Seven actions to take when your heart is overwhelmed
In the last several months, there has been considerable chaos that has occurred throughout our country and world. Devastation from storms, wildfires out of control, chemical plant explosions, political unrest, and raging wars. Not to mention what we may be dealing with in our own lives. There are some seasons in life where it feels like everything is going wrong. What do you do at times when your heart is overwhelmed?
As with any trial we face in life, there is always a place we can turn for comfort and hope. God allows frequent troubles in our lives so that we may continually be aware of our need for Him. During the course his life, David felt completely overwhelmed by adversity many times. We find several of his responses throughout the psalms.
In Psalm 61, David shows seven actions to take when your heart is overwhelmed by life:
Psalm 61:1-4, “Hear my cry, O God; attend unto my prayer. From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I. For thou hast been a shelter for me, and a strong tower from the enemy. I will abide in thy tabernacle for ever: I will trust in the covert of thy wings. Selah.”
Cry out to the Lord in prayer
When trials and tribulations overwhelm us, it is very easy to be quickly pulled down into depression, defeat, or despair. Satan will often attack us when we are in this position and at our weakest. While it may be easiest to surrender to him in defeat, we must not give into despair.
Instead of allowing feelings to control our reactions, we must utilize this position to cry out to God in prayer. Being “down” puts us in the perfect posture of prayer. From this position, we can pour out of hearts to God. There is no better person to whom we can take our problems and emotions.
Psalm 40:1, “I waited patiently for the Lord; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry.”
God promises us that He WILL hear the cry of our hearts and answer our prayers. This does not mean He will answer in our time or in our way, but He is always working ALL things for our good and His glory. While there are times when He answers immediately, most of the time we are required to wait patiently. Too often my waiting is like that of my four-year-old son – whiney and fussy. We may not vocalize it. But God knows and sees within the depths of our hearts.
I recently read somewhere we must “learn to wait well.” Times of waiting are a perfect opportunity to honor God in our response. He will bless those who honor Him and equip them to overcome.
As we turn our posture down, He will enable us to rise above and lead us to higher grounds of victory. In moments of defeat, we have to press toward that higher rock.
Cast your cares on Him
1 Peter 5:7, “Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.”
The word “cast” literally means to throw with force. Too often, we prefer to cling to our cares rather than fling them onto Christ who is more than willing and able to bare them. Why? In one word – pride. We like to claim victimhood to the point it becomes our identity. We don’t want to change who we have allowed ourselves to become. Rather than casting our problems, we project blame. As long as we are holding onto our problems, we can use them to blame others for our sinful reactions.
Freedom comes through repentance and humility. I cannot receive the grace of God to overcome my problems unless I am willing to humble myself – admitting that I cannot overcome in my own strength.
James 4:8, “But he giveth more grace. Where he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.”
I don’t know about you, but I sure need the grace of God in my life to overcome the difficulties I face. It’s time to stop holding onto pride and let go of our burdens, so that we can free ourselves to receive the abundance of His grace.
Calm your fears by resting in His sheltering arms
Psalm 61:3-4, “For thou hast been a shelter for me, and a strong tower from the enemy. I will abide in thy tabernacle for ever: I will trust in the covert of thy wings. Selah.”
Can you picture for a moment a mama bird with her little ones tucked safely in the nook of her wing during a raging storm? The securest place for those baby birds is to be nestled up under the protecting cover of their mama’s wing. Now picture an even greater, stronger arm – one that is greater and stronger beyond our wildest comprehension. There is no force or power than can come against the strength of this sheltering arm – no height, depth or any other creature can separate us from its protective power.
Walking with the Lord, abiding in His presence and obeying His will places us under the shelter of His wing. And the safest place for us to be is in the center of God’s will – walking closely with Him and finding rest and shelter under His protective arm.
Fear is a driving force in our lives. It can drive us into the safety net of Christ. Or it can be used as a tactic of Satan to destabilize, paralyze, and defeat the believer. God is not the author of fear. There is no other place where we can experience rest, peace, and calmness like His presence.
