Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast Episode 119 - Conquer Overwhelm
Welcome to the Terri Hitt – Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast
Episode #119 – Conquer Overwhelm
Thank you for entrusting and investing your precious time with me to seek, find, and follow Jesus together as we live with purposed eternal perspective.
What a month we’ve had at our house!
Do you ever feel like no matter what you do, you can’t get ahead or things keep happening to throw your plans off-balance?? Maybe you can’t stay on schedule due to unexpected events. Perhaps your family has been through bouts of sickness. Or maybe you’re just tired from the various demands life brings. No matter the reason, I believe it’s sometimes easy to be discouraged, frustrated, or simply overwhelmed by life.
We are traveling through a season of what I will just call, “too much” right now. So much going on and way too little sleep!! It’s not even that we’re overscheduled, although we are busy. Life simply happens whether or not we’re ready, and sometimes that means things pop up that demand our attention or that stop the plans already made as we’re forced to shift focus.
For example, a few days ago I was washing dishes. We’ve had some illness in our home recently and I always double wash dishes the sick person has used. It usually takes about two weeks of extra washing before I’m convinced that the person is fully well and they aren’t contagious anymore. Right after I finished our two weeks recently, someone else got sick with another virus. Already weary from the first bout of illness, I was not enjoying double-washing dishes. As I thought about what a pain it was and how tired I was of doing it, I felt the Lord whisper to my spirit, “Don’t do this work because you have to keep people from getting sick. Do the work because you love the person you’re serving for Me.”
If you want to conquer overwhelm, master your perspective.
Release it to God and view your situation through His eternal viewpoint.
Galatians 6:9 says, “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”
Sometimes it feels impossible to complete a difficult task. It often feels impossible to release a stronghold in your life. Sometimes it feels like you can’t even make it through the day when one thing after feels like an attack formed against you. Everything builds up to form overwhelm.
When this happens, stop to remember that feelings are just emotions. Emotions have no power unless you allow them to. Emotions are feelings that rise up within us to create strong sentiments. Sentiments reflect our attitude toward something, and our attitude can quickly cause anxiety. Unless we purposely take emotions, feelings, sentiments, or attitude captive and release them to the Lord, deceptive feelings easily and quickly morph into overwhelm.
1 Peter 5:7 says, “Cast all your anxiety on him because He cares for you.”
No matter what situation or burden you are facing, know through the model Jesus set for each of us that you can submit your struggles to Him through prayer.
I want to be clear on this point. Simply muttering a prayer, hoping that God hears it and changes everything so you can get back to your normal schedule isn’t what I mean. Nothing that has lasting value in our walk with Christ will come easily. It is only through release of self and purposed humility focused on growing our personal relationship with Christ that true change occurs. Standing freely in the grace of God and allowing Him to carry burdens takes determination and release of fleshly will.
Jesus is our perfect example of a humble, obedient spirit releasing self. As Jesus turned to the Father through prayer, He also used the power of God’s word. Through prayer and scripture, we see Jesus model the way we are to come to God and offer self, thus truly trusting Him to do the work needed. With our selfish, limited vision we hope He changes our circumstances, making the day easier or more tolerable.
Through the beauty of the gospel, however, we learn that submission brings glory to God. In His goodness, our Heavenly Father allows us to be cleansed and transformed through trials and daily occurrences. Instead of easily changing our day, God purposes to take our burdens and turn them into blessings that move us closer to Him and make us more like Him – even when we don’t think it feels good or comfortable. Even when life feels incredibly overwhelming.
Jeremiah 1:19 says, “They will fight against you but will not overcome you, for I am with you and will rescue you,” declares the Lord.”
God’s truth makes the difference. When we rely on the legitimacy of God’s word to steady us, we understand that He is truthful; He is faithful.
Walking closely with the Lord will prevent much of overwhelm. When we recognize that life is coming too fast or that we have lost peace, or we may not be feeling presence with God, it’s especially important to remember to react in those moments preceding great overwhelm. What we do before overwhelm washes over us like a flood sets the tone for our attitude. Attitude will determine our thoughts and actions or reactions.
When overwhelm or agitation begins to creep into your spirit, stop to identify what is happening to cause the feelings or attitude you are experiencing. Remember the truth of your situation. It’s easy to get sucked into deceitful feelings and lies about our life and surroundings or events. Fear, trials, illness, lack of rest, new situations, and much more can work against us to create overwhelm.
Isaiah 40:28-31 says, “Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary; His understanding is beyond searching out. He gives power to the faint and increases the strength of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall. But those who wait upon the Lord will renew their strength; they will mount up with wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not faint.”
