When You Are Feeling Overwhelmed

     Most of us have days where it seems as though we do not have enough hours to complete all the tasks set before us.  This is especially true if there are young children in the house or even teens.  I remember all too well how my days were loaded with soccer matches to go to, meetings to attend, appointments to make until I felt overwhelmed.  If we don't find a way to deal with these stresses to balance our life, it can lead to depression, anxiety and the feeling that we are all alone.  Then, self pity can set in.  Not surprisingly, the Bible speaks to this very subject in the story of the Prophet Elijah.

     In reading I Kings 18-19, we read about Elijah confronting the Prophets of Baal.  He gathered the people together so that they might see whether Baal or the God of Israel was the one true Sovereign to

The lighthouse on St. George Island

worship.  He instructed the Prophets of Baal to call upon their god to burn up a sacrifice they had made on their altar.  Though they called upon Baal, cut themselves with knives and cried for hours, there was no answer.  Then, Elijah built an altar, laid out his sacrifice and had water poured on the wood and the sacrifice three times.  When he called upon God, fire came down from heaven and devoured the sacrifice, 

This miraculous event caused the people to see that there was only One God in Israel worthy of their worship.  Elijah then had the prophets of Baal put to death.  When Jezebel found out what he had done, she made a dire threat to his life, and this is when Elijah began to run.

     I Kings 19:3-4 says:  "Then he was afraid, and he arose and ran for his life and came to Beersheba, which belongs to Judah, and left his servant there. But he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness and sat down under a broom tree.  And he asked that he might die, saying, 'It is enough; now, O Lord, take away my life, for I am no better than my fathers.'"  Here we see a man who had obeyed the Lord by doing a great miracle now afraid for his life and on the run.  He was exhausted, and the enemy of his soul made him feel overwhelmed, hopeless and fearful. Elijah fell asleep, and God provided an angel to give him food and water twice.  After resting and eating, he went for forty days and nights to Mt. Horeb where he once again encountered God in a still small voice.  God asked him why he had journeyed there, and Elijah poured out his heart to the Lord.  He felt alone as if no one else in all Israel was faithful.  God answered by giving him another command to go to Damascus, but He also told Elijah that he was not alone.  There were seven thousand other people in Israel who had not succumbed to the false religion of Baal.  In addition, God raised up another prophet to take Elijah's place.

     What we see in this story are three important points.  First, exhaustion and improper self care (not eating right or eating too much in some cases) can lead to a sense of being overwhelmed.  Then we start to beat ourselves up because we don't have the energy to go on.  Stress can keep us from thinking straight and wreak havoc on us mentally and physically.  Depression and anxiety both can spring up if we don't take the time to go to God.  In this story of Elijah, we see how God provided for him both food and rest.

God will provide for us as well if we will go to Him in prayer and seek His wisdom in the Bible.

     Secondly, running away from our circumstances may put distance between us and the problem but it doesn't solve the issues that led to feeling overwhelmed.  Elijah ran for forty days and nights.  Once again, God asked him what he was doing there?  Why was he running? Elijah had fallen into self pity, and God had to confront him with the truth that he was not alone.   At some point, we must confront the problems that make us feel overwhelmed.  Asking God's help to discern what we can trim from our schedules or even how we can face another day is the key.  

     Finally, we need to put into action the direction the Lord gives to us.  God directed Elijah to go and anoint some kings and find his replacement Elisha.  So Elijah put aside his self pity and did what God had directed him to do.  This showed trust and confidence in the Lord.  It has been said that if you fall off a horse, the best thing you can do is go and get back on again to restore your confidence.  When we call upon God and read His Word, we need to follow through on the things He reveals to us.  If our schedule has been too busy, He may want us to slow down.  Whatever His direction for us, we need to be obedient. As we do this, our confidence and trust in the Lord will grow.

     Throughout the story of Elijah, we see that God provided for him all along his path.  So often we forget that this is true for us as well.  The Lord has promised to never leave us nor forsake us.  His Word is forever and His promises are certain.  Therefore, when the enemy starts to tell us that we cannot make it or that we are all alone and nobody loves us, we can push these thoughts aside and call upon our heavenly Father.  Leaning on Him will lighten our burdens.  Selah!