In this crazy fast-paced world, it is so easy to get overwhelmed and feel like your world is crashing in. Sometimes it’s major things like the loss of someone, an illness, or loss of a job, but many times it’s just minor frustrations that add up. Although occasionally it’s both! But it’s amazing what God can do during those times.
When my children were young, my husband had to go out of state to work. I remember one particular time, the day after he left for a trip we were hit with a snowstorm and cold snap that froze the water lines to the barn, where we had hogs. Within another day or two, my dad had a heart attack. He cared for my half-sister who is in a wheelchair and his hospitalization left no one to care for her needs. Then, both of my kids got sick and had to have breathing treatments a couple times a day. At the time I owned a struggling Christian bookstore that I had to keep open to be able to pay the loan and I was so overwhelmed.
During that time, each day was a long day of routine—carrying water to the barn, breathing treatments for my children, dropping kids off at the babysitter, working the store, picking up the kids, going to my dad’s to take care of my half-sister (other family members took care of her during the day), taking the kids home to eat, doing more breathing treatments, putting the kids to bed and finally falling into bed myself.
Needless to say, it was a long 3 months. But when I look back on that time, it’s with gratefulness! During that period of my life, God was working. Here is some of the good that came out of it:
My dad recovered from the heart attack and lived several more years. The heart attack made him realize that he had to make plans for my half-sister, so he reached out to local organizations who came in and taught her how to do many things on her own. Now that my dad is gone, she is living alone and caring for herself with the help of aides that the government sends in throughout the day.
To help me through that time, I took time for daily devotions just to calm myself. Through that, I read stories that helped me see the benefit of doing daily devotions with my husband. When I shared that with him, he agreed that we should start immediately. He would work 12-14 hour days, then call me at the end of my long day and I would read to him over the phone and he would pray. 26 years later, we still have daily devotions. We both feel that our devotions together have done a lot to keep our marriage strong.
Another story I read during that time taught me the importance of tithing. At that time, when we added the tithe to our tight budget, we didn’t make enough to pay the tithe and the bills. We tithed anyway and God always provided what we needed when we needed it.
Our daughter had an ear infection that would not stop. I finally noticed she had hearing loss. Her doctor sent her to a specialist because he was sure she needed tubes. We had no insurance at the time and I cried and prayed all the way to the appointment. I told God that if he wanted us to be dependent on Him that this trial time was certainly doing that. I also told him that I knew He was a God of miracles and if He chose to heal her He could. I told Him I was tired of worrying about it so I would just accept what He wanted to do. The doctor could not find anything wrong with her ears or her hearing and in fact, she didn’t have any other ear problems until years later, when we had insurance to cover the tubes!
So, I encourage you the next time you feel overwhelmed, to take a deep breath and spend time alone with God. Sometimes that is all it takes to put things in perspective. Sometimes it becomes a time when God can show you what He can do.
Philippians 4:19 says, “My God shall supply all your needs according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” God is our all-powerful, all-compassionate, all-wise and all-loving heavenly Father. He loves us so much that He sacrificed His son Jesus Christ for our salvation and He cares about our struggles and worries.