let Go! "Life is simple, it is we who complicate it."  I love The Big Bang Theory!  There are many wonderful quotes from that program, but my favorite is from Sheldon "Life is simply the breathing, taking in nourishment, and expelling waste.  The rest is unnecessary."  If you have more activities than you can keep track of, eliminate some of them.  And, at the risk of offending parents, children do NOT need to have so many activities that you are merely a taxi!
5. Rely on the ONE Who is in Control!  God is God.....we are not.  God loves us beyond our ability to comprehend.  God is the one who should be our primary focus because He is the one with the plan for each of us.  Talk with Him.  Talk with Him a LOT!  Talk with Him about EVERYTHING! 

Skunks and Tidal Waves!

For I have given rest to the weary and joy to the sorrowing.

Jeremiah 31:25 

 

Okay, what do skunks and tidal waves have in common?  They're overwhelming!  They can wreak havoc on our lives and leave us feeling as if we are helpless.  They will suck all the energy out of us and leave us feeling exhausted. And then our focus begins to turn inward and we feel overwhelmed, angry, frustrated, helpless and depressed.

Today, I was informed of a couple of people who were struggling with feeling overwhelmed.  They were just going through the motions of their day while hiding the pain they were feeling.  Ever notice that we tend to do that?  We hide what's bothering us so no one will know we are struggling, and then we ride the spiral downward because no one helps because they don't know.

I can tell you from experience that the last thing I want to hear when I am feeling overwhelmed is someone spouting Bible verses at me. In all reality, I really want to punch those people in the face!  When I am feeling stressed and overwhelmed, guess who I turn to?  His picture is attached to this devotional.  I am one of those who truly believe that God created pets to be therapeutic!  When I am stressed, anxious, upset, frustrated, angry or feeling overwhelmed and helpless, I can sit on the couch with Woody and he will let me scratch him, rub him, tell him whatever is on my mind, and he will lay there giving me sympathetic eyes and encouraging licks.  He doesn't tell me how to solve my issues, but he brings me comfort and that speaks a lot.

Once I am able to regain control, after Woody Therapy, I am more able to focus on the fact that God put Woody in my life to bring me God's comfort.  God brings comfort to us in many ways and they all eventually point back to Him.  Next time you are feeling like life is Skunks and Tidal Waves, don't hide it...let's talk about it.

 

 

When It's Too Much!

He took Peter, James and John along with him, and he began to be deeply distressed and troubled. “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death,” he said to them. “Stay here and keep watch.” Going a little farther, he fell to the ground and prayed that if possible the hour might pass from him. 
Mark 14:33-35

With everything we deal with every day, is it any wonder that we feel overwhelmed by it all?  The deadlines, the kids and their schedules, the repairs that need done to the car, the carpools, the boss' expectations, traffic is going to make you late, and then there are the trains...  

Even the things we enjoy can overwhelm us. How many of us take time off from work for this thing called "vacation" which ends up being another entire ordeal of scheduled activities with little rest?  

If you look at today's passage, you will see that even Jesus felt overwhelmed.  Especially when He was facing His trial, punishment, and crucifixion.  Yet Jesus gives us three key ways of dealing with feeling overwhelmed:

1. Jesus was completely honest about how He felt: "My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death"

2.  Jesus solicited the help of friends: "He said to them. “Stay here and keep watch.”

3.  Jesus prayed! He took His burden to His Father: "He fell to the ground and prayed that if possible the hour might pass from Him."

This is good counsel to help with the feelings of being overwhelmed.

  

Are You Afraid?

He said: “Pay attention, all you people of Judah, residents of Jerusalem, and King Jehoshaphat! This is what the Lord says to you: ‘Don’t be afraid and don’t panic because of this huge army! For the battle is not yours, but God’s. 

2 Chronicles 20:15 

Have you ever felt like you were being hammered with issues and problems and frustrations and irritations?  Have you ever felt as though you were in a boxing match and you were on the receiving end of the beating?  Have you ever felt like you are losing ground in this life?  When facing life's challenges, we can often feel overwhelmed!

 

The back story of today's passage is that King Jehoshaphat and the people of Judah looked over the walls and saw what appeared to be an army so large they had no idea how they would survive.  Sound familiar?  Look at your bills and wonder how they will ever get paid; look at your refrigerator and wonder how you will ever find food to put in it; see someone needing help or caring (warning: cops are among the most prickly porcupine people ever, and aren't prone to let others get close to them) and you wonder how you can reach out to that person? 

