I’ve been fantasizing about vacation ever since I returned home. My days were filled with walks, bike rides, trips to the beach and reading for pleasure. The hardest decision I made was whether to have chocolate or rainbow sprinkles on my ice cream bar.
Of course, all good vacations must come to an end. On the day of our return, we pulled into our driveway and were immediately launched into a weekend full of festivities for a family member’s wedding. (Guests arrived at our house for the first event twenty minutes after we returned home). I loved every minute, but didn’t unpack my bag until two days later.
Exhausted from the action-packed weekend, I dreaded the coming week. My inbox was filled with e-mails about the start of school, sports and other activities. Many responsibilities demanded my time and attention. In addition, one of my sons was scheduled to get his wisdom teeth out. On top of this, my other son had a soccer training camp all week, which meant waking up by 6am to get him out the door by 6:30.
In short, I’ve been overloaded since returning from that blissful beach vacation. The weather still feels like summer, but the ramp-up to fall has definitely begun. The lists and piles covering my desk make that abundantly clear. Based on the conversations I’ve had with friends lately, it seems most people are feeling overwhelmed as they prepare for the start of school and other fall activities.
One thing that calms my soul during times like this is remembering that God is never overwhelmed. He’s never frantically looking at a “to do” list and wondering how He’ll ever get to everything on it. He’s never rushed, never frazzled.
There’s been a lot on my plate since returning from vacation, but I haven’t had those usual feelings of being overwhelmed. Ironically, the early morning soccer practices that forced me to get out of bed also created time and space for reading my Bible and praying as soon as my son left each morning. I’ve been reminded that when I choose to spend time in God’s presence before rushing to conquer my day, those frantic feelings dissipate.
What I’m realizing is that rather than being overwhelmed by my schedule or my responsibilities, I want to be overwhelmed by God. I want His love to fill me so that it can flow from me and touch others with the same calming effect that He gives to me.
If you’re feeling overwhelmed right now, run into His arms. Lean into Him and let the truth of His word encourage and sustain you today.
“You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you.” (Isaiah 26:3 NIV)
“Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?… But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” (Matthew 6:27 & 33-34 NIV)
There are many things that have the potential to overwhelm us, but there is only One who is truly awesome enough to overwhelm us in all the right ways.