"Seek the Lord and his strength; seek his presence continually! Remember the wondrous works that he has done, his miracles, and the judgments he uttered." (Psalm 105:4-5)
This week has been a doozie. Friend, I tend to be a list-maker, not necessarily a list-doer. Throughout the weekend, I typically do a brain dump of all that is happening the week ahead. Things that need to get done, that I need to delegate, that need to get ordered, that need to get scheduled. This week felt particularly overwhelming from the start and, to be quite honest, I was shaming myself for not getting ahead of some of the stuff last week.
As I moved throughout the week, I hit obstacle after obstacle. The books I ordered from the printer a while ago have yet to ship. I missed a few deadlines. I forgot about a Zoom meeting (that was for sure written on my calendar). We took our oldest to a before-school practice he ended up not having.
It just felt like little things and big things kept going wrong. Have you had weeks like that before?
What I realized this week as I struggled to do my to-do list, is that my mind has been focused on all of the hurdles that loom in the distance. The mountains that I might have to climb while not knowing what’s on the other side.
The mountains are everything from the upcoming election to my art career. It’s summer plans, college visits, relationship changes, minor health things, closing out the PTA school year, and everything in between.
But when I focus on the mountains, I forget the Maker of the mountains.
But when I shift my focus to the Lord, His PEACE washes over me. When I remember what He has done for me before, how He has changed our paths before we even have to climb the mountains, and how He has molded us and shaped us as we climb the mountains, I am filled with strength. His strength.
And when I focus on Jesus - on what he is capable of in my life - the mountains in my view seem strangely smaller. My list feels more clearly prioritized and less overwhelming.
Maybe you are with me and feel off-focus. Could it be that you also have been more focused on what potentially lies ahead than staying present with God in the moment?
I don’t know what you’re walking through today, but maybe you feel overwhelmed by what’s looming on the horizon. Maybe you’re in a season of deep unknown, barely able to take the next step. Maybe you are entrenched in grief or loss or fear.
Could I encourage you to make a point to seek the Lord when the overwhelm, well, overwhelms you? Let me spur you on to remember what God has done for you in the past and how He'll continue to come through for you in the future. It really might be all the difference we need to get the important things done and let the other things go.
Xxx.