 

I love the key part of verse 15: FOR THE BATTLE IS NOT YOURS, BUT GOD'S.  When we try on our own, we will fail over and over, but let God fight the battles and we will see victory after victory.  Our enemy likes to stay in our face so we are too distracted to look to God, but when we are wise to his tricks, we are able to step aside and let God do His job!

That Sinking Feeling

So Peter went over the side of the boat and walked on the water toward Jesus. But when he saw the strong wind and the waves, he was terrified and began to sink. “Save me, Lord!” he shouted.
Matthew 14:29-30

During our journey through this life, we will encounter events which can overwhelm us and leave us feeling helpless, devastated, or at a loss as to how to continue. If we look only at the situation, we will feel overwhelmed and we will be tempted to shut down.  Let's face it, if a computer's circuits get overloaded, the computer will shut down and burn out.  That's the same type thing that can happen to us.....if we let it.

Take a look at today's passage.  The Disciples had been sent across the Sea of Galilee ahead of Jesus.  Jesus had told them He would meet them on the other side.  Little did the Disciples realize that He was going to walk right past them on the water!  But, sure enough, the Disciples saw Jesus walking on the water and their sense of "normal" became overwhelmed and the only explanation they could fathom was that Jesus was a ghost.

Even when Jesus told them it was Him, they still doubted.  Peter even said, "Lord IF IT IS You, let me walk out to you."  Jesus told him to come on over.  So Peter stepped onto the water and began to walk toward Jesus.  However, when Peter saw everything else that was going on, he became overwhelmed again and began to sink.  In desperation, he called out to Jesus, "Save me, Lord!" and Jesus reached down and saved him.  

So what can we take from this?

      * We WILL have encounters when we feel overwhelmed! Nothing will make sense and we will feel like burning out.

     *  Jesus has promised that He will ALWAYS be with us, keep that relationship as a priority! 

    * When those times come, don't be afraid to call out for help.  You are not the only person to ever feel overwhelmed and you will make it through this time.

    *  It is not a sign of weakness to let your emotions flow at the appropriate time.  Hold it in will cause more issues than you want to deal with.

    *  Keep breathing!

 

Remember!

Do not gloat over me, my enemies!
    For though I fall, I will rise again.
Though I sit in darkness,
    the Lord will be my light.

Micah 7:8 

 

"This has been one of those weeks, Padre.  I feel like I have been in a battle with a horde of angry wives." 

 

"I feel like I have been gut punched."

 

"I can't remember when I stopped caring about anything."

 

"I feel like I have nothing left in me."

 

These are just some of the things I have been told JUST THIS YEAR!  They sound depressing and distressing.  These folks felt as if they had been defeated.  Why?  Because this year has not been a good one for them.  Because of the deadlines; the headlines; the acting out of idiots; the constant onslaught of the of family struggles, daily pressures, financial struggles.....life had become overwhelming.

 

Ever feel overwhelmed and defeated by life? Ever feel like the enemy is laughing because you've been knocked down?

 

Read carefully Micah's words!  "Do NOT gloat over me, my enemies! For though I fall, I WILL RISE AGAIN!"  And why will we rise again?  "the LORD will be my light!"

 

Here's a fact that has never been proven to be wrong:  The darkest of darkness CANNOT hide a single light.  God truly is our light and our strength and our salvation!  We may get knocked down, but as God's children He will never allow us to be defeated.  We may feel overwhelmed, but as God's Children He pulls us from the depths of despair!

 

When life comes at you, and it will, talk with God!  It also helps if you already have an ongoing conversation with Him.  If you're not yet on speaking terms, don't be too stubborn to start speaking!  

Stretched

Then Jesus said, “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.”

Matthew 11:28-30

  

Ever have one of those days (weeks, months, years or lifetime thus far) where you felt pulled in so many directions that you felt as though you should have been a cartoon octopus?  People calling you and, while you're on the phone, texts are coming in from multiple people and, while you're trying to deal with all the communication, more and more waves of responsibilities or the "and all other duties" statement of your job description has just kicked into nuclear overdrive.  No matter how much you accomplish, ten more items fill that void, lest you become bored and actually have the time to breathe.

I'm going to most likely step on some toes here, but here goes. This past week has been one of those weeks where my mind finally had gone numb from the overload of expectations. I sent out a message for help and received such wonderful responses such as "Praying for you from the Beach" and "Sorry to hear that, but this vacation is AWESOME!"  I felt defeated, deflated, frustrated and irritated to say the least.  I even told my longsuffering bride that just once, I'd like for someone to come to us and say, "You need to get away, let me fill in for a week while you rest and relax."  

