Overwhelmed or Underwhelmed?

 I just stood and stared at my sink full of dishes. My dishwasher is broken and it hasn't been replaced yet, so my sink gets full quickly, especially since I make a blendarized diet of real foods to use for tube feeding my son. It seems like I can't keep up even when I have the dishwasher, although I certainly have new, deeper appreciation for it, now. Lol. 

As I stood there, I remembered something one of my friends had shared. She was in Chicago at the time and had gone to visit a couple. The woman was disabled and her husband was taking care of her, they had a young child, and he was working outside the home at the time. My friend asked a couple of times if there was anything she could do to help, but he kept telling her no. She went to the kitchen for some reason and saw the dishes piled high and the kitchen a mess. She asked me what she should have done. I told her do those dishes even if he doesn't like it - it's a sign that he is totally overwhelmed and it will help so much.

I recalled the conversation as I stared blankly at my own stack of dirty dishes. Am I overwhelmed? Is that an understatement?  Yes. and YES! It's hard to keep up with the day-to-days of caregiving, but let one little thing get behind and it can all come crashing down on us. And that certainly doesn't help our emotional overload either! 

In those moments (hours, days, weeks, lifetimes...) of overload, there's only one thing to do. Run to Him!

David said in Psalm 61:2 when my heart is overwhelmed...lead me to the rock. The Hebrew word for "overwhelmed" is a primary root according to the Strongs. it could also be interpreted as shrouded, clothed, to languish (in a sense of darkness), cover, fail, faint, be hidden...or feeble. Boy, do I get that! I love that David knew just where he needed to go when in that state of overwhelm, even if he didn't have the strength to get there. Why do I say that? because "lead" could be translated as transport, bring, put, or in my own words - carry. I've had those feelings like I don't have the strength to get there myself. 

David goes on to remind himself that God has been his shelter, his rock, his high tower, and a safe place to hide from his enemy. I need that reminder today. God hasn't stopped being our rock, our shelter, a safe place to hide from our enemies, even though they are not physical enemies. But I can still name a few: fear, doubt, exhaustion, fatigue, overwhelm...

Today, I'll remind myself that God doesn't throw up His hands when I am overwhelmed. In fact, He won't quit on me if I find I am living in a state of overwhelm. My thoughts and meditations will be on how He is a present help right here in my trouble, and He is not going anywhere. (Psalm 46:1) I'll think about how God continues to provide a safe place for my heart and mind to hide and when I am totally overwhelmed, just sitting drinking coffee staring at a sink full of dishes - He will carry me to the rock if need be! I love that God meets us right where we are and isn't afraid of our circumstances one iota! I believe I can trust Him for one more day. Will you join me?

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31 Days in Psalm 31

• What’s it like to spend 31 days in a cave with God?

•  What was David thinking about during some of his hardest trials?

• Do you ever feel like life is a cave?

31 Days in Psalm 31 is a devotional that spends 31 days in the cave. Explore your thoughts and emotions and learn how you can give them to God over and over again. Trust Him more!