The title above hints that someone who is an expert is going to give us the tried-and-true, once-and-for-all method in this post on how to live overjoyed instead of overwhelmed, right? It appears that way, yes. But the person writing this (a.k.a. me) fully knows she is not the expert, and she is fully disclosing that to you right now.
Seriously though, I’m not the expert on this. I’m learning right along with everyone else on how to live overjoyed instead of overwhelmed. Friend, if you’re feeling overwhelmed today, as I believe many of us are, then know this: we are all in this together.
And I’m thankful we are.
The thing is, we take on more burdens than we were meant to carry. We worry about the future, this world, our families, our jobs, our health. We get concerned about our finances, the stock market, our savings accounts, and our possessions. Not to mention our cares of this virus, rumors of war, world conflicts, division, and discrimination. Also, our schedules are full. Our souls are weary. Our minds are distracted.
There’s much contributing to our feelings of overwhelm.
But what does God tell us through His Word? Here’s a few to ponder:
Let him have all your worries and cares, for he is always thinking about you and watching everything that concerns you.
1 Peter 5:7 TLB
Pile your troubles on God’s shoulders— he’ll carry your load, he’ll help you out. He’ll never let good people topple into ruin.
Psalm 55:22 MSG
Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don’t get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes.
Matthew 6:34 MSG
This all looks great, right? So how do we let God have our worries? How do we pile our troubles on His shoulders? How will God help us deal with whatever hard things come up? Well, friend, all this takes place when we spend time with Him. When we withdraw from the world and draw close to God.
This is, what I believe, to be solution for how to live overjoyed instead of overwhelmed.
The more time we spend with God, the less overwhelmed we are.
Sounds simple, right? It may sound ridiculous to some. It might read Pollyanna-ish to others. But think about it for a moment. If you’re a person who prays, when was the last time you felt more agitated after praying to God than before you prayed? Don’t you feel much more calm and at peace after prayer than before? Hmmm. I can’t ever think of a time I felt worse after praying than before. Can you?
I think we’re on to something here. After we spend time with God, whether that’s in prayer and conversing with God, or reading His Word in the Bible, or listening to worship music, or any other way of spending time with Him, His peace replaces stress and anxiety. This is a perfect example of the verse below.
Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything; tell God your needs, and don’t forget to thank him for his answers. If you do this, you will experience God’s peace, which is far more wonderful than the human mind can understand. His peace will keep your thoughts and your hearts quiet and at rest as you trust in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:6-7 TLB
And then there’s this one:
Peace is what I leave with you; it is my own peace that I give you. I do not give it as the world does. Do not be worried and upset; do not be afraid.
John 14:27 GNT
This is how we live overjoyed instead of overwhelmed.
Spending time with God is the answer. And when we do this daily, or throughout the day, our anxieties, worries, stresses, and cares lessen. God takes them from us and blesses us with His peace. His peace manifests joy within us, and the result is living overjoyed instead of overwhelmed. Our circumstances may not have changed, but the way we perceive them, do.
If you’ve not tried this before, or if you’re not a praying person, friend I invite you to give it a try. Here’s an example of a simple prayer: “This is more than I can handle. I feel so overwhelmed, God, and I know this isn’t Your best for me. Please help me to let go of what I cannot control and trust You with it all. I want to live overjoyed and not overwhelmed.”
If you’re feeling overwhelmed right now, whisper a prayer like this right where you are. Take a deep breath, and receive God’s peace. Friend, enjoy living overjoyed instead of overwhelmed.
Much love,
Find more on the subject of living overwhelmed on my Encouragement for Real Life podcast this week, episode 04, Living Overwhelmed. You can find that here. I also created a free printable on my Resource page for your immediate access. Find that here.
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