But then, true to form, 1:27 in the morning, was rather rudely awakened because of the sense that God wanted to chat.  Got some coffee, sat in my chair, and only got two stitches of the latest BUBBA done when it hit me, I'm only human!  God made me in His image, but that does not mean I have endless energy.  We, as humans, have not been filled with boundless endurance to keep going long after the capacity has been reached.  

Then, today's verse made a little more sense.  I was weary.  I was heavy laden.  I needed rest. But I had no idea how or when that would happen.  What I did learn was this, when we feel overwhelmed and exhausted, we need to share that burden!  Talk with God about it!  Rely on each other to actually step up and help out, especially if they expect the same from us.     

 

Why Are YOU Here?

“Go out and stand before me on the mountain,” the Lord told him. And as Elijah stood there, the Lord passed by, and a mighty windstorm hit the mountain. It was such a terrible blast that the rocks were torn loose, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. And after the earthquake there was a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire there was the sound of a gentle whisper. When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his cloak and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave.And a voice said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”
1 Kings 19:11-13

Let me ask you something, have you ever thought of everything you need to accomplish and almost crumple with the weight of that realization?  Have you ever looked at all the task you undertake and wonder "so THIS is what my life has become"?  Are you ready to change that?

Look at today's passage....God told Elijah to go stand on the mountain.  When Elijah did that, God passed by and everything became very overwhelming for Elijah (kind of like what happens when you look at your calendar and wonder how you're going to get everything done and remain sane).  

First, the windstorm hit the mountain.  This was not just a gentle breeze!  This was a wind that was strong enough to tear rocks loose! But if Elijah focused on the windstorm (aka, projects, paperwork, reports, telephone calls...), he would get distracted and not realize that God was not in the windstorm.

Next, there was an earthquake! And since the wind had torn rocks loose, the earthquake sent them bouncing and crashing all over the mountain.  But if Elijah focused on the earthquake (aka, meetings, seminars, classes, presentations....), he would get distracted and not realize that God was not in the earthquake.

Finally, there was a fire!  Fire that heated the stone until it cracked and smoke that made it hard to breathe or find your direction. But if Elijah focused on the fire (aka, children's activity schedules, family schedules, appointments, holiday gatherings, church activities, community activities.....), he would get distracted and not realize that God is not in the fire.

Where is God?  Elijah had all this mess going on and crashing down around him, overwhelming him, and God WHISPERS to him "Why are you HERE?".

Let me tell you a little something, it's okay to be busy.  It's okay to have activities.  It's okay to have a lot going on.  HOWEVER, it's NOT okay to leave God out of everything.  We seem to believe that we just don't have any room for God during our busy-ness and when we finally flop into bed exhausted from our day, we don't seem to have room for God then either.  And we wonder why we are so anxious, stressed, and upset?  We wonder why we take medications to help us sleep, keep us calm, and gulp down energy drinks by the tanker truck full?

As you go through your day, make God your first and primary focus:  "Father, today is going to be busy, but thank YOU that You are with me.  Help me to reflect You in everything we do today, and if I screw up...help me reflect You there too."

Jesus reminds us: "You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father." (Matthew 5:14-16)

Why are you HERE?  To reflect God in everything you do.  Put Him first and let Him do His job!   

Why Are YOU Here?

“Go out and stand before me on the mountain,” the Lord told him. And as Elijah stood there, the Lord passed by, and a mighty windstorm hit the mountain. It was such a terrible blast that the rocks were torn loose, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. And after the earthquake there was a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire there was the sound of a gentle whisper. When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his cloak and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave.And a voice said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”
1 Kings 19:11-13

Let me ask you something, have you ever thought of everything you need to accomplish and almost crumple with the weight of that realization?  Have you ever looked at all the task you undertake and wonder "so THIS is what my life has become"?  Are you ready to change that?

Look at today's passage....God told Elijah to go stand on the mountain.  When Elijah did that, God passed by and everything became very overwhelming for Elijah (kind of like what happens when you look at your calendar and wonder how you're going to get everything done and remain sane).  

First, the windstorm hit the mountain.  This was not just a gentle breeze!  This was a wind that was strong enough to tear rocks loose! But if Elijah focused on the windstorm (aka, projects, paperwork, reports, telephone calls...), he would get distracted and not realize that God was not in the windstorm.

