Overwhelmed.
How could I not be when the roof suddenly starts horrifyingly cracking and caving in the inky darkness?
I bolted from the room screaming hysterically, desperate for safety.
“Kelly! KELLY!” my husband’s calm command cut through the gloom like a ray of light.
“KELLY!”
I made it almost to the hall before my husband’s calling jolted me awake enough to realize it wasn’t real.
It was a dream—a nightmare.
But it seemed real so I lay shaking and sweating while falling wearily back to sleep.
When I am overwhelmed with life, it affects my sleep and I have nightmares sometimes. The heart pounding horrific dreams only seem to last a few seconds, but they are scary enough that I wake up screaming. I’ve had a handful over the last few years.
(Y’all are gonna think I’m a nut.)
In one, I was inside the back of a trash truck that was closing and crunching. In the oft repeated one, the ceiling is caving.
And in the morning, I remember and sheepishly apologize for waking my husband up again from another freakish nightmare.
“You married a loony.”
Even more, I realize that I didn’t deal with feeling overwhelmed, so it dealt with me.
Two more lessons came from that:
- My screams sound weird.
- I can move like a cheetah when I’m terrified.
Days When You Feel Overwhelmed
Do you ever have some days that feel like a heavy x-ray blanket is weighing you down?
Lately, that’s what it’s been like: a long string of family situations that have taken heaps of time and are stressful and exhausting.
Whether it’s circumstances, finances, health, or people problems, God hasn’t left your side. And yes, sometimes it’s just hormones. But those hormone changes are crazy!
So what to do? You turn to the Word of God!
Biblically Handle Feeling Overwhelmed
From the ends of the earth, I cry to you for help when my heart is overwhelmed. Lead me to the towering rock of safety. Psalm 61:2, NLT
“Overwhelmed” in this verse is `ataph (H5848), which means to be wrapped in darkness, to languish, to faint (used of the heart or soul).
The figurative Rock of Jesus is higher than my depths of despair. His light overcomes my dark days.
But you and I need to stop everything and sit at His feet. Daily. It makes an enormous difference.
Allow Him to help turn your world right side up, if only in your mindset that He is your peace.
Pray and let Him wash over you with the goodness of His sweet presence. Then stand up and walk in this new place of security.
And when the devil comes, or hormones fluctuate, or circumstances pounce, take your fighting stance. He has given you authority through His Word.
If it takes schooling yourself on His promises, then so be it. When you speak His promises the cosmos sit up and take notice.
You’re not going to slide back down under that heavy weight of inundation. No! Meet it with declarations! Squash it into nothingness!
Declare this:
Declarations to Brazenly Squash Feeling Overwhelmed
- Jesus is the head of the body of Christ.
- I am part of the body of Christ.
- Linearly, all things are under my feet.
- I’m going to stand on His promises and they will be firm under my feet.
- Overwhelmed feelings will not rule me.
- I will rise and overcome.
- Jesus is my rock, a fortress that cannot be penetrated.
- I will not be shaken.
3 Verses to Use as Declarations
For he will hide me in his shelter in the day of trouble; he will conceal me under the cover of his tent; he will lift me high upon a rock. Psalm 27:5 ESV
He drew me up from the pit of destruction, out of the miry bog, and set my feet upon a rock, making my steps secure. Psalm 40:2 ESV
He only is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be shaken. Psalm 62:6 ESV
Prayer
Father God, thank You for Your unfailing faithfulness. You walk through life by my side. Your truth brings proper perspective and provides strength and power to overcome. You are my refuge and my high tower. Thank You for helping me brazenly squash feeling overwhelmed through the power of Your Word. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Note: for added encouragement, also see Ephesians 5:23, 30; 1 Corinthians 12:27.
*This post is also shared on Life Letter Cafe.
Praise God we serve a God who is unshakable even when we feel shaken. Yep I have been under that heavy blanket many a time… ok this morning even…but I am so thankful for posts like yours that sink in and point me back to truth ♥♥ I love your authenticity friend and thanks for the beautiful printable declarations to keep close! And you are not a nut Kelly!! Not even close! Here’s to overcoming overwhelm with God’s help!
Thank you for not thinking I’m a nut. 😉 And I’m grateful to be a timely voice. Yes, praise God for His solid truth!
Thank you, Kelly! I really needed this message today! I printed out the pages to put on my refrigerator.
Thank you so much for letting me know! I’ve had to keep those declarations close, too. Praise God, He is our rock!
Thank you, Kelly, for the beautiful printable with God’s truths to claim for our lives.
And you’re not a nut. Vivid dreams are a part of who God made you, and He doesn’t make mistakes.
Some dreams help us process what we don’t give time for during the day. They can be helpful and God uses them. I’m glad for that. Thanks for stopping by today, Ruth!
Praise God that he is with us even when we’re overwhelmed. When I’m overwhelmed, I find that first, my prayer time goes and then my Bible reading and worship. That’s something I’m really working on because I recognize that there is a connection between being overwhelmed and not spending time with Christ.
Yes, that can definitely happen, Rosanna! I love that we can always find a solution in His Word.
Kelly, this is a great idea: thanks for sharing the Scripture in a format that we can easily refer to later!
I am a visual type person so making stuff like that helps me. I’m happy to have anyone else get use out of it!
Hi Kelly, visiting from #chasingcommunity today. I have vivid dreams too, especially when I feel stressed out. When I wake from those dreams, prayer calms me.
Me too, Sarah! Then He reveals the root of the problem: feeling overwhelmed. After that going His promises are a fail proof plan to overcome.
Things always seem worse in the night when we let stress get the best of us … even when we’re not dreaming. It’s so good to know we can run to Him in prayer when we do. Thanks for sharing!
True! I’m so grateful for His unfailing faithfulness! Thanks for stopping by, Donna!
I just recently had a dream that my husband had died, and it was so real! And he has a dangerous job…so I spent that entire day praying for him and refusing to think that it was some kind of sign. I was relieved when he came home safe and praised God, then we had a good laugh (whew!) 🙂 He is good <3
Coming back to this post during a season of “loony” dreaming myself. Thanks for the DECLARATIONS that are based in truth and designed to combat the lies our brains manufacture when left to themselves.
You’re welcome, Michele! Renewing our minds is definitely a daily process!
You are so right, Kelly. Daily time with God to be constantly reminded of His power to overcome is key. Why do we forget so quickly? God’s truth has so much power!