I must admit, my life lately has seen its share of uncertainty. Dealing with uncertainties on a daily basis can drain the spiritual, emotional, mental, and physical energy from any of us. We can easily find ourselves overwhelmed.
Sometimes life is overwhelming. Happens to all of us from time to time. For you, it may be a seeming insurmountable circumstance that you feel you will never overcome. Maybe it is a pain from your past that never gives your mind a moment’s rest. Possibly, you face the prospect of an unpleasant future, and you do not know what to do about it.
[Tweet “I dread the school of piranhas more than the great white shark.”]
You may not have one big obstacle, but a collection of smaller yet numerous obstacles that leave you feeling overwhelmed. I have often said that I dread the school of piranhas more than the great white shark.
Whatever the case, I have FOUR WORDS of encouragement from God’s Word that I want to share with you. DO NOT GIVE UP.
And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. – Galatians 6:9 (emphasis added, of course)
The phrase “grow weary” deals with more than just physical exhaustion. It means to lose motivation or heart to do the things that you once enjoyed. When we grow weary, we decide it’s just not worth it to do the things we used to do.
What NOT to Give Up When Overwhelmed
When we face this kind of weariness we have to remind ourselves, do not give up. Let me encourage you to refuse to give up on four things.
Do Not Give Up on GOD
When life overwhelms, we face the temptation to think that God doesn’t exist or that He doesn’t care about us. When feeling overwhelmed, take a moment to remind yourself that God is at work in and around you. Philippians 2:13
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Do Not Give Up on YOURSELF
You may feel overwhelmed today, but today is not forever. God is not finished with you. God started a work of grace in you and He WILL finish what He started. Philippians 1:6
Do Not Give Up on Your CIRCUMSTANCES
Consider all a coffee bean went though before you had your morning cup of Joe. The bean was plucked, shucked, dried, roasted, ground, and drowned in hot water. All of that brought out the wonderful flavor that you enjoyed this morning. God uses even the seemingly overwhelming to bring the best out of our lives. Romans 8:28
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Do Not Give Up on DOING GOOD
Galatians 6:10 gives a very good reason we should not give up. If we persevere, we WILL eventually, at the right time see the results of our perseverance. Even when it seems pointless, keep doing good. When you lack motivation, do good. When you are tired, do good. Whatever you do, do not give up.
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Two Choices to Make TODAY
We cannot choose our circumstances, but we can choose how we respond to them.
First, choose to believe God and all He has said about Himself, His purposes, and His precepts. And choose to believe what God has said about YOU. You are His child. He saved you with a great purpose in mind.
[Tweet “Don’t act according to the way things seem, act according to the way things are.”]
If you need convincing, you can read Romans 8:29. He plans to make you like Jesus. Of you need more, you can read Ephesians 2:10. You are God’s masterpiece and He is preparing you for some pretty incredible things.
Then, secondly, choose to act on what you choose to believe about God. Don’t act according to the way things seem, act according to the way things are. Live as though God’s promises are already a reality, because they are.
Now faith is the reality of what is hoped for, the proof of what is not seen. – Hebrews 11:1
Feeling overwhelmed is inevitable, being overwhelmed is optional. What will YOU choose today?
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