There are days that leave me feeling haggard. After taking a mental note of everything coming up and scanning all the unchecked boxes on my to-do list, I succumb to the defeating belief that it is all too much. And some days it feels like it, doesn’t it? There are just too many things pressing in on you from all sides. You feel the strain on your spirit and you find yourself filled with anxiety or stress or exhaustion – or all three!
It can be hard to pull yourself out of a slump, but the best way I’ve learned to do so is by shifting my focus to who I am in Jesus. Pause a minute to reflect on these truths. I am not alone. I am seen. I am cared for. I am loved. Indeed, you are all of these things as a child of God! And while your circumstances may not change, you can live your life with this perspective – that the Great Comforter is by your side and will see you through one day at a time. Indeed, “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” (Psalm 34:18 NIV)
Knowing God’s closeness, especially when I’m down, reignites the spark of hope inside me. I cling to the truths that I know deep in my soul. I may not know what’s coming next, or how everything going on around me will play out, but I know who is with me through it all. I can cast my anxieties and fears on Him and He will carry them for me. I can trust that He has a plan and a purpose in all of this and that He will be by my side through it all.
Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you.
1 Peter 5:7 NIV
Thank you so much for your words of encouragement and reminder of God’s love and grace for us! He will provide for us and we need not worry about the future, but find peace and comfort in His presence.
After the night comes light and in the light we feel the warmth of God’s love and we are not alone.
I feel like living in the time we are now it is easy to be overwhelmed and anxious with everything going on, but if we take a moment and realize that we are not alone and He is with us then there really is no reason to be overwhelmed at all. Thanks for putting things in perspective.