Feeling overwhelmed is a real thing. It is not a vague idea or one that some people somewhere out there wrestle with. It’s right here, right now. We all face the struggle of feeling overwhelmed in some way. But God’s Word has much to say about those moments, seasons and years we walk through when it feels like we can’t take one more thing.

Let’s discover a few ways to combat the overwhelming times in our lives. Choose one of the ways mentioned and fight back against the stress in your life today. There is peace waiting for you on the other side of this struggle. 

Photo credit: ©Getty Images/Aaron Amat

“And one of the scribes came up and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that he answered them well, asked him, ‘Which commandment is the most important of all?’  Jesus answered, ‘The most important is, ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.  And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these” (Mark 12:28-31).

Loving others is something we all know we should do, but since the beginning there has been a struggle to really practice what we preach. Jesus taught it clearly through the way he spoke with the woman at the well, calmed the sea for his disciples, provided food for the five thousand, healed the woman with the issue of blood, and over and over cared for the person right in front of him. 

We see God’s mercy and love poured out in the garden when Adam and Eve disobeyed His instruction. He could have destroyed them completely and shamed them for giving into the lies of Satan, but instead God clothed them and provided their physical needs (Genesis 3:21-22).

Photo credit: ©Getty Images/viewapart1

We all want to know that what we are doing for our children makes an impact on their lives. There is nothing more powerful that you can do in the life of your child than pray for them. You can train them and teach them every trade you know. You can give them experiences in sports, music, art, and charitable deeds. But if you do not talk to God about your child, you are missing a dynamic piece of the puzzle. God holds each of our lives in His hand. He holds the power to change a heart and heal a mind.

With an abundance of information at our fingertips, our generation is full to the brim with words, opinions, and ideologies. There has never been an easier way to share your words and wisdom with the world. There are millions of blogs and YouTube channels where people are unloading their thoughts and their ways of doing just about everything. Information is at an all-time high.

We have a choice to add value to the noise by speaking truth or to beat a drum of our opinion when we want to be heard. We can pound out the rhythm of our own thoughts and ideas on the keys of a computer or phone. The challenge is, we never really know how far our words will reach. We hold a big responsibility to use our words wisely.

The Bible has a lot to say about our words and the way we use them. And the world has a lot to say about it too. We live in a world where nothing is off limits. It can sound freeing and good, but it has caused us to live in a confused culture where everyone is free to leverage their words for their own desires.

In Proverbs we find several guidelines for using our words wisely. Print these as a reminder to use your words for good.

There are few places in the Bible where we get a glimpse of things that describe a woman of godly character. Proverbs 31 and Titus 2 are two that stand out to me. They both give us an exhaustive list that make even the most godly woman feel a little challenged and overwhelmed. But when it comes down to it, the lists can be summed up in a few words. Today, let’s look at Titus 2.

Over and over we see stories and verses that bring us back to the same place. Some call it peace. Some call it perseverance. Some express it as strength beyond their mind. But all of these things point to the same thing over and over – and that is God’s glory.

When we stay focused on God’s glory, we will be able to find purpose in the most painful circumstances of life. I am not saying it is easy or simple, but I am saying it is absolutely possible. 

Life happens. It’s hard when unexpected trials march into your world without warning. These are the times when it’s hardest to really cling to the truth that we know. It’s a struggle to trust that everything will work out. Sometimes life knocks us down out of nowhere and we struggle to find our footing. We long for a peace to overwhelm us, but the circumstances continue to billow over our heads and we can’t seem to grasp hold of the peace we once had.

If you are in an unexpected season, you know what it’s like to wrestle with peace. It’s something you want and know is available, but your soul just can’t seem to settle.

These 7 ways to find peace are not rocket science or a revelation you have never heard, but I hope they help you if you are in the midst of the unexpected.

Photo Credit: GettyImages/ipopba

Depression is not something that magically disappears when you slap a band aid on it. Sometimes the last thing you want to hear is another Bible verse or an encouraging word from someone who has not walked in your shoes. We all have moments when we need someone to grab our hand and help pull us up out of the depths of despair. It’s the moments when we cannot even reach back for the extended hand that are hardest to get through. No matter what you are facing today or tomorrow, or what you went through yesterday, there is hope for you. Psalms puts words to the hardest seasons of life when it’s hard to find words to pray.

I’ve been there in the dark season of depression. I know what it’s like to wonder if this thick cloud that seems to surround me will ever lift. I’ve sat in the waiting rooms, read the articles, and attempted to talk about the moments that made me question if I was ever going to be ok again.

We cannot cover depression with a bandage or pretend like there are not tangible physical reasons for mental health struggles. But what we can do is use the resources we have wisely and share the hope we find in scripture.

There are a few Psalms that helped me through some of the darkest moments and I want to share them with you. The Psalmist conveys my feelings in ways I could never verbalize on my own. I have prayed these Psalms many times while asking God to deliver me from the struggle at hand. Every time I read them, I am reminded again of how amazing and alive God’s Word really is. While I love the entire chapter of each of these Psalms, I included the highlights that speak directly to my heart. For deeper study, read the entire chapter.

If you are encouraged by one of these, it’s your turn to hold out your hand to a friend and pull her up. Be an encourager and pass this on!

Photo Credit: unsplash/AaronBurden