When You’re Overwhelmed

Articles

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Hear my cry, O God, listen to my prayer; from the end of the earth I call to you when my heart is faint. Lead me to the rock that is higher than I, for you have been my refuge, a strong tower against the enemy. — Psalm 61:1-3

God promises that He will give us a peace that surpasses understanding, but not necessarily a peace that always will give us understanding.

You may be facing a personal crisis right now. Maybe it is a lack of employment. Maybe it is a foreclosure on your home or a loss in your investments. Maybe you have a marriage that is falling apart or a prodigal son or daughter. Maybe you have a life-threatening illness. Maybe you are paralyzed by fear as you think about an uncertain future. So what should you do? The Bible tells us the answer to worry is prayer: “⁶do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. ⁷And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6–7).

I have lived by these words since my son Christopher’s departure to heaven, because I have been hit with harsh reality of it—most notably, his absence. There have been waves of deep sadness that have overwhelmed me at times. So I pray. Sometimes my prayers are not long, but simply a cry out to God: God, help me. Give me strength right now. And He does. He gives me the strength that I need. It is not necessarily more than I need, but He gives me what I need for what I am facing at the moment.

The psalmist wrote, “From the end of the earth I call to You, when my heart is faint. Lead me to the rock that is higher than I” (Psalm 61:2). So when you are feeling overwhelmed, pray. Things will fall into their proper place as God brings about the events of your life according to His perfect will.

Journal

What in my life makes me feel overwhelmed? How do I normally handle it?

What can I do to help remind me to pray first when I am feeling stressed and overwhelmed?

Prayer:

Dear Lord, thank You so much that I can run to You in prayer at the first sign of stress. Forgive me for all the times that I try to figure it all out, then finally go to You last in prayer. Help me to remember that when I go to You first, You fill me with You peace and strengthen me. Amen.