On my way to my workout in the morning I often listen to a podcast. It is about a half hour drive to the gym I go to, so I decided to use the time in the car for my mobile university. I don’t always do this, but most days I do and am fired up and ready for the day and my workout by the time I arrive. This morning I was finishing up a few podcasts I had started and something hit me. I may have missed sharing an important key for you this month as we focused on overwhelm. I then did my devotions after my workout. (Yes, the days I travel to do my workout I have been doing my time with God a bit later.)
I go to Panera after my workout, grab my coffee, put on some quiet reflective music and spend time with the Lord. It is amazing how much noise canceling headphones can do for you while at a public space! I listen to a mix of instrumental christian music and it has been so uplifting as I read and spend time with the Lord.
Today, after I finished my devotions I realized what I have been sharing about overwhelm could be shifted a bit. Though I am giving you some helpful tips on my podcast to move out of overwhelm, and I will continue on Monday with more ways to move you through the feelings, but I wanted to emphasize something today. Though it was implied, I don’t know if I really encouraged you to trust in the Lord FIRST and More. It was an underlying thought for me, and I assumed you were already bringing your overwhelmed feelings to the Lord, but why should I assume you are doing that? Honestly, we often do all the things (the worry, the counsel, the complaining, the wishing things were different, etc.) we do all of those things before we bring things to God. I am not saying you didn’t go to Him first, but often we don’t.
What if we put everything we are worried and overwhelmed about into our God box? What if we fully surrendered our need to control and shifted it back to God? What if we let go and let Him lead? What if we chose to be in gratitude for everything we had? I mean everything!
In my devotions this morning the author was referencing Job. If you don’t know the story of Job, I encourage you to read the book of Job. In Job 1, verses 20 to 21, Job’s reaction is so amazing. I do not know if I would have reacted to all of the trauma hitting me the way Job did. I mean, my reactions to my overwhelm were not close and what I was facing was nothing compared to what Job went through all at one time! Within a few minutes he lost his children, property, livestock, and most of his servants. Seriously, so much! This really hit me when I read these two verses this morning.
“Job stood up and tore his robe in grief. Then he shaved his head and fell to the ground to WORSHIP He said, “I came naked from my mother’s womb, and I will be naked when I leave. The Lord gave me what I had, and the Lord has taken it away. PRAISE THE NAME OF THE LORD!”
Job 1:20-21 NLT (Emphasis mine)
When tragedy hits your life, is this your reaction? Do you fall down and worship? I will honestly say I don’t act this way. When I was in my state of overwhelm several weeks ago, I was set in self-pity. I was not worshiping the Lord. Now, I called out to God and asked Him for guidance. I pleaded with God for relief for the angst I was feeling, but I was focused on ME, MY pain, MY frustration, MY disbelief things were working out for me… Do you hear the common word in those sentences? “MY” Me, Me Me!
If we learn anything from Job, we realize his example is the one we get to pattern our lives after. Now, I know it will take practice to really put aside self to be in a place to react to things like Job, but his example shows us, if we fully rely on God, He will give us the strength to walk through whatever overwhelm we are going through.
One of the ways we can really push through overwhelm is gratitude. I have talked about this before, but I challenge you to stop, grab a piece of paper and start writing down your gratitude. What are you truly grateful for? I think when I say we focus on what we can control, a huge area we can control is our gratitude. What all are you able to thank the Lord for today?
My goodness, do we have so much to be grateful for. If Job can fall down and worship the Lord and thank Him during such turmoil, we can thank the Lord too! You have the capability to read this blog, which means you have a phone or some other device, you have access to the internet, you have a space where you can read this safely, you may be drinking a coffee or some water while reading this. You have a working toilet, running water, heat or air for your home, a home, clothing beyond what is on your back… should I go on?
Now, I am not saying whatever you are going through is not difficult and the pain you feel is absolutely real, but there is another side of the pain. There is comfort from the Lord. There is hope in His plan, timing and direction. You have so much to be grateful for my friend. This feeling you are contending with will pass. You get the opportunity each day to wake up, rise and make decisions to move forward as you trust in HIm.
My friends, no matter how overwhelmed you feel, stepping into gratitude, turning your focus off of yourself and back to God will change the perspective for you! I would love for you to reply with a few things you are grateful for. Keep on the journey to Flourishing my friends!
