With all the responsibilities and personal priorities we all deal with each day life it’s easy to feel overwhelming at times.
I work in the fasted paced world of IT Management, I’m in leadership at my church, I host a blog and a YouTube channel and I’m an author which kind of makes me a part-time entrepreneur, I’m a mom of three young adults and one teenager with growing pains, and I also have myself and my relationship with God to nurture which is crucial for everyone and everything else God has given me. With all my priorities and responsibilities life can definitely get overwhelming at times.
It’s crucial that I have a plan for those times when everything is piling up at once.
Here’s my drill:
1. Exhale.
Breathe in and out, making sure I exhale. With every breath I release the tension that has built up until I’m calm enough to pray.
WebMD says, “Breathing exercises can help you relax, because they make your body feel like it does when you are already relaxed. Deep breathing is one of the best ways to lower stress in the body. This is because when you breathe deeply, it sends a message to your brain to calm down and relax.”
2. Pray.
Psalm 119:130 says, “The entrance of Your words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple.”
I pray until I can think clearly, until God’s light shines in my darkness, until I can see things from His perspective.
The word “simple” in this verse really means foolish or seducible. When we’re overwhelmed we tend to think foolish thoughts and the devil can easily seduce to act upon our foolish thoughts, whatever they may be. This is why it’s so important to pray right away. Simple, silent prayers will do. In the middle of the day when people around and situations arise or we don’t have time we have to be able to go into our inner-sanctuary to pray as needed.
3. Think on these things…
“What is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable, things that are excellent and worthy of praise,” Philippians 4:8.
I fix my thoughts on what God has already done and allowed me to do in life and also what He is doing and allowing me to do right now. In other words, I think on my blessings until thanksgiving bubbles up into praise.
When we are overwhelmed with our problems it displaces God in our hearts.
4. I return God to His proper place.
The place in my heart where He can rest, rule and abide. In His place as King of my heart His strength and rest are released to me.
Psalm 132:7 and 8 say it this way, “Let us goes into His tabernacle; let us worship at His footstool. Arise, O Lord, to Your resting place, You and the ark of Your strength.” This Psalm is recounting the time when the Ark of God’s Presence had no place to rest until David carried it into the sanctuary and put God back in His proper place.
5. Finally, I take the next step. 
Psalm 119; 105 says, “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.”
At this point I don’t look at the big picture but I focus on the next step of whatever it was that was causing me to feel overwhelmed in the first place. Step by step into I get back into my groove.
What do you do when you feel overwhelmed? Leave a comment…
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