When the Weight of Your Thoughts Overwhelms You
We all know that feeling we get when things become too much. Whether the grief is bubbling to the surface, and we can’t hold it in, or the weight of worry is burying us under layers of concern and we feel like we’re going to suffocate, we feel the weight. When the dark thoughts creep in it’s hard to fight against the tide that seems to be too strong to turn. The worry and anxiety do not just set the tone for our day, they can consume it. So how do we fight it? And how can we encourage those we love in helpful ways that will point them to Christ in the struggle to manage the overwhelm?
Psalm 94:19 gives us some guidance; check out these three translations:
“When anxiety was great within me, Your consolation brought me joy.” (NIV)
“In the multitude of my anxieties within me, Your comforts delight my soul” (NKJV)
“When the cares of my heart are many, Your consolations cheer my soul.” (ESV)
Did you see it? WE can’t change anything…but God CAN and He WILL!!
The word anxiety (cares) comes from the Hebrew the word “sarapin” and means “disquieting thoughts.” 1 We’ve all experienced those, haven’t we?
Whether it’s worry over our kids, concern over a situation that feels out of control, fear of the unknown or grief over recent news, our hearts can only withstand so much. When we’re overwhelmed, our minds spin and build upon what is already present. It marinates. It festers. It distracts us from God and steals our peace. It’s not how God wants us to live.
When our thoughts battle against one another or against our peace of mind and heart, that is what Hebrew calls “sarapin”. The word “sarapin” stems from the root word “səipa” which means “ambivalence, division, or divided opinion.”2 And when we give space to those anxious thoughts, they can begin to consume us and distract our mind and heart from focusing on and trusting in God.
But God has a remedy for the confusion and division. Notice…GOD has the remedy. As much as we might try, we don’t have the power to will ourselves to be comforted. But God does!
His consolation or comfort is present and available to us. The Hebrew word “tanhumot” means “compassion or solace.”3 and that word comes from the word “naham” which means “to take a deep breath and be comforted.”4
Remember when our children would cry, sob with ragged breaths and sniff back the tears? We would gather them in, sweep the hair out of their eyes and gently rub their back or arm. Oftentimes we would gently tell them, “just breathe” and we could see them begin to settle and grow calm. Friends, that’s what our Heavenly Father tells us, too, “Just breathe. Rest in My strength. Lean into Me and find comfort and solace. My comforts can delight and cheer your very soul.” Why is it that we resist? Why do we think we have to settle our hearts in our own strength?
If we invite Him to, God settles and smooths our thoughts and our heart so that our troubled minds can be calmed and rest. He longs to give us joy, delight, and cheer! And what better way to demonstrate to others that we have the joy of the Lord?!
Today, take time to pray and pour out your heart to the Lord. Tell Him all the things that are weighing you down. He can bear the load- nothing is too much for Him. Be honest about your fears and your anger, your hurt and confusion. Lean into Him and let Him comfort you. He can and He will.
Then, take time to read the Psalms, maybe listen to some praise and worship music. Just sit and be still. God has abundant comfort for our needs, we only need sit at His feet and ask.
Pray without ceasing.
1. H8312 - śarʿapîm - Strong's Hebrew Lexicon (kjv). Retrieved from https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h8312/kjv/wlc/0-1/
2. H5587 - sᵊʿipâ - Strong's Hebrew Lexicon (kjv). Retrieved from https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h5587/kjv/wlc/0-1/
3. H8575 - tanḥûmôṯ - Strong's Hebrew Lexicon (kjv). Retrieved from https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h8575/kjv/wlc/0-1/
4. H5162 - nāḥam - Strong's Hebrew Lexicon (kjv). Retrieved from https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h5162/kjv/wlc/0-1/
Dark Valleys, Divine Protection
“Even though I walk through the darkest valley,” Psalm 23:4a
(location, progression)
Dark valleys. We don’t like them; we wouldn’t choose them, yet, most of us have encountered them at some point in our life. The King James version calls it “the valley of the shadow of death”. It could be the physical death of one we love or maybe it’s the death of a dream, a passion, a project or career, it may even refer to dying to ourselves so we can live for Christ. The valley of the shadow of death means there is a deep loss that is present and abiding.
