Overwrite your Mind

Overextended.

Overtired.

Over-committed .

Over...whelmed! 

Feel familiar? 

How often in our own life do we walk around like zombies? Lifeless, defeated by life itself.  A depressing thought yet harsh reality.  How much of this one life to be lived goes wasted just trying to 'get through'? 

Is it ever possible to get it all done? To keep on top of all the demands, the responsibilities, the chores, without losing a piece of yourself?

How many people do we see, coming and going on a daily basis, stone-walled, emotionless, maneuvering through the rat maze? And honestly, isn't that us too? It's me, I'm guilty.

The fact is, balancing work and family and home and self-care can be downright overwhelming.  No matter who you are or how much you pretend it isn't.

Wait! I know, I know, it's about priorities. It's about doing the most important things. It's about boundaries.   It's perspective.  

How's that working for you? 

It's particularly hard when the 'priority' list is longer then the hours.

Here's the thing.  There will always be seasons of life that overwhelm us unless you're God.  However, speaking of God, I fully believe we are not meant to live that way.  According to His truth and His promises we are meant to live a FULL life, a life of JOY, perfect PEACE and FREEDOM from the overwhelming.

So how do we do that? 

I'm no expert on this. And, while I live with an over all sense of peace and joy and freedom and fulfillment, I sometimes forget it.  I am guilty of allowing myself the self-focused sorrow of being overwhelmed.

But.. (I'm so thankful I can interject here)

Recently my heart was changed.  I woke up to the realization that I can overwrite the pattern of my mind and exchange being overwhelmed for being overcome!

Here's what triggered this life changer for me;

The other day I was taking the dog for a walk.  To make this a more enjoyable experience I put the ear buds in and hit shuffle.  My shuffle will give me a wide range from Lady Gaga to Chris Tomlin.  Before long one of my favorite songs came on.  Although I've heard it so many times, I was wildly moved and overcome.   I was lost in the glow of his Majesty.  While The Digital Age continued to sing, Overcome, I was lost in who He is and how He's all I need.  I am overcome because He has overcome! 

It was an honest and raw worship experience that moved me toward change.  I knew in that moment I had the ability and the need to change my "overwhelmed" (self-centered) to "overcome" (Christ-centered).  If I choose to live in a sense of worship and awe of who He is and what He has done for me, then how can I carry on feeling overwhelmed with my one precious life? 

I know it won't be instant and I will fail many times, but I'm off to a great start.

Chin up people!

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