Confessions:
The past couple of months have been hard ones for me. There has been a lot going on. From a severely sick parent, whom my husband and I are primary caregivers for, to one child who is transitioning from an old life to a new one including a move. To personal anxiety issues and a health issue that is exacerbated by stress, to financial concerns, family drama and a spouse who is stressed as well. Let’s not forget a demanding 9-5 job? Does this life sound familiar to anyone? While the issues may not be the same, I am sure the stress levels are for many of you.
It has been hard for me to balance all that needs to be done while keeping anxiety levels at a minimum. I admit I have been struggling to do it all and keep my peace. I have also neglected this blog. But I am sure most of you can understand. So what are we to do when life just gets SO overwhelming? Sometimes when I am feeling the load, I try to think at least….. at least THAT isn’t happening, or THIS isn’t happening. I think of things worse than what I am presently going through. I try to be grateful that at least that OTHER thing isn’t going on. I guess it’s good to be grateful in that way, but does it help us?
At the very least it helps us draw a connection to God. It gives us a lifeline to reconnect to Him if we have been distant. I tell God that I am thankful that… AT LEAST. I then will try to draw closer to Him, but I noticed my prayers had all but stopped during this time of high stress. And the few times I did pray something specific, the very thing I didn’t want to happen, happened anyway. So honestly, I kind of stopped praying altogether. I think it also felt like it was just one more thing to do on my long list. But in reality, it should be the very FIRST thing we do, not just in times of stress but everyday. Keeping our connection to God should always be priority.
Letting Go:
I know from past experiences that things are always best when I let God in. When I let Him take control. But I have a hard time letting go. Anyone else? I may say, “I am giving this over to God.” But then I always pick it back up again. There are some things in life that we don’t have to hover over or worry about because it isn’t going to change the situation. By us replaying things over and over or thinking of the “what-ifs”, doesn’t make things any better. In fact it just makes us worry more. Stress, anxiety and depression are able to sneak right in.
So what does letting go mean? I think it means seeing the situation for what it is, do what we can (reasonably) do to improve the situation but then realize that the rest is literally up to God. We have no control over the uncontrollable.
Practicing the art of letting go is hard. Especially for those of us who like to be in control. But isn’t being in control exhausting? It is for me. I want to delegate more things to others to handle and I have to be okay with whatever the outcome is. At home, for example I may leave the kitchen cleaning up to my teenager to do. While his version of clean and mine are not exactly the same, it is good enough. And I have to be okay with it. Deciding to delegate frees me up to do other things as long as I am not planning on judging the result of the thing I delegated.
What about God? When we truly let go of something and give it to Him, do we hover over it and tell God what He needs to do to fix the problem or do we just let Him handle it and go on our merry way? While we may be tempted to hover over the teenager with a cleaning task, we definitely DON’T need to interfere with God. He is the master of the universe. Our Heavenly Father, the One who loves us like no other. We can trust Him. No matter what.
While we may not always understand what He allows into our lives, we must know that He sees the bigger picture and that He loves us with an infinite love. So be free to LET GO and LET GOD!
What is weighing you down? Can you practice the art of letting go and let Him take care of it?
I can certainly relate to feeling overwhelm like you described above. I lost my mom at the prime of my 20’s a few years back and also had to deal with a demanding job that wanted so much from me. It’s tough isn’t it, but I’m comforted by the fact that we don’t have to go at it alone. Stay strong
Thanks for commenting, B.W. I am very sorry for your loss. I have read some of your pieces and find you to be a very engaging writer and am looking forward to reading your book. Blessings to you.