But look at the wording in Psalm 23:4…the valley of the shadow of death. We only see shadows when there is light present. The fact that there is a shadow in the valley tells us there is Light in the valley with us. The Light of God shows us that death is just a shadow- it is powerless to harm us eternally. Jesus conquered the power of sin and death. “I am the Living One; I was dead, and now look, I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades.” Revelation 1:18. There is nothing Satan can do to separate us from the love of God and from His protection. “For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers,neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:38-39
So, although death is inevitable for everyone, it’s not our final destination as believers and we need to cling to that truth. Death, for the believer, is a doorway to the eternal life that God intends us to live with Him in perfect shalom relationship.
Yet, the valley is there and it’s likely we’ll walk through it, perhaps many times while on this earth. But take note of that other phrase, “even though I walk through”. Did you see it? We’re not staying. We’re walking through. The darkest valley isn’t where we settle. It’s not where God intends for us to stay. We don’t put down roots there. We travel through with our Shepherd by our side. It’s a temporary location for us, but not where He intends us to dwell.
Oh how we need to be reminded of this! How our sons and daughters need this encouragement to help them to trust and obey, to follow without faltering, especially through the dark valleys. Jesus endured death so we wouldn’t have to- He conquered death so we could live a victorious life! He walks through the dark valley with us so that we will be reminded that His presence is our light and our assurance. Psalm 56:13 “For you have delivered me from death and my feet from stumbling, that I may walk before God in the light of life.”
“But God will redeem me from the realm of the dead; he will surely take me to himself.” Psalm 49:15
Let’s pray today that our sons and daughters have perspective and assurance when they encounter dark valleys.
“Jesus, You are the light of the world. What a comfort and assurance that is in this dark world. It is so easy to be overwhelmed by the evil that surrounds us and feel as if we’re going to be overcome by it. But You told us that, “whoever follows You will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” (John 8:12). I pray that (name) would cling to that Truth. Help (name) to love light more than darkness and to follow after You with all of their heart, mind, and strength. Keep them walking faithfully alongside You in the right paths You choose- even if they lead into dark valleys. Lord, I know You walk with them, remind them of that. Let (name) see visible affirmations of Your Presence today and assure them that wherever You lead them, You will be Present beside them, walking with them through the hardest of times and places. Remind them, too, that the darkness is not where they live. The dark valley isn’t their home. You will lead us out of the valley, You will reach down and rescue us from the deep waters (Ps. 18:16). Lord Jesus, I pray that whatever (name)’s location is, physically or spiritually, that You would give them the strength to move forward, not turning back or to the side and sustain them to endure whatever You lead them to, assuring them that You will, indeed, lead them through it. “The LORD is my light and my salvation— whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life— of whom shall I be afraid?” Ps 27:1 I pray Your mighty protection over (name), in Jesus’ name, amen.”
”I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.” Psalm 23:4b
(companion, confidence, protection, support)
I will fear NO evil. None. Not even just a little bit, not some, but NO EVIL. How can we be confident of that? How can we encourage our sons and daughters when we’re surrounded by evil in this world? We see it everywhere and it can be overwhelming.
The first thing to remember is that second part of the verse, “I will fear no evil, for You are with me”. God is ever-present and all powerful. He will never leave us or forsake us - those are the very words He used to encourage Moses and Joshua. “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.” (Deuteronomy 31:6) Our God is faithful. It is in his nature and character to be so.
Remember, God has not given us a spirit of fear ...so if we are struggling with fear, where is that coming from? Ah, there it is! The enemy! Ephesians 6:12 says “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.”
