Two years ago, I wrote a post entitled “Overwhelmed,” and I asked these questions: Do you ever feel overwhelmed? Too much to do? Too many places to go? Too many people to see? Too much laundry? Too many dishes? Too many pieces of paperwork to read? Too much pain—inside and out? And now, here we are in 2020, and I could add a new assortment of questions to the list. Life sure has changed, but one thing still hasn’t: we get overwhelmed.

Sometimes, life is just too much—and then a whole new set of circumstances rolls in, and we almost don’t even know what to do or think. Overwhelmed describes our state of being and our emotional state. We take the circumstances that surround us and internalize them. The “stuff” of life becomes the emotion of life. And sometimes it is just too much. Overwhelmed then describes our status.

Overwhelmed by circumstances, by emotions, by the present reality.

And then, more questions come: Why? Why is it like this? What made things this way? Will things ever change?

And then comes a question we can actually answer: Do things have to stay this way? My answer is an overwhelming NO!!!

Things do not have to stay this way. Our being overwhelmed can be overwhelmed by God! His greatness and His power, His majesty and His authority, His presence and His involvement can change all that we are and all that we are in the midst of.

And even when circumstances do not change, we can change. We can let ourselves be overwhelmed differently. We can be overwhelmed by the presence of God. His peace can flood our minds. His joy can spill from our hearts. His strength can empower our actions. We can be made new.

And again, questions: Have you ever been overwhelmed by God? By His goodness, His love, His mercy?

You have…you just may not have known it.

Did you wake up this morning? Did you see and hear and feel and taste? Did you see the beauty of His creation all around you? Did you lay your head on a pillow last night and sleep beneath a blanket of stars? You have been overwhelmed by God’s goodness.

Did you awaken this morning with an opportunity to know God and know He loves you? Do you know that you have the capability to be forgiven for every wrong thing you have ever done? You have been overwhelmed by His goodness, AND His love, AND His mercy.

God has been good to us in body and in soul. Do our minds understand this?

What an overwhelming thought: to think that the God of the universe loves us so much that He sent His Son, Jesus, to save us. He wants to be with us and cares about every detail of our lives. He has made Himself available to us. The gift of salvation is free for the taking. And after that, His strength and power are abundantly available to help us through all the things of life that would overwhelm us.

My heart is overwhelmed with awe and gratitude.

“Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever.”
Psalm 107:1 (NKJV)

©Text and photo Francee Strain, August 30, 2020