Center your focus on Christ
Hebrews 12:2, “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the same, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.”
Philippians 3:14, “I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.”
I am not much of a marks(wo)man, but I have shot a gun several times. One thing I do know is the importance of aligning the front and back sights with the target. Satan is constantly employing a variety of tactics to get our eyes off of what should be our focus point – Christ.
Do trials pull you away from Christ or push you closer to Him? Our response shows the true condition of our heart. If we are so easily swayed, we were hardly clinging to Him in the first place. Satan uses doubt, resentment, bitterness, unforgiveness, fear, and unbelief to overwhelm us so that he can trample us to pieces. His goal is defeat. Thankfully, no matter how far gone we may be or feel to be, we are still within reach of the everlasting arms of God. When Peter took his eyes of Christ and began to sink, the Savior was right there reaching out ready to rescue him.
Confidently trust Him
Isaiah 26:4, “Trust ye in the Lord for ever: for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength.”
Last year was definitely not “our family’s year.” In fact, it was probably the hardest the year we have faced since being married. We lost multiple family members, experienced public attacks, personal confrontations, disappointments, loss of friendships & community, and the need to move to a city where we knew but a few people. At times, things may have seemed hopeless. But it is in the midst of overwhelm where we learn how to confidently trust Christ. We don’t realize He is all we need until He is all we have.
One thing last year taught me more than anything was to not place my confidence in man. God can quickly remove the people we look up to from our lives, whether it’s a parent, pastor, or mentor. The word confidence means that I am “having full belief” (Websters 1828) in Christ. It’s not a partial belief or half-hearted trust – it is a complete trust with the entirety of my being. As I place every ounce of my faith in the Lord, He enables me with His everlasting strength.
Climb Higher
Psalm 61:2b, “…lead me to the rock that is higher than I.”
During difficult times, we must continue to climb higher. As we continue to follow Him through difficulties, growth will come. The more we press on the stronger we become – not within ourselves, but through Christ. If we remain faithful, we will eventually reach the mountain top of victory.
Climbing requires consistent forward momentum. It is easy during times of overwhelm to become stagnant. While it is important to take time to be still and rest, it is essential to be intentional during this time of refreshment. Lack of intentionality leads to laziness and lack of purpose. I know I can quickly fall into this trap if I am not careful.
Victory requires steadfast endurance and consistent growth as we rely on the Lord to help us overcome the overwhelm of life.
Cling to the Promises of God
2 Peter 1:4, “Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.”
God promises are exceeding great and precious!
The Exceeding Greatness of God’s Promises
The word exceeding means “Great in extent, quantity or duration; very extensive” (Websters 1828). According to one study, there are over 8,000 promises in the Bible! There is not one aspect of our lives where God’s promises do not reach. They are vast and they are wide. They secure us in this world and carry us into the next. And they even last through the end of time and eternity. Even when the World ends, His promises are still faithful.
The Preciousness of God’s Promises
Think of a newborn baby and how dear and precious they are. We hold them tenderly and carefully cherishing their sweetness. When carrying them, we do not hold them out away from us, but rather tenderly embrace them close to our chest. In the same way, the Lord wants us to cling tenderly to His promises He has given to us.
The word “precious” means to hold in honor, with esteem, or especially dear. We have an entire book of His promises written specifically to us. Do we treat it with esteem honor and respect? Or it is lying dusty somewhere on a shelf?
Conclusion
The best antidote for when we are overwhelmed by the circumstances of life is to spend time basking in the presence of God. It is here that we will find the overwhelming of His goodness and the underwhelming of our problems. I am reminded of the song “Overwhelming” by the Mylon Hayes family:
But you’re still good and you are holy
Working all things for your glory
And sometimes I can’t even comprehend
How you are moving and you’re working
My problems you are solving
I don’t even know just where to begin
Cause you are so good
It’s overwhelming
Praising Him is always the best way to recenter our focus. Let’s find something to thank Him for today!