As God shepherds us, He is strong to lead, protect, and save. He’s not just a general who sits in the war room- watching from afar while we fight the battle. He’s not just the captain on the battlefield, seeing only the fight in front of him. And He’s not simply the ‘special forces’ sent in to complete an extraction when things are dire. He is everything we need at all times surrounding us completely and holding us up through it all. He holds fast the spiritual boundaries that keep us safe. He is the strong arm that pulls us out of deep waters and dangerous pits, the sword and shield that hold off the enemy who would try to drag us away. “You hem me in behind and before, and you lay your hand upon me.” Psalm 139:5
We have unrivaled protection and support from our loving God. We will fear no evil! Let’s pray that our sons and daughters do not live in fear, but would have confidence that God is with them always, watching, caring, protecting and saving.
Let’s pray scripture over our sons and daughters today:
“The LORD is (name)’s light and their salvation— whom shall they fear? The LORD is the stronghold of (name)’s life— of whom shall they be afraid? When the wicked advance against them to devour them, it is their enemies and foes who will stumble and fall. Though an army besiege (name), (name)’s heart will not fear; though war break out against (name), even then they will be confident.” Psalm 27:1-3
Abba, Father, Almighty Lord, I pray Your word over (name).
(Name) “Do not fret because of those who are evil or be envious of those who do wrong; for like the grass they will soon wither, like green plants they will soon die away.” Psalm 37:1-2
Lord, give (name) strong spiritual confidence in Your protection and watchful care.
“The way of the LORD is a refuge for the blameless, but it is the ruin of those who do evil.” Proverbs 10:29
Keep (name) walking and living blamelessly. Guide them on right paths for Your name’s sake. Keep them faithful to You and protect them from fear and from the enemy.
“Therefore, (name) put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.” Ephesians 6:13
“But the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen (name) and protect (name) from the evil one.” 2 Thessalonians 3:3
I pray that (name) would “Fear no evil- sin and death are conquered” Revelation 1:8
Give name strength to stand against the evil one and to live in victory through Jesus, in His name I pray, amen.”
Pray without ceasing, friends.
Burdens and Remedies
Isaiah 53:4-6
Surely he took up our pain
and bore our suffering,
yet we considered him punished by God,
stricken by him, and afflicted.
But he was pierced for our transgressions,
he was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was on him,
and by his wounds we are healed.
We all, like sheep, have gone astray,
each of us has turned to our own way;
and the Lord has laid on him
the iniquity of us all.
Whatever you’re carrying today, Jesus already bore the weight of it all on the cross. Think about that… all of the pain, sorrow, grief, sin… all of it from the beginning of time to the very end- He saw it, He knew it, He carried it to the cross, so that in His suffering, our suffering is never out of His control, but it’s present to remind us we are called to be like Christ.
The picture above is profound. The entire scene seems to be overlaid with a fingerprint. There is no part of the man’s experience that isn’t touched by it. It’s representative of our lives. God’s hand is all over everything we face, even the dark, difficult, painful days are not out of God’s control and mediation. His hand is all over anything we might face and He meters what we must endure. It is all to draw us closer to Him and make us more like Christ.
So whatever you’re facing today, He knew it before you faced it and He’s already got the remedy. Little sheep, listen to your Shepherd. Follow Him closely, lean into Him, trust Him. Don’t turn to your own way and don’t grow bitter. There is safety in the fold of Jesus. Find your place there.
There is no sorrow too heavy that He cannot carry it. Jesus is a Man of sorrows, He understands.
There is no grief too deep He cannot reach it. He is acquainted with grief. Let Jesus be your comfort.
There is no pain too intense He cannot bear it. Let Him be a balm to your hurting heart.
There is no darkness too great He cannot breach it. Look to the Light of the World to bring light to the darkness.
El-Roi- the God who sees
Jehovah-Jireh- the God who provides
Jehovah-Rapha- the God who heals
Jesus- the God who saves
Maybe you’re praying for a prodigal and the sorrow, grief, pain and darkness are overwhelming. God is not overwhelmed. He sees. He knows. He is working. Even if you cannot see it, trust Him. He is Sovereign and He loves your precious prodigal more than you ever could. He wants all to come to repentance. Pray that it would be so!
