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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I need to learn how to give God all my concerns and issues. I want to hold on to some of them instead of surrendering all.
Worry is a constant “friend” that I am seriously trying to break up with! I am in the midst of some pretty heavy life situations right now and it is a daily battle to fix my mind on God and not the circumstances in front of me. I am reminding myself to pray and give it up as often as I feel the worry kicking in. Thank you for your timely words and download.
Funny, I just broke down in tears to my husband last night for this very reason. A reminder I really needed. Thank you
Thank you, Renee for this great reminder. I love and cling to all of these verses as I pray over my future grandbaby that may have some developmental issues. Most of the time I am ok but then sometimes my mind goes all crazy and I have to regroup, remember and pray! So thankful for a God who is in control and loves us so much!!
Stress and anxiety seem to invade on a regular schedule. I get caught up in a mind numbing pattern of worry and planning, worry and planning and rushing off to do something, anything to stop some of the worry. BUT
when I stop and pray and give these situations over to God, He gives me peace.
Thanks for the reminder. I needed it yet again. . . .
During this time of my life I’m going through a lot of transitions and life stresses. For example: finishing my college courses, graduation in May, starting my career as a nurse, husband getting a new job, buying a house, moving to a different state in one month, and all the while being pregnant with our first child that is due to be born 2 days before our first anniversary on July 12th! There are a lot of responsibilities that I am required to take care of and they are continuing to increase. I can tell a difference when I depend on God versus when I get overwhelmed thinking about everything. Thank you for this reminder of how to turn the focus back on God and to not spend so much unnecessary time worrying.
Thank you for the reminder to stop and pray! Sometimes I think things are silly to ask the Lord about – needed to read this today 🙂
I have been doing this for the last several weeks when I begin to feel overwhelmed with fear or uncertainty. Thank you for the scripture to go with it. I wrote it down to memorize this week. Thank you for the encouraging words!!!
What a great encouragement you are all….thank you for your help and always Being there to help is walk thru life!!!
I also let worry overwhelm me, then God shows up and it was not that big at all. He is helps me to glide through all the mess when I move into the passenger seat. Thank you sweet Jesus for being in control!!!
Your devotional sounds wonderful!
Thank you for sharing this message today. God is good and I am so
Blessed, giving my worries to him.
Yesterday I was struck by the Stop Worrying brick wall (I tend to be to stubborn to just see it). I found myself in a place where I had to make the decision to stand on God’s promise that He’ll take care of me or completely lose it. I made the decision to stand on God’s promise even though I did not feel it and so many thoughts were going through my head telling me otherwise. I just kept declaring over and over again that my faith and my trust is in God.
Needless to say, He came through with His promise. A very big burden was lifted off my shoulders and all I had to do was get out of His way and trust in Him. Now when I feel like crying it’s tears of joy not of worry.
Dear Renee~ This was beautiful and helped me so much. I love how God speaks to me through your writing. Your words are so refreshing to my soul. Also it helped me have a conversation with the Lord about something I’m currently worried about. And I thanked Him that He is so good at being in control. I’m not. It gives me back pain. I printed two copies, one for me and one for my co-worker who sits by me. Blessings to you and your family.
~Amber
I needed this word today, the last 2 weeks have been a spiritual and emotional roller coaster for me. My mother is recovering from a heart attack and my sister is recovering from pneumonia. But in all this turmoil His word keeps on sustaining me and allows me to minister and witness the goodness that I have, in his joy and peace.
The concern that consumes me most right now is money and being able to pay bills. I have been unemployed for 2 years and going through a lot of change. I know God will come through for me and always has but for some reason I can’t kick the worrying about it!
What a blessing your devotional was for me today! Thank you so much!
Great devotional today! I really needed to hear this as I’m dealing with issues in workplace. Long hours and feeling very overworked. Thank you for all the Psalms 23 devotionals. Very uplifting and inspiring!
I am going to print this and hang it on my mirror. I need constant reminders to stop worrying, start praying, and remember to thank Him. He really is SO good at being God.
What does one do when worry consumes the soul? Every waking moment is a more like a nightmare. Constantly praying and being patient wondering what it is that you did so wrong? Trying to keep a smile and a solid foundation for your children but nothing works. Going and going and going with all your might only to be pushed back further than when you started! The cry of a worn out woman! I’m really trying to learn how to lean on God when so much leans on me…how do I bend but not break! God even though I’m having difficulty praying please hear my cry.
Thank you for this devotion! I have been concerned about finances, my husband being out of work, & getting less hours on my job. I really needed this reminder!!!
Those inspirational thoughts are just what I needed. I’m presently going through a tough storm. I needed the reminders of the comfort of the Lord and casting away our burdens.
I used to worry all the time. I leave it to God now. Everything changed for me in September, thats when everything started making sense. I had my meltdown in 2009, lost & left everything. It was a slow process because i didnt allow Him in my life which is a shame, just imagine where i would be…then i remind myself that its His timing not mine. I have bad days still but they are getting fewer & fewer. Praise Him in everything!
This is a wonderful message – and a timely one for me. I sometimes feel so weighed down by problems and worries. This an excellent reminder to give all my cares to Him and then LET GO and TRUST HIM to carry them and to take care of me.
Thank you so much for your ministry – you have blessed me more than words can express!
Thank for this post today! It was exactly what I needed to hear in a stressful time of worrying over health concerns for my children. As I am writing all the things down that I need to remember for them and the doctors I also need to spend time offering this all to the Lord and let him walk beside us through it all.
Thanks again!
