One sentence from a recent conversation has been reiterating in my thoughts, “Everything is so overwhelming!”
When life is overwhelming, it becomes uncomfortable and crushing. The weight is heavy to bear.
We can become overwhelmed by our by to-do list, getting caught up on the laundry, finances, health challenges, work responsibilities, or simply thinking about all we need to get done.
Scripture brings a most important reminder:
“But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:37-39, NASB)
While these verses point us to the power by which we overcome persecution and death, they can be applied to our lives each and every day, even in the most practical of ways.
We can face difficulties without just muddling our way through them by the skin of our teeth. We need not go to bed with a sigh of relief just glad the day is done. Rather we can put our heads down at night, with a cheer, for we came through the day overcoming the obstacles.
We need to see ourselves as we have been positioned in Christ. It is His love, and His power, which enables us to face adversity and overcome. Jesus empowers us to conquer obstacles in our lives, one day at a time.
Turning for insight on the above verses, I find powerful insights and the use of the above underlined word:
“The troubles to be faced by the Christians are nothing new but have always been the experience of God’s people … Nevertheless in all these difficult situations we are wining an overwhelming victory through the one who has proven his love for us. It is the love of Christ that supports and enables the believer to face adversity and to conquer it. Christians are not grim stoics who manage to muddle through somehow. They are victors who have found from experience that God is ever present in their trials and that the love of Christ will empower them to overcome all the obstacles of life.”
(from The New American Commentary, Vol. 27, page 191)
Muddle, according to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, is defined as “to go in a confused or aimless way.”
While it is true that life will contain its full share of challenges and hardships, it is also true that our God is at work in all of these circumstances. It is the manner in which He works in our lives to be more like Christ.
“But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us.” (Romans 8:37, NASB)
Instead of being overwhelmed,
let’s rely on the love and power of God
to overwhelmingly conquer our circumstances.
The past six months or so, I have been learning to ask questions of my elders before they no longer are able to respond and share with me. The conversations have been delightfully meaningful. In her post, Does Your Life Inspire Questions from Your Grandkids? HERE, Michele Morin brings a challenging perspective you won’t want to miss.
Come, sit a spell. Bring your coffee, your posts, and your thoughts. If you link up, kindly visit those who have drawn up a seat around you.
Image by Jerry Coli from Pixabay