Let’s pray that our sons and daughters find their safety and identity in Christ. Pray that they would run to Him, not away from Him. Pray that their hearts would be drawn to the One who already endured everything and carefully sifts what will touch their lives because nothing is out of His control.
Pray without ceasing.
The Blessing and Gift of Grief
Grief is heavy.
It’s an experience we would rather avoid.
When we encounter others who are grieving, we’re often at a loss for words. We’re uncomfortable with the heaviness and we’re ill-equipped to help others handle their loss. It’s deeply personal and life-altering. We don’t know how to make it better or relieve the pain… we can’t.
Grief is hard.
Many of us have encountered loss and endured grief in our lives. As parents, we do our best to shield our children from that pain, yet, we can’t fully protect them from it. Jesus tells us in John 16:33, ““I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
Grief will come. It will hurt. It doesn’t just bruise you, it’s an amputation that leaves you forever changed. It will disorient you and you’ll be convinced that it will suffocate you.
Psalm 31:9 “Be merciful to me, LORD, for I am in distress; my eyes grow weak with sorrow, my soul and body with grief.” (NIV)
But if you lean in closely, you will hear the Lord whisper. You may feel like you live in the shadows, but they are the shadows of His wings, covering you until you’re ready for anything else.
Psalm 91:1-2, 4 “Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the LORD, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.” He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.” (NIV)
Grief means that vivid memories may bring streams of tears or an ache so deep that we weep at the pain. But God assures us that collects each one of our tears and records the reason for the pain and grief…He doesn’t forget.
Psalm 56:8 “You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book.” (NLT)
And one day, God tells us He will wipe away every tear and we’ll no longer grieve. Death and loss will be no more.
Revelation 21:4 “‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”” (NIV)
And all the while, if we’re willing, if we trust Him, we will grow deeper in our understanding of His heart.
Grief can be a gift because it shakes us out of a false sense of comfort and belonging here in this world. Suddenly we’re confronted with everything not being okay. We are shaken by the pain that greets us each morning and sticks with us through each day. We are cognizant of something beyond this life…and the eternity that God placed in our hearts suddenly becomes real, tangible and stirs a longing unlike anything we’ve ever felt before (Ecc. 3:11). If we’re willing, it can be the thing that draws us so much deeper into a walk with the Lord. He gives the peace that passes understanding (Phil 4:7). He gives strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow. He gives and will give more. God doesn’t do this to deprive us, He does this to demonstrate how much more waits for us…if we trust Him (Eph. 3:18-20). He will restore our losses and comfort our broken hearts.
Personally speaking, without the deep grief I’ve endured, I don’t know that I would long for heaven. Without grief I don’t know that I would understand the deep, abiding comfort of my Savior. Without grief, I would still be enjoying all that life has to offer with little thought to my eternity. But now, eternity is so real, life is so fleeting, my love for God is deeper and more vibrant than before I tasted grief and loss.
Grief can be a gift if we trust the Lord enough to let Him walk us through it. He’s walked that path. He knows grief and He longs to walk alongside us as we lean into Him.
Isaiah 53:3-5 “He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed.” (ESV)
Jesus understands our grief. He bore it on the cross. Go to Him, fall at His feet. Pour out your heart and rest in His shadow. He is always enough. And when you begin to see the glimmer of life again and you begin to breathe again, you’ll see that the gift of grief is held by the nail-scarred hands of the Savior who loves you so. Cling tightly.
Pray without ceasing.
Pray It Again
It’s always good to pray. It’s beneficial to bring things to the Lord again and again. He never tires of hearing us call on His name and talk with Him in prayerful fellowship. He knows what weighs on our hearts, but He wants to hear us share it with Him, trusting in His provision, intervention and Sovereign authority. Let’s pray through these prayer points one more time:
Pray that our sons and daughters see God’s work all around them today. Let’s pray they can and will testify to others about the Presence and Power of their Mighty God.
Pray that our sons and daughters would have perspective and peace despite the uncertainty of world leaders and fragility of peace.. Rather than being alarmed at what they see happening in the world, pray that they have confidence in our Mighty God and look forward to the day when He will reign forever, unchallenged on David’s throne. Pray that they long for God’s justice and righteousness over the temporary solutions offered by human leaders.
