A couple of weeks ago, I had one of those weeks where many things came crashing down all at once. I imagine you know what kind of week I am talking about. Those types of weeks leave you feeling defeated, beaten down and overwhelmed. Those are the kind of weeks where you begin to question everything you are doing as a wife, mother, daughter, employee, friend, and even as a child of God. Well, that was my week and the enemy was in full force trying to steal my joy. As I cried out to God in desperation over what I needed to do to “fix” my problems, He began to reveal some truths to me that I needed to hear. He began to expose some of the sin in my life and He began to teach me how to get back on track with His plan.
I wonder if you feel overwhelmed right now with all of the responsibilities you carry in your life. I wonder if you feel defeated as a wife, mom, friend, coworker or even as a Christian. I wonder if there are nights when you cry yourself to sleep and no one knows about it. I wonder…..
My friend, we all feel overwhelmed from time to time. This life is stressful and the demands on us are great. I want to give you some encouragement as you read this posting. I want you to know that you are not alone. None of us have it all together. Oh–we know how to look the part, but inside we all have insecurities and we all need Jesus! None of us have perfect marriages. Most of us struggle knowing how to raise our children, and most of us have more laundry piled up than we want to admit. Below is a list I put together of some lessons God continues to teach me about fighting the feeling of being overwhelmed. As you read this list, I hope it causes you (like it does me) to examine your life more closely. I hope it brings you some encouragement!
- We must spend quality time with God, daily and study His Word. It is a MUST! Set aside time with Him. Be intentional about it!
- We should prioritize our relationships according to God’s plan (your most important human relationship is with your spouse). Our children should not be more important than our spouse. Neither should our best girl friends, or even our Mother. Our man should be our #1 human relationship!
- We need to pray and LISTEN more carefully to the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Do we know how to hear His voice? Are we hungry to hear Him? If not, ask Him to help you.
- We should be careful before committing to a new project. Just because something is a good idea, does not mean we should be a part of it. Every need is NOT your calling!
- We need to stop over-scheduling ourselves and our children. We all need time at home to play in the back yard and we need to have more regular meals together around the kitchen table.
- We cannot do everything for our children. We are raising them to be responsible adults. Being a helicopter parent does not teach them how to think for themselves or be responsible for themselves. Sometimes letting our children reap the consequences of their actions is the best teacher of all.
- God blessed us with the Sabbath Day as a day of rest and worship. Spend time with God on the Sabbath and take a nap! You need both!
- We need to focus on what is RIGHT with our lives and enjoy the life God gave to us. Laugh and have fun with those you love—be intentional about creating special times…MAKE A MEMORY!
- Be careful not to sin in your anger. When you are angry, do not send an email or post anything to social media. Pray about it, and sleep on it. Things typically look a lot clearer and more manageable in the morning.
- Nurture your most precious relationships. Fight for them! When you are wrong, say “I’m sorry”.
- Be “media free” whenever possible.
- Pray, pray and pray some more.
- Ask God to create in you a pure and clean heart—do not be found doing all the “right” things but for all the wrong reasons.
- And lastly— I’m not superwoman and neither are you. Let’s take off our capes and thank God for His grace!
Thanks for stopping by! I’m so grateful for you!
~Joy
