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 needed to read this today! Thank you for your words of wisdom. Incidentally our church encourages us to choose a word to focus on for the year. In the past I’ve had words such as Trust, Truth and Joy. My One Word for this year is Peace. So this is an extra encouragement for me today as it helps me focus on my word for the year and seeking God’s help to have peace in my life.
This was just what I needed to hear today. God has been trying to teach me not to worry, which is hard for a type A, perfectionist like me! I like to have everything in my control, but then worry what could go wrong or a decision I could make that is not good in the end. Thank-you for posting this. I like the three steps to do when I begin to worry!
I prayed to God last night for guidance in a stressful situation. Your devotion today was the path to help. I wrote my three things down on paper and sealed it in an envelope to give to Jesus. Thank you.
Great devotional for me today. I can work myself into a tizzy worrying about “what if” mostly with my children, but also with my work. It steals my energy and my joy. I keep postcards in my car and on my counter of verses to help me stop myself from going there and to think about what God says instead…
This devotional is so on point. i’m sending it to a family member who is in the midst of crises after crises in her family. She is very broken and discouraged. Thanks for speaking to my heart so I can encourage her in her tough times. I will also encourage her to subscribe to Proverbs 31 Ministries. Thank you for blessing me to be a blessing.
Thank you, your devotions and your book A Confident Heart have blessed me in oh so many ways.
May you continue doing God’s work.
In the natural we attempt to carry things we aren’t meant to. The weight of all our cares and concerns not only weigh us down but also distract us from the focus we need, which is upon Jesus. The Lords desire is for us to cast our cares and not claim them as our own. It is in the ownership of these woes where we stumble.
Renee I loved your post. So many truths and so beautifully written. Thank you for sharing.
Thank you. I needed that reminder today.
As a middle school teacher nearing standardized test time and the end of the school year, I find this incredibly helpful. My personal life is wrapped up in a messy divorce struggle, and I am caught in the “hurry up and wait” limbo that steals a lot of my joy in the moments that are here and now. Thank you for this reminder that God has this. I believe worry is more than a thief; it is a sin, and many of us struggle to let God have our worries, but if we let Him, he will handle things far better than we can handle them. It really boils down to a control issue, don’t you think? Worry seems to be more about me trying to control things in my life, schedules included, than turning them over to God. Again, thanks for the spot-on reminder.
To say that I needed this devotional today is an understatement. I woke up feeling beyond overwhelmed by everything going on in my life. My thought and worries have me to the point where I am becoming someone I don’t even want to be around. It is hard to focus as my thoughts race with everything I need to do and deal with.
It sad that I never thought to take time to ask God for the help I need especially since I teach my daughters to turn to Him.
Worry is one of my biggest challenges and something that I feel the Lord has bee n dealing with my heart. My husband often reminds me to read Luke 12:22-34 as a reminder. Thank you for your words of encouragement today.
Stop worrying, start praying, keep thanking God. The perfect words for me today (and most days). Thank you for your encouraging post today.
I’m in my head way too much–sometimes worse than others, but lately ALL of the time. I have the ability to make a non-issue, an issue in my head. At times, I will doubt and downplay myself and compare myself to others. I also can relate to commitments seemingly becoming overwhelming because I’ve fretted over them. I want to let God use for me for His Greater Purpose and allow Him to take the steering wheel without doubting His plan.
Thank you for these words of wisdom. I have been feeling so overwhelmed lately and never even thought that it could be worry rather than the number of things on my “to do” list. This gives me a new perspective and as always a reminder to stop and give it all to God to show me what steps I should take.
You are so right, I find myself where you describe; depleted, weary. Will continue to go to God daily, hourly. Thanks for the encouragement!
This is so true and I always need reminding!! I love the thought that we shouldn’t worry at night, while we should be sleeping, because God’s up anyway so we should give it to Him and get our rest!
Thank you Lord for this inspiring message today and reminder to PRAY about everything!!! “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)
A good and timely reminder. My son will start kindergarten in the fall and we are trying to sell our house. Only God knows where we will be in a few months. I can worry which accomplishes nothing or I can trust God. I choose to trust.
Thanks Renee. Insecurity & sadness are constant foes I war against, and God is asking me to be the calm eye amidst our family’s life of constant chaos. I would love to read your words of wisdom in “A Confident Heart” so that God can continue to speak life and encouragement to this weary warrior.
It’s amazing to me how God can always give us the peace we need even though we don’t deserve it. When I finally give it over to Him, I truly feel the burden lifted, and a new sense of clarity that hadn’t been there before.