Are you burdened? Overwhelmed?
I was reading in my Homeschool Mom’s Bible Devotion today. It is a devotion on Too Many Loads. This one really hit close to home for me as, over the past few months, I have been feeling like my load is tremendously heavy.
On the days when these feelings are pushing my sanity to the brink of explosion. Because the overwhelm has weighed me down so much. I stop.
Then I turn to God and ask him to help me face all the tasks before me. I then make a list of all the things I feel I need to complete. Once I have that list, I sort those tasks into four categories: 1-things that are high priority and I need to complete right away, 2-if it is important but not urgent, 3-urgent but not important, and 4-not important, not urgent. Using Covey’s Time Management Matrix, I find that it gives me the reality check that I have been needing.
Cause here is the thing, there are many times that we feel like everything on our list is important and urgently needs to be done, but in reality, it is not. Many of the things we have on the list are things that can wait or can delegate to someone else.
I elt the need to share this for two reasons 1- I know that with summer ending and the transition time happening for families to get back into the full swing of homeschool lessons, co-ops, field trips, and such, plus keep up with the house, appointments, working, church obligations, and all the other things on the list. Plus, be tasked with all those that we don’t put on a list, like making food (cause you know we have to keep the littles alive), breaking up fights or calming tantrums, the breaking of an appliance, an unexpected drop-in by a family member or friend, this list is ultimately long, of course, unexpected and can go on for days if we really said each thing out loud.
Secondly, when the overwhelming feelings of things being a burden amp up, it is usually a time when we need to turn to God and recheck our situation.
The things that we deal with in our lives are not indeed burdens. Yes, they may feel overwhelming, they may not be some things we would have chosen for ourselves, and they may feel like God is putting us through a test. And while in some ways he is. But, we do have to remember that the things we feel are burdens are the dreams of others. Reality check, I know! And I get it when we are knee-deep in the trenches and clawing to dig ourselves out; things really do feel like a burden.
However, I have found that once we have dug ourselves out and looked back at the whole experience, there are things to be grateful for. Lessons that we have learned to help us be better versions of ourselves.
Matthew 11:28 reminds us, “Come to me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” Thus, we need to trust God and trust that he will provide a way to get us through the things we view as a challenge or a burden.
For it is by God’s grace that we live each day. He tells us this in 2 Corinthians 12:9 “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”
I want you to remember that every obstacle or burden we come up against is God’s way of reminding us that we need to turn to him as he will see us through.
So now it is your turn– Tell Me (in the comments)-Are you feeling burdened or overwhelmed right now? Is it something that one of us could help you get through? Pray for you? Take off your shoulders, even for just a little while?
For the one reading this– Father, I pray that you fill them with your strength to make it through today. That you send the help that is needed to face all the tasks they have before them. To remind them that you will always be there to see them through. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