Next, there was an earthquake! And since the wind had torn rocks loose, the earthquake sent them bouncing and crashing all over the mountain.  But if Elijah focused on the earthquake (aka, meetings, seminars, classes, presentations....), he would get distracted and not realize that God was not in the earthquake.

Finally, there was a fire!  Fire that heated the stone until it cracked and smoke that made it hard to breathe or find your direction. But if Elijah focused on the fire (aka, children's activity schedules, family schedules, appointments, holiday gatherings, church activities, community activities.....), he would get distracted and not realize that God is not in the fire.

Where is God?  Elijah had all this mess going on and crashing down around him, overwhelming him, and God WHISPERS to him "Why are you HERE?".

Let me tell you a little something, it's okay to be busy.  It's okay to have activities.  It's okay to have a lot going on.  HOWEVER, it's NOT okay to leave God out of everything.  We seem to believe that we just don't have any room for God during our busy-ness and when we finally flop into bed exhausted from our day, we don't seem to have room for God then either.  And we wonder why we are so anxious, stressed, and upset?  We wonder why we take medications to help us sleep, keep us calm, and gulp down energy drinks by the tanker truck full?

As you go through your day, make God your first and primary focus:  "Father, today is going to be busy, but thank YOU that You are with me.  Help me to reflect You in everything we do today, and if I screw up...help me reflect You there too."

Jesus reminds us: "You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father." (Matthew 5:14-16)

Why are you HERE?  To reflect God in everything you do.  Put Him first and let Him do His job!   

It Just Won't Stop! I Feel Like I'm Drowning!!!

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!

~Psalm 42:11

 

Ever feel like that punching bag for a prize fighter?  Ever feel like that your circumstances are trying to drown you?  Ever feel so fed up that you're ready to walk away?

 

When we feel like life is funneling us through the passage filled with broken glass and rusting barbed wire, and the only thing between our will to continue through to the other side and our desire to just give up is a very thin layer of skin...what do you do?  Then you see someone who seems to have all the good things in life seemingly being handed to him on velvet pillows on golden trays.  How do you feel now?

 

When life kicks you over and over and no matter how hard you try, you just seemed to keep getting kicked, what are we supposed to do?  

 

Here are some practical things you can do: 

• Recognize that everything that is happening is for a purpose.  Like it or not.
• Talk with God, openly and HONESTLY, about what you are thinking and feeling.  If your words come out as tear drowned sobs, God knows what you're talking about.  If your words come out as angry shouts, God knows what you're talking about.  If your words just won't come at all, God knows what you're talking about.
• Be HONEST with your loved ones about what's going on with you, and seek their help.  The absolute worst thing we can do is put on the "I'm Okay" mask and lie about how we are doing and feeling.  Remember, God didn't put us here to be alone.
• Accept that what you want or hope for might not be the plan that is best for you.  Be flexible (especially if you expect others to be flexible). Your answer might not be the same answer God has in mind.
• Learn to look at the situations from multiple perspectives.  Ask your loved ones for their HONEST perspective.
•  Understand that you are NOT alone!
• Be prepared to TAKE YOUR HANDS OFF OF IT!

God allows some things in life to happen to us that can overwhelm us so that we can remember that HE is the one in control of all things.

Ever Feel Overwhelmed?

 "Little children, you are from God and have overcome the world, 

for He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world."

~1 John 4:4

What happens when you have something out of the ordinary happen?  Let's say you are struggling to make it from paycheck to paycheck and one your way to work smoke starts gushing from under the hood of the car.  While you are standing on the side of the road wondering if your day could possibly get any worse, the rain starts and your umbrella is at work.  When you finally manage to get a ride home, you walk in drenched and dripping all over the floor when your child decides this would be the best possible time to start throwing up. You know the day, the one where if you don't drink, you seriously consider taking up drinking as an occupation.

Think about this for a moment:  Our enemy's job is to make us ineffective, since he cannot take God's children from God's hand.  And one of the ways he makes us ineffective is to overwhelm us.  Sun Tzu, who wrote "The Art of War", stated: “The whole secret lies in confusing the enemy, so that he cannot fathom our real intent.”  So you see, if our enemy can overwhelm us, we take our focus off of God, and even doubt God, and we do not even consider the enemy's true intent.

My prayer is that, when (not if) the storms begin to rage, we will learn to cling to the God who speaks the storms into submission and calms the raging seas.