Pray that sons and daughters would realize that God requires their full attention and allegiance. Pray that they would look up, not around. Pray that they would not be distracted by all the ‘glitter’ of the season but would be committed to the Reason, Jesus.
Pray that our sons and daughters know, without a doubt, that their Mighty Warrior is rejoicing over them with singing, protecting and caring for them. Pray they have hope because of Jesus’ birth, death and resurrection. Pray for those who have faced loss this year, that they would find hope and comfort in Jesus.
Pray that our sons and daughters would know, without a doubt, that their worth, purpose and meaning are found in Jesus Christ, their Lord and Savior, and their relationship with Him.. Let’s pray they are not ‘performance driven’ but soul-stirred by the Holy Spirit to run after God with all they have and all they are.
Pray without ceasing.
Godly Sorrow vs. Worldly Sorrow
2 Corinthians 7:10-11 “ Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death. See what this godly sorrow has produced in you: what earnestness, what eagerness to clear yourselves, what indignation, what alarm, what longing, what concern, what readiness to see justice done…”
Do you ever feel overwhelmed, wishing that suffering would end and the unkindness, injustice, and cruelty of this world would be brought to justice? Is your heart ever heavy over the damage sin causes? Friends, that is mourning over sin and it’s Godly. If those things don’t bother us, then that’s cause to question our hearts and our alignment with God’s principles. But when they DO bother us, it’s not a guilt over our own sin, but a sorrow in our hearts over just how lost this world is... they don’t know Jesus. We need to encourage our sons and daughters with these words. There is the danger that the grief of this world could steal our joy and dominate our thoughts. Take every thought captive.
Perhaps the greater question is, what does that sorrow motivate us to do? Do we spend time arguing our principles with others, trying to solve things here and now with politics and other divisive arguments? Maybe we struggle with a compulsion to make it clear to others that we are right and they are wrong (yeah, that always works well….) 2 Tim 2:23 “Don't have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments, because you know they produce quarrels.” Friends, that’s a worldly attempt to solve a spiritual dilemma.
We need to take a step back to see the bigger spiritual picture and understand this is all headed in the direction God ordained… at some point, things here will all unravel. Sin is a terminal condition. It leads to death...and everyone is afflicted. We cannot infuse enough ‘good’ into this world to reverse what God ordains as the end result. That’s not to say we abdicate any responsibility to effect change, but it is a checkpoint to ask ourselves, what kind of change are we trying to bring...and how?
We can and must share the hope we have in Christ. I Peter 3:15 “But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect,” We have to remember, this world is not our home, we are not destined to live here for eternity.
Maybe we should ask, “do we even have godly sorrow?” If we can’t answer that with confidence, it’s time to take inventory in our lives and check our hearts and our priorities. If we’re truly possessing godly sorrow, it will manifest itself in an eagerness to purify ourselves- to ensure we are blameless in how we live. If we have godly sorrow, we will be indignant…not pleased with ourselves and how well we argue our points, but frustrated at the lack of reverence and obedience to the Lord and we’ll be moved to share how He can redeem. We’ll be alarmed, having a true fear for the eternal condition of those who don’t know the Lord. We’ll be motivated with a deep longing to see others come to Christ. We’ll act with a zeal and fervor that indicates our lives are committed to something more than what this world can offer and we’ll have a burning desire to see God work justice against those who have done evil against others and scorned God and His Lordship. Do we long for God’s justice or are we hesitant?
Friends, we need to pray for our sons and daughters. They’re living in a world that pressures them to compromise their values and that would steal their joy and passion for Christ. Let’s pray that they would have a true, godly sorrow that would bring repentance in earnest. Pray that they would be eager to live in such a way as to strongly defend their beliefs. Pray that they would be indignant, alarmed at what they see this world doing and would have a longing and concern to see God’s justice done. Pray that they stand strong in their faith and would defend the gospel effectively.
Pray without ceasing.