When I'm Overwhelmed.....

Have you ever felt that way?  Overwhelmed......

Sometimes that's a good thing.  As in being overwhelmed by the goodness of God.  Overwhelmed by His faithfulness.  Overwhelmed by the beauty of the world He created.  Overwhelmed by answers to prayer.  Just overwhelmed.  Completely in awe of God.  Overwhelmed.

But.....

There's another sense in which we use that word.  Overwhelmed.  And that's what I have been experiencing a lot of these past couple of weeks.

Overwhelmed by stress.  By the pressures of our current situation.  My father-in-law had knee replacement surgery a couple of weeks ago.  He's 87 years old.  My husband and I are "temporarily" living with his mom and caring for her.  She has some health issues of her own that mean she can't live alone.  She needs constant caring for.  It's a bit......make that a lot.....overwhelming.

Additional overwhelmedness comes because we have no idea how long this will go on......how long Al's dad will be in rehab.  He's doing pretty well for an 87 year old.  But.....he's 87.  That means a longer recovery time than might be expected for a younger, more fit patient. 

So, we're living out of suitcases and tote bags.  Setting up an "office" on the end of the kitchen table.  Trying to keep everybody (including ourselves!) calm and on an even keel.  And I confess to you, there are times when it is both exhausting and overwhelming!

You may be experiencing your own sense of overwhelmedness.  You may know someone.....a friend, a neighbor, a family member.....who is going through a tough time.  There are all sorts of reasons in our world to feel overwhelmed.  Financial stress.  Unemployment.  Relationships gone wrong.  Sickness.  Bereavement.  There are all kinds of stresses in our world these days.

So, how do we deal with it.  What do we do?  Where do we turn?  When life gets overwhelming.....and it sometimes does....how do we handle it?

I came across this verse a few days ago in my Bible reading.  Coincidence, some would say.  I think not!

I'm finding myself repeating this verse over and over.  Maybe you will too.

"When my heart is overwhelmed, lead me to the Rock that is higher than I."  (Psalm 61:2)