God is sufficient. He has the desire and the holy, sovereign ability to carry your burdens, while strengthening you in Him as He does. Everything in our life, small or large, is meant to be evaluated and purposed for His glory. The imperfections of our day or relationships, the scary emergencies or illnesses, the interruptions that frustrate or delay, and the strongholds that threaten to cripple or disable us are each allowed to bring forth the fruit of Christ in our life. They are allowed or purposed to bring us to our knees in front of a Holy God who loves us with an everlasting love and deeply desires that we rest in Him and rely on Him to carry us through the fires of life.
Philippians 4:8 says, “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.”
When we bring our burdens, overwhelm, or anxiety to the Lord, especially when we first notice it begin to take shape in our heart or mind, we grasp the perfect peace only God offers. God, the Author of peace carries it to us through the Holy Spirit within us. Through His presence, comfort, and protection, we are made new – and so is our attitude as He captures and rids us of overwhelm. Sometimes His help is instant. At other times, we may have been struggling to carry a sin or burden for too long on our own and it will take time to shed the fake covering we used to protect or hide us. Keep your eyes and mind focused on Christ, the true guide out of the confusion and chaos of overwhelm.
Psalm 119:114 says, “You are my hiding place and my shield; I put my hope in Your word.”
Through the Lord, we have a true hiding place, a strong and mighty shield to cover us despite whatever is happening in our life. How often do you trust God, accept His offer to find comfort and protection under His wing, to hide in His care? One of the reasons we put our hope in Him is because His word is true, it is powerful, it is alive.
Psalm 119:105 says, “Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.”
Because we have the light of Jesus and the word of God to illuminate our way, we can count on Him to shine His truths and peace into the dark corners of our world. No matter our obstacle, no matter the amount of overwhelm that creeps into our life, God is present and able to erase it and fill us with His peace that passes understanding. Through relying on Him and trusting that God will take captive of overwhelm before it becomes anxiety, we learn that:
1. God is present.
2. God is able to set us on a steady path.
3. God will allow us to learn faithfulness and provisions.
4. God will work through us to set us apart as a witness to others that He is competent.
5. God sees and hears us.
6. God cares about every detail.
7. God is our Mighty Rescuer.
As you feel the spirit of overwhelm threaten to take over, I have 4 suggestions that may help.
1. Take a break from what you are doing (even when it feels like you can’t).
2. Focus on one thing at a time.
3. Voice how you feel (sometimes it helps to talk aloud to yourself and let the frustration out so you can focus clearly without emotional deceit).
4. Turn to God through prayer and/or scripture reading. The healing power of God never fails when our spirit humbly turns to Him.
Dear Heavenly Father, how great Thou art! Father, thank you for Your goodness to us, despite the way we fail to grasp the love and guidance You have for us every moment, the peace You offer freely. Help us to delight in Your law day and night, and to be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water, which yields fruit in its season and its leaf does not wither. Father, enable us, to create such strong relationships with You that we don’t worry about life, what we will eat or drink; or about the burdens that assault from every angle. Help us to see the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet You provide for them. May we remember the provisions You offer that bring us eternal life, the only thing that matters. Search us, God, and know our heart; test us and know our anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in us, and lead us in the way everlasting, for we know Your grace is sufficient, Your power is made perfect in our weakness. May we allow Your work to be done and see the beauty of the masterpiece as You create it within us. May we allow the power of Christ to rest within us. May we carry the attitude that delights in weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and difficulties. For when we are weak, then we are strong in and through You. In the precious name of Jesus we pray. Amen.
Thank you for listening to this podcast. If you find value in what you hear, and you would like more information on the topic we discussed today, I invite you to listen to previous episodes. You may find them on the terrihitt.com website. Click on podcasts and type in the topic or title you wish to hear in the search bar at the top of the page. I can suggest three episodes that tie to the topic we discussed today. Episode 82, “Peace That Guards,” Episode 84, “No Worry,” and Episode 2, “Protecting Our Thoughts.”
Have you listened to my second podcast, “Purposed Parent/Connected Child” yet? I hope you will listen, follow it, and share both of my podcasts with friends or family who would like to choose Christ over culture and be a parent (or be a grandparent) who connects with eternal purpose.
Remember, if we are not purposed in knowing Jesus ourselves and showing Him to the next generation, the world will direct them away from Christ. Live With Eternal Perspective helps us to find, trust, and follow Christ more intimately. Purposed Parent/Connected Child shares biblical, practical truths for parents and grandparents to influence and mentor Christ over culture.
I pray that what you hear on this podcast draws you nearer to God and helps you cling to Him, despite any circumstances in your life. Until next week, keep looking Up while focusing on new ways to Live With Eternal Perspective.