“I’m feeling overwhelmed by all the things I have, should and could do. I’m already starting to find it hard to breathe and we’re just about to enter into the first week of the year. There’s so many things that I was meant to do over the holidays but I chose to chill (do nothing) instead. On the one hand I’m feeling rested but on the other hand the feeling of regret is lurking. My list of things to do for work has started to play on my mind as Monday is only a couple of hours away. Last night I even had a dream about the place.” - this was the open paragraph of my journal on the 2nd Jan.
God help me to live in the present. I can only control the now (and if I’m honest, I even have my limitations there). As I might not even live to see tomorrow. Help me to enjoy today.
When feeling overwhelmed, anxious or both, there are 3 things that help me relax and refocus. I share them as I hope that they may prove to be useful to someone else too.
1. List all the things I have to.
Usually I divide my page into invisible boxes (as I have many sections to my simple but busy life). This allows me to be able to make mini lists. At the moment I’ve got 6 sections with some only having one bullet point and others having 4/5.
Doing this usually reveals that actually what I’ve got to do is manageable. It also helps me to identify my tasks that are urgent - need to be done ASAP, urgent - need to be done soon but not right now and urgent - but can wait until I have “free time”.
By the end of the week it also shows which area of my life I’m shying away from or struggling with. Helping me to be very specific in my prayer time.
2. Commit (roll) my list over to God.
Not only the things that overwhelm you or cause you to feel anxious, but also your ‘WAY’ - the road you’re currently walking on, your day-to-day, your journey. The idea of rolling brings to mind something too heavy to carry.
Growing up with mostly boy cousins, as the female I have never been expected to carry the heavy stuff. Now we’re older, they call me the delegator because I always have the grand idea but need their muscles to make my plan a reality. Every now and again I will try to prove that anything they can do I can do better, but I either ended up getting cussed and told I’m slowing them down, a ‘chups’ of disapproval because I should have just taken one box or a lighter bag, or a sore back.
By taking on too many things or making things a priority that do not need to be, we can end up making our lives harder than is necessary. Committing my stuff over to God, helps me to put things in perspective and reminds me that my main aim is to do my best and leave the rest to Him.
Committing them to God helps me to embarrass my weaknesses and gives me a chance to allow God’s strength to be made perfect.
Committing them over to God gives me peace as I remember that I have a high calling and this world is not my final home.
‘O what peace we often forfeit, o what needless pain we bear, all because we do not carry EVERYTHING to God in prayer’. - God remind me to come to you with everything because you can supply all my needs according to your riches in glory.
I used to find it hard to give things over to God let alone other people. I liked and preferred to do things myself. It’s not that I can’t delegate (ask my cousins and my brother - they’d say that’s all I know) it’s just that when it comes to certain things, I preferred to save myself the disappointment. When I think about it now though, hand stuff over to God is fool proof as He can’t fail, as He there is nothing too hard for Him.
God help me to understand the root my feelings of being overwhelmed and anxious. Search me o God, and reveal the secrets of my heart to me.
3. Trust also in Him
Whenever I think about trusting, the blindfolded - listening to the voice - game and the fall back into someone’s arms exercise comes to my mind. At the core of both of those is trusting in what you can’t see but know to be true. Admittedly, because we can’t see God it is sometimes difficult to be able to trust Him. Someone once said that trusting in God is like trusting in gravity, despite not being able to see it, it’s presence and full affect is best seen when you let something go.
To trust in God means to be confident, sure or bold/secure in God’s ability to provide, protect and produce.
As we go into the final full week of the first month of the year, ask God to help you trust Him in all areas of your life. It will make a difference. Trust me!
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