First it’s school, then homework, then soccer, then youth group after that and then chores when I get home when I really just want to play some Assassin’s Creed.
Then the next day I have that presentation I need to finish. Did Kyle ever give me that book back? Shoot! I left my calculator at his house! Do I have a math quiz tomorrow? I gotta text him. Then there’s that big stack of college applications with a smaller stack of job applications beside it that mom keeps scooting closer and closer to my desk. Ugh, and I never called Tanya back. I hope she’s not still mad. Oh my gosh; this never ends!!!
Sound familiar? Life can sometimes overwhelm us just because all of those little things keep piling up. How do we cope with it all? When things feel like they will never end it’s easy to feel powerless and lost. Let’s take a look at what God suggests we do when things get overwhelming.
Story:
Time. That annoying thing that never seems to act how we want it to. Either it whizzes by way too fast or crawls by at an agonizing pace. Though most of the time we just grin and bear it. Sometimes, though, all those things that pile up that you never have time to get to can become a real problem.
There’s always going to be things you need or want to do. That’s basically what life is. So how do you handle everything without getting overwhelmed? How can you possibly get done all of the things in life?
You probably remember the rabbit from Alice and Wonderland who ran around with a ginormous clock yelling, “I’m late!” all the time? The poor guys seems to pop up everywhere just to scurry off again trying over and over again to get to his very important date. Really, he is in such a panic and always so furtively pursuing his goal that it often seems like he’s running around like a chicken with its head cut off!
That’s exactly how your life can feel if you’re not careful. What we find when we look at Scripture is how important it is that we make a plan for how to handle everything life can throw at us and be committed to that plan. That’s a big way to avoid running around in a panic but never really getting anywhere. If that little rabbit would just calm down for a moment, take a breath, and figure out the most efficient way to complete his task, he would have been successful sooner and experienced much less stress in the process.
The other thing the Bible makes clear is that we are to work hard with dedication and joy. It’s important that we follow through on the work God gives us to do—even if that work is just our chores at home. God intends for us to be victorious over this world, and that includes handling an overwhelmingly long To Do List.
So the next time things in life are becoming overwhelming. Take a Breath. Talk to God. Make a Plan. And Do the Work.
Bible Intro:
Here we see Jesus talking about what it takes to be a follower of Christ. It’s not easy but it’s worth it. Notice how he emphasizes the importance of knowing your strengths and weaknesses, making a plan, and putting in the work to do it. More than that, he gives some insight into what our state of mind should be through it all. See what you can figure out from what he says. The title of the section is called The Cost of Being a Disciple. We might also ask ourselves what it costs NOT to be a disciple.
Scripture: Luke 14:25–33
Personal Questions:
- Right now in life, how well do you think you do with making a plan and doing the work? Is it something you need to improve?
- Why do you think that Jesus took a left turn in the last verse of Luke 14? What does that tell us about what our state of mind should be when making a plan and doing the work?
- Why do you think it’s important to have humility as we work to carry our cross and follow Christ? What does it change?
- What are some of the promises God makes to you as you face situations you don’t know how to handle? How do they make you feel?
Continue interacting with this topic here.
Prayer:
Father God, I can’t believe this is really how my life is. Everything is always crazy and when I fix one thing, something else pops up. It feels like it never ends and it is just getting so overwhelming! Help me, Jesus. Show me how to just get through a regular day without feeling exhausted or like I might scream until my head explodes! I know that you are there for me and that Scripture says I can find strength in you. Well this is me asking, God. Please give me your strength. Give me wisdom and peace and the ability to handle whatever life throws at me. Please God. In Your Name, Amen.
