Do you ever find yourself feeling frozen in the overwhelm? If so, I pray this will help propel you forward today.
In my quiet time one morning, I was enjoying the beautiful truth in Psalm 103:14, “For He knows our frame, He earnestly remembers and imprints on His heart that we are dust.”
I was thinking about what a comfort it is to know that the Lord of Everything… Creator of ALL…knows that we aren’t “super humans”! Furthermore, He does not expect us to be.
We are the ones who add (or have let others add) that weighty Super Hero cloak to our wardrobes – But that is not of God.
He knows and holds in His heart that we are but dust. He knows our frame, knows our weaknesses, our strengths, and what we are capable of doing, being, & carrying without becoming faint.
That’s why God gives us what I call “Sweet Release Scriptures”.
These scriptures help us pry open our fingers when they are in a death grip, trying to control our circumstances. They are among my favorites in His Word, and I wanted to share them with you. Take a breath and let the sweet, releasing water of God’s Word wash over you.
“Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy-laden and overburdened,
and I will cause you to rest. [I will ease and relieve and refresh your souls.]
Take My yoke upon you and learn of Me,
for I am gentle (meek) and humble (lowly) in heart,
and you will find rest (relief and ease and refreshment
and recreation and blessed quiet) for your souls.
For My yoke is wholesome (useful, good – not harsh, hard, sharp, or pressing,
but comfortable, gracious, and pleasant), and My burden is light and easy to be borne.”
Matthew 11:28-30 (AMP)
“Roll your works upon the Lord
[commit and trust them wholly to Him;
He will cause your thoughts to become agreeable to His will,
and] so shall your plans be established and succeed.”
Proverbs 16:3 (AMP)
(I especially love this one because of the image it portrays. Items that are too heavy to lift straight up can often be rolled or pushed into a new place. This is what God instructs us to do with those things too heavy to lift. We are to roll them onto Him!)
“I have strength for all things in Christ Who empowers me
[I am ready for anything and equal to anything
through Him Who infuses inner strength into me;
I am self-sufficient in Christ’s sufficiency].”
Philippians 4:13 (AMP)
When I feel overwhelmed (and sometimes I do…) I put these scriptures into practice by making a 3-column list where I write down every big and tiny thing weighing heavy on my mind. It looks something like this (except I just draw it on a piece of paper).
It’s not fancy, but it is a downloadable freebee if you want it. You can get this Given to the Lord Today chart here, or draw three lines on a piece of paper.
HOW I use it:
1. I come to Jesus (see Matthew 11:28-30 above).
2. On these three columns, I roll my works upon Him (see Proverbs 16:3 above).
In the first column, I download every single thing that weighs heavily on my mind. These are things I need to do, things I want to do, things that bother me, things I wish would change, things we need, things loved ones need, burdens for others, situations I dread, things I look forward to – but that will require a lot of me, other lists I need to make (grin). If it weighs heavily on my mind, I dump it out to the Lord in the first column. I give it all to Jesus and ask Him to guide me and give me wisdom and energy.
Look at what God promises in James 1:5: “If any of you lacks wisdom [to guide him through a decision or circumstance], he is to ask of [our benevolent] God, who gives to everyone generously and without rebuke or blame, and it will be given to him.” (AMP)
In the second column, I’m ready to list the things from my list that only God can do. I can not affect how someone else thinks or acts. I can’t solve other people’s problems. I don’t have the ability to heal or to change decisions any other adult makes. That’s all in God’s column. So I write those types of things on His column and mark them off of mine.
For the third column, I look at what’s left on the first column and ask God to direct my steps and show me what is on HIS agenda for me to complete. Sometimes, He will remind me of something not yet on my list, but if I feel a conviction of spirit that I need to obey and spend some time and energy on it, I know He will enable me to do so.
The third column is the list for me. If the need, desire, or activity doesn’t make it in that third column, it doesn’t need to get my attention for the day. (Maybe it will be on another day’s list. But not today.)
3. Then having done the exercise above, I am able in Christ’s strength and sufficiency (see Philippians 4:13 above) to get up and get going!
If you are feeling like the weight of the world has been placed on your dust-made shoulders today, the One Who knows your frame & Who has imprinted you on His heart will help you release those burdens to His All-Powerful, All-Present, and All-Loving hands.
He is more than capable of wearing the Superhero Cape today in your life.
So the question is, my friends, will you let Him?
As long as God is the One working in and through you today, you are ready for anything and equal to anything through Him Who infuses inner strength! And yes, you can do this, because He will cause your thoughts to become agreeable to His will and so shall your plans be established and succeed.
With love and prayers for you, your families, and your lives~
PS: Another post about carrying a heavy burden can be found here.