I know, like many others, I have a tendency to worry. Big or small issues, it doesn’t matter. I try to go to God about my concerns, but sometimes is takes a while to get the point of letting go of the worry first. Our pastor once said that you can’t hold on to your worries and trust God at the same time. So we have to learn to let them go, it’s just so hard!
Perfect. This is just what I needed today.
So I loved your devotion this morning. In my mind I’m already tired when I think of what I have to do. I work, homeschool and in ministry. Getting me to do more than that overwhelms me and I want to give up and do nothing at all. I know in my heart Jesus is in control but in my mind I feel i can’t get past that. I think to myself the example I am setting for my high school daughter and I don’t like it. I would love to read your book When Concern Consumes Me. Thank you for all you do, in Jesus name.
Much needed words that I needed to hear!! Thank you for the encouraging words!! Praise Jesus for everything He does for us!! In times of stress we forget that God has it all under control. May God keep blessing you Renee in your ministry.
This was such a blessing. I’m still learning to give everything to God and not worry.
Stress in my life right now has me worrying constantly. I’m praying but, I know I need to start Thanking God more. I’ll do my best with these three steps.
Thank you Renee…your words are so timely! Just last night a friend shared some deep struggles and concerns…worrying was the underlining problem. I also need your words for myself! For those times when I come up to the “worry” potholes in my life’s journey, I now have 3 steps that will help me continue running the race!
I needed this today – I worry all the time. I’m trying not to worry so much. It’s a daily undertaking for sure. Thank you for your encouragement on this today! Blessings, Mary Ann
I find myself guilty of this feeling of being overwhelmed frequently, and yet whenever I take the time to quiet myself with prayer, I always feel rested and ready to tackle my responsibilities.
Life goes so much more smoothly when we leave the worrying to God and proceed in peace.
Thank You Renee! this is just what I needed to hear today I have been working on this very hard lately & sometimes after asking God fr help I catch myself still worrying about it then I feel horrible that I have failed him by not trusting him. Just the a few weeks ago I had ask him for help to carry something for me because I could no longer do this by myself yet I continued to worry & then when it all came together I was so excited but at the same time so ashamed of myself for not trusting God to handle this for m like I had ask. I had to go back to him & tell him how sorry I was for not trusting him & for coming through for me even though I had let him down. I feel so horrible when I do this & I need to be reminded that when you place it in his hands you have to trust him with it & wait for the answer a lesson I really need to learn so bad. God is so wonderful & forgiving. I am so blessed that he still took care of me even when I did not have the faith I should have had. How can I remind myself that I have ask him to carry these things for me & let him do that so stop worrying?
I’ve been fighting cancer for 9 yrs. and we’re at the end of our list of things to try medically. So yes, I worry about where so I go from here. I’m sure your book would inspire me. Thanks for the chance at this give away!
The Lord has been reminding me of this very thing this week. He wants me to bring everything to Him, leave it there and praise him for who He is. Thank you for the reminder and the tips!
Weelll, I get so deeply frustrated with myself in worrying and what I label “awfulizing”, that I have force myself to STOP. It seems to be the worst when I’m lying in bed, attempting to sleep. My biggest difficulty is shutting off my mind, so that I can sleep. Ihave prayed about this countless times and you know what? This silly child of our Lord’s takes back her worries, after the Lord takes them away!! UGH!!
Has anyone else experienced this? What has been your solution? Or perhaps, a better question, what did the Lord direct you to do?
I have been trying to do the suggested process in reverse order (thank God, Pray, Stop worrying). Maybe I could switch it up and see how God works through that. Thank you for sharing your beautiful heart and powerful faith, Renee.
Thank you!
This was definitely what I needed to hear! Putting our trust in God and resting in Him despite everything he calls us to do is much more sustainable than overthinking and trying to control everything. Thanks so much for writing this, Renee!
God’s timing is always so perfect. I’m so grateful for this post today, Renee. It seems your posts go right to my struggles. I was sitting here trying to figure out how to get it “all” done today and here’s your message. Thank you.
I downloaded the 3 Steps to God’s Peace and love it. Thank you for the reminder that it’s really that simple. Love reading your book, A Confident Heart. Would love to win the devotional that goes along with it. 🙂
Wow Renee can I relate! I work full time and take care of my wonderful and sweet 86 year old mother. Our roles have reversed and I am now the mom and she my daughter. We laugh at this statement and know that I was in the best care with her when I was a child add now she is in the best care with me as an elderly lady. She is such a blessing! I do catry a heavy load and can see now that a lot of it is indeed worry. What a difference it makes just knowing that I need to unload my worries at the foot of the almighty ones cross. Thank you for sharing your story. You are a blessing to me today.
Renee,
Thank you so much for your timely devotion today. As women, we tend to take everything on and easily get overwhelmed. Even if it’s just ‘thinking’ about it all; that’s still too much. Your message is a wonderful reminder that God does not want us to live overwhelmed lives, rather to rest in His gentle assurance that He has it all under control and will gladly share the burden if we just give it to Him.
Thank you and God Bless.
Thank you for these words. I needed to hear this today
I needed these words, thank you. I worry about too many things and have really been trying to just put in all in God’s hands.
He has never left me or let me down, thanks for reminding me.
Laura
Just “push the pause button”! Of course! Why have I never thought of it this way. God has already been working on my heart about trusting him and giving him my issues. I have a tendency to worry and over think things. Today it seems his message to me is “it’s easier than you are making it. Just push pause and pray right then.” Thank you for words and message today!