Here’s a topic that I have historically had a bit of trouble with. For many years, my feelings could only be expressed by two words: good and bad. Imagine my surprise and disappointment when I was told that good and bad are not real feelings and that there are thousands of other names for thousands of other feelings. Yikes! 

So, I worked on identifying specific feelings, like sadness, happy, confused or satisfied. Here’s one that is extremely difficult for me to identify: overwhelmed. No surprise there that I cannot identify that feeling as my sisters tell me that I am one of the busiest people that they know. I am always busy and often overwhelmed with that busyness but cannot truly recognize it until I am sitting at my desk in tears. 

Can God help me with this feeling? Here’s what I found in a little meditation book called “The One Year Mini for Women”-daily inspiration from God’s Word Anytime, Anywhere. In Psalm 55:2, I found this plea to God- “Please listen and answer me, for I am overwhelmed by my troubles.” 

Here is the solution presented in the meditation: When we try to cope with problems in our own strength, we can be overwhelmed. We soon recognize that we need someone bigger and stronger to help us. Our greatest source of help is almighty God, who accomplishes the impossible. When we focus on God, we become aware of his power and stop being preoccupied with ourselves. We can cope when God’s strength replaces our weakness. Our impossibilities are God’s opportunities. 

I can testify to this solution. So many times in my personal and work lives, I have thrown myself at God’s feet and pleaded for help with a project, with a person, with a difficult situation. Then I surrendered to God’s will and did the footwork required to move forward. The solutions were not always the ones that I anticipated. However, my feeling of being overwhelmed passed and I was able to approach the goal with a realistic expectation of satisfaction.  

I call this process turning it over to God. I can practice this action with confidence because I know that God loves me unconditionally. I also know that He loves you unconditionally, as well. Bring Him your burdens. 

Terri