When life gets overwhelming, do you ever feel like you might suffocate under everything you need to do?
Does worry ever weave it’s way into your heart and consume your thoughts with concern?
If I’m not careful, worry can wear me out and make me want to quit… just about everything!
A few years ago, I took my husband’s advice to write down everything on my plate so I could ask God what needed to be cut back. I listed my commitments and concerns, deadlines and dates on my calendar with every appointment, event, conference call and meeting I could think of for the next six months.
And I prayed: Please God, show me where I need to make changes.
I assumed the Holy Spirit would suggest adjustments in my schedule, but that’s not what happened. God didn’t tell me to make cut backs at work or in ministry. He didn’t show me our family had too many activities. He didn’t challenge me to take a sabbatical, although I was hoping He would.
Jesus showed me it was worry — not my workload — that was making me weary.
You see, without realizing it I was spending as much time thinking and worrying about concerns, commitments, circumstances and deadlines as I did working on them.
It was not only how I spent my time, but how I spent my thoughts that left me depleted.
But it wasn’t until I brought it all to God, and wrote it all out, that I recognized what was happening. I wonder if that’s why Peter tells us: “Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.” 1 Peter 5:7 (NLT)
The apostle Paul tells us the same thing, and shows us how:
“Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need and A him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:6-7, NLT)
But it’s not easy. Honestly, our natural tendency is to take control. And we have an enemy who suggests we do. But we don’t have to listen to the lies. Instead we can listen to God’s promises, and take these 3 steps to get God’s peace:
CLICK HERE to Download “3 Steps to Get God’s Peace”
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Thank you so much for this devotional! As I was reading I thought, “I could have written this”. My husband is a pastor and we just recently moved to a new state/new ministry. In our previous ministry I was home a lot and had gotten “comfortable” just being a mom and wife. Now, we are constantly on the go and extremely busy. I enjoy everything I do, but just feel so unorganized, and a lot of times stressed, with all that I have to do. Thank you for your thoughts and suggestions to give it to God. I will definitely work on that! 🙂
My mother, and sister need to read this book, they allow stress to consume every second of their life, it is so bad my mother has ended up in the hospital three times for several days, the number one factor, stress. Not that I couldn’t use it right now. God knows I definitely could what with mom in and out of the hospital, eight siblings to care for, a farm of 100 chickens, and 40 goats, and a boss with mental problems who is four pay periods behind. There are days when I just want to say, someone else’s turn, I can’t do this. But I know, I can because God is with me. A stress away pack would be fantastic right now though.
I SO needed this today. I work for a Christian School that I love very much but sometimes I get frustrated with things and feel helpless to make them better.
Thank you so much for devotional.
This was such a great reminder for me today. I’m very overwhelmed right now, and what-ifs have been consuming me. Thank you for this…I will definitely be making my list!
This was so encouraging. As a worrier who currently feels overwhelmed, this is what I needed to read this morning. Thanks for your words!
Thank you for the reminder on how I can receive the Lord’s peace.
My husband and I are walking thru a seemly impossible situation and
have been terribly wounded.
Our Faithful Father has been reminding me of His goodness in the
past and that I need to trust Him for the future. Your blog post has
confirmed His Word to my heart. May He bless you and continue to use you!
I want to take some time to really meditate on this. I know I can start to resent my schedule – even the people I have appointments with when I get overwhelmed. Feel like I’m letting someone down no matter my choice – either not enough time with my family, or not enough with others in need or not enough with friends who encourage me. Sometimes so scattered that I’m not fully present in each event so though I’m spending time with people, or on things, I am not having the impact I could. I want to be lead by the Spirit more and by a sense of duty less and I definitely don’t want to waste precious time worrying!
I need to remember AND do this everyday!! I’m a single mom with no help, and am blessed with very smart, athletic girls!! My Dad just passed away, so I worry about my Mom. I worry about work, our future, colleges, drama, etc… I pray, take a deep breath and take one day at a time!! I live in the mountains, but would love to run away to the beach!! 😉
Thank you so much for the advice, bible verses and prayers! This is all so true! So many times I try to do it all on my own and all I do is worry! I MUST stop and pray! It’s really hard sometimes to stop my rushing and worried thoughts though! So I will pray about that too! Again, thanks!
Your message came from the Spirit today!! My husband and I just discussed this exact issue….thanks for the suggestions!
Sometimes I find peace eludes me when I look at what needs to be done and see the limitations of those responsible for accomplishing the tasks rather than trusting God to provide a way.
Good point, Carla. Thank you. We must keep our eyes, hearts and minds fixed on Jesus, and trust Father God!
Thank you for this fairly simple yet profound truth – it’s one of my favorite verses. I find myself frequently paralyzed with worry and emotion. When I can give that to God, I am freed and incredibly productive.
I think worry and anxiety actually seem normal to most people now, and we don’t realize we weren’t designed to stress. I constantly have to remind myself to stop worrying so thank you for the tips!
Thank you for this timely wisdom. I have been overwhelmed with so much lately.
if there is one thing I know about The Father it is that He will let you know he has heard your prayers. This morning I awoke at 5:00 A.M.. I had slept through the night ( which is something I have not done in weeks due to an injury from a car accident.)and was wide awoke , so when I looked at the clock and saw the time I decided to pray.There were so many things on my heart and as I prayed I spoke all of my concerns.All that was stressing me out , all that was causing worry and even more pain than I was already in and I laid down at about 6AM and went back to sleep. I awoke feeling good that I had left my cares with the Lord.He let me know He heard my cry through two pastors and now this blog.I realize He is calling me to rest and move aside and let him be the God of my life.I have rested in Him before and He worked so why shouldn’t He this time.I am grateful that He has led me to this blog and this ministry of women to help and guide me along this new path He has put before me.Thank you Renee and may God bless you and your family.
Thank you for your wonderful wisdom and uplifting message. This couldn’t come at a more perfect time as I work in Hospice and my team is currently undergoing a federal survey. This time is very stressful and exhausting as everything they could find us doing wrong is being pointed out, causing self doubt and worry. The gift bag would be a perfect gift to the nurse or manager that goes above and beyond every day only to be drug down by mandates. Thank you again for pointing us all in the Lord’s direction during EVERY difficult task we face no matter WHAT it is!
Thank you for sharing your heart with us and a tangible way to keep the worry away. I find myself up at night- worrying about my husband, my 3 children, my mom who is battling stage 4 cancer and just the concerns of the next day.
I am learning to lean on God in the midst of all of this and read His word. Thank you for encouraging us ladies and letting us know that this struggle is real and we have a Big God who can handle it all an loves us Big!
Have a blessed day!
I am in a busy season right now. All joyous things, but all running together. I was feeling overwhelmed this morning but this devotional hit home!! It reminded me to turn to Him in all things. Thank you!
I think fear and worry tend to go hand in hand. I’m struggling with allowing each to make the other bigger. I have been growing spiritually over the past year in a situation that I’m confident will be resolved in God’s way and in His time. Please pray for me, as I strive for patience to give my cares to Him and wait for him to resolve those issues in a way that is far bigger than I could ever imagine. Today, I’m asking for the courage to make a list that will shrink things down to their proper perspective.
As care giver for my 85 y.o. mother I find myself frustrated by the limits on my free time to go accomplish multiple errands in one outing rather than multiple trips. Also limited quiet time to focus on God.