Overwhelmed? From One Christian To Another…

I’m overwhelmed. How about you?

In today’s world, being overwhelmed is considered a good thing. If you are not busy doing something all of the time, then you are considered a slacker.

You must learn how to become a “multitasker” – quick and in a hurry. I don’t mean at work, when added to your resume. I mean, filling up your entire day with busy work until you fall into your bed exhausted every night, falling asleep, before you actually hit the pillow. I’ve gotten pretty good at multitasking. How about you?

I thought so.

There’s nothing wrong with being busy for the right reasons. But what is considered to be the “right” reasons?

Is it…Working all day? Coming home to cook dinner? Getting kids homework done? Watching TV while eating dinner? Doing your homework that you couldn’t complete at work? Washing dishes – maybe? Washing yourself – hopefully??

Feel free to interject additional weekly multitasking duties such as: choir rehearsal, bible study and church on Sunday 🙂

Most or some of these multitasking reasons are right, but some of them can be wrong and quite overwhelming fillers, if you don’t find balance.

Unfortunately, Christians are not exempt from being overwhelmed. We don’t have a magic pill that we take to release stress or a big eraser that eliminates our “to do” list. We are not supernatural beings that just pray the stress away.

We need balance in our lives too….

How to find balance

Being overwhelmed from time to time is normal. We tend to feel that we can do it all – all of the time. Non-stop, like energizer bunnies.

But God didn’t make us this way. He didn’t intend for us to be overwhelmed with a never-ending “to do list.” We need balance in our lives. We need to learn how to prioritize our day. We need to learn what’s important and what’s not. And here’s how you accomplish it…

There is an appointed time for everything. And there is a time for every event under heaven– A time to give birth and a time to die; A time to plant and a time to uproot what is planted. A time to kill and a time to heal; A time to tear down and a time to build up. A time to weep and a time to laugh; A time to mourn and a time to dance. A time to throw stones and a time to gather stones; A time to embrace and a time to shun embracing. A time to search and a time to give up as lost; A time to keep and a time to throw away. A time to tear apart and a time to sew together; A time to be silent and a time to speak. A time to love and a time to hate; A time for war and a time for peace. ~Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

What would Jesus say about being overwhelmed?

Jesus would tell us that life is too short to be overwhelmed. I don’t believe that “overwhelmed” is even in His vocabulary. But it’s a word that Satan loves. Jesus knew we would struggle with work/life issues. He knew we needed balance. He knew that Satan would do everything he could to try to take our mind, body and soul off of Jesus. And unfortunately sometimes Satan wins.

So Jesus gave us a way out…

“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.” So all our work is done on behalf of Christ. ~Colossians 3:23-24

A parallel verse occurs just a few verses earlier, in verse 17:

“Whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”

Being busy for the right reasons, giving God glory in our daily work, should make feeling overwhelmed a little bit better. Yes, our bodies and minds are physically tired, but our spirits should rejoice knowing that when our heads hit the pillow tonight – we rest because His will is done.

Be blessed,

Wanda

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