Sometimes life can feel overwhelming. Bills pile up, family disagreements happen, jobs get stressful, and on and on. It can feel as if one thing after another keeps happening and you don’t know when it’s going to stop. So, what do you do when everything happens at once? How do we respond when life feels chaotic?
Here are 5 steps to take when you’re overwhelmed.
1. Be still.
Often, we can feel like a train barreling down a track. We feel the need to keep going and to keep solving problems. But sometimes it’s that constant movement that keeps us in fear.
Psalm 46:10a says, “‘Be still, and know that I am God!’” (NLT).
Taking the time to pause and pray allows us a moment to remember the goodness and the strength of God, even during difficult circumstances.
2. Bring your worries to God.
When things seem out of control, we tend to hold on to our worries and try to control them. The Bible encourages us to bring our worries to God (1 Peter 5:7 NLT).
Be intentional with asking God for help. We may not be able to control everything that comes our way, but we have a God who cares about us and wants to lift that weight off our shoulders.
3. Focus on today and trust God with our tomorrows.
Anxiety can cause us to spiral and constantly think about the “what ifs.” We question, “what if this happens?” even when it’s weeks, months, or years down the road.
But Jesus asks, “Can all your worries add a single moment to your life?” (Matthew 6:27 NLT). Our worries usually make things worse. But we don’t have to live in the spiral of fear.
Jesus encourages us, “Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and He will give you everything you need. So, don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.” (Matthew 6:33-34 NLT).
We know God takes care of our tomorrows. So take things day by day. Put God first, do what you can, and trust God can handle what you can’t control.
4. Talk with a godly friend or mentor.
When we feel overwhelmed or worried, we often can only see one perspective—our own. We get tunnel vision and only see the situations in front of us. We don’t see a way out.
Proverbs 15:22 tells us, “Plans go wrong for lack of advice; many advisers bring success” (NLT). A godly mentor outside our situation may be able to see our situation in a way we can’t and point us toward the hope we can’t see ourselves.
5. Don’t pick your worries back up; keep surrendering.
When you give your worries to God, don’t try to pick them back up. When our problems aren’t immediately solved, it’s tempting to go back to worry. We want the solution, but God wants to give us peace before the solution takes place.
This may mean that we need to surrender our worries to God daily. It’s not a one-time thing that we do, but a constant surrender and trust that God holds every situation in His hands.
When you do this, “His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:7b NLT).
A Prayer for Feeling Overwhelmed
Father, I feel overwhelmed. Help me to surrender my worries daily to You and to trust that You hold them in Your hands. I remember Your goodness and know that You are good right now. I give You my tomorrows and my “what ifs.” Please guard my heart and my mind with Your peace. In Jesus’ name I pray, amen.
