Greetings!

o·ver·whelm

1. To surge over and submerge; engulf: (waves overwhelming the rocky shoreline)

2. To defeat completely and decisively: (Our team overwhelmed the visitors by 40 points.)

3. To affect deeply in mind or emotion: (Despair overwhelmed me.)

4. To turn over; upset: (The small craft was overwhelmed by the enormous waves.)

5. To present with an excessive amount: (They overwhelmed us with expensive gifts.)

(The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language)

One word that pops up in my journal quite a bit is “overwhelmed”.

I get engulfed too easily…

bulletOverwhelmed by work… When is the ministry “done”? When have I reached the full extent of a passage? How often is my Inbox empty? When are all the projects ready? (Answer: never) Can you relate?
bulletOverwhelmed by paper… How can the stacks of paper keep growing when I spend so much time on a computer? 90% of my office can be thrown out, but the 10% that needs to be filed and kept is really important.
bulletOverwhelmed by needs…How many needy people are there in the world? How many issues, whether they be international or individual in scope, cry out for attention and solutions? How many complex, heartbreaking, seemingly insurmountable situations do I hear?
bulletOverwhelmed by my own inadequacies and limitations… I can get frustrated with my weakness, my frailty, my limited brains, patience and resources. So important to remember: I need do what the Lord assigns--not everything everyone (including myself) asks of me. 2 Cor 3:4-5: “Not that we are adequate in ourselves to consider anything as coming from ourselves, but our adequacy is from God, who also made us adequate as servants of a new covenant, not of the letter, but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.” Little ones to Him belong, they are weak but He is strong.

But being “overwhelmed” is sometimes a very positive thing…

bulletOverwhelmed by people... I am often bowled over by the kindness and love and creativity of people in my life. People who are true friends. People who call just to say they’re thinking of me. People who take me out to play. People who give so generously to make Psalm One happen. People who show up with chocolate or flowers (whether they be handsome men or friendly females.) So grateful to share and celebrate and laugh and cry with good people.
bulletOverwhelmed by experiences… So many gifts from “God, who richly supplies us with all things to enjoy.” (1 Tim 6:17) Art, film, music, travel, nature, beauty, food, laughter. Aren’t you overwhelmed by the joy of the Lord when you experience life fully?
bulletOverwhelmed by God… Shaken to the core by His mystery, power, mercy, love—and the fact that He invites me into the Holy of Holies. Witnessing the supernatural as Christ overshadows me and heals and transforms my deepest self. Knowing that He is the still spot in a spinning universe. The things of earth really do grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace.

I am a very passionate person. I experience things deeply. As wonderful and painful as that can be, I think the Lord can use that. But I know that the only way I can avoid being overwhelmed by the world, or people or even myself, is to lean into the Lord and be overwhelmed by the character and the presence of God.

Now to Him who is able to do exceeding abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us,

to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen. (Eph 3:20-21)

Praying today that the Holy One will overwhelm us all!

In His shadow,

Linda