The other night, one of my daughters shared with me that she was feeling “stressed” about school. We chatted about what it was exactly that was making her stressed. Then in that moment, which is typically what happens whenever there’s a crucial parenting moment for which I am well out of depth, the Holy Spirit showed up and inspired me to say something to the effect of these words:
How about we pray to God for two things: (1) the energy and (2) the time you need to finish the tasks you’re worried about?
Did you know that God is beyond time? Because He is the Creator of time itself, He’s very capable of stretching it. He has the ability to help us do the miraculous–the impossible! Even something we didn’t think we could do from a human standpoint. He is also the One who created human energy. It is well within His power to pour some more of it into us.
So let’s ask Him. Tell him what you’re stressed about, and ask Him to help. His help comes in real, tangible ways, sweetheart.
I knew it was the Spirit talking because I’m not very good at turning to God in my own stress. Like my sweet daughter, I too am often stressed and overwhelmed.
Usually, instead of casting my anxieties on God (1 Pet 5:7), I’d sooner assess the resources I have within myself. I check my energy levels, I look at my calendar. I try to plan out my days to ensure I’ll have enough time and energy to do the things I set out to do. When I see there might not be enough of either of these commodities, I feel stress build up.
I then go back to the drawing board of my mind, or I share my struggle with others. The problem is that I am then inundated with well-meaning suggestions (both from others and myself).
Perhaps I should get a cleaner. Or the kids should quit Saturday sports. Or I should quit my passion project. Or I need to start doing my grocery shopping online like the rest of the world! I just need to set it up and be organized enough to make the orders.
Better yet, I could get those subscription boxes where they both meal plan and work out your grocery needs for you. What a life hack! No budget for it? Not to worry, just cancel those streaming services! Really, it’s just about choice. Can’t figure out which are the right choices for the family? I just need more time to think!
Or maybe, what’s weighing me down is actually my mental load. If only I could find the source of my pain and tackle it head-on. Maybe it’s working out that sticky relationship at work. Or at the in-laws. Or in our marriage (yep, the one that consists of two people). So, maybe the silver bullet of a solution is that date night I’ve been putting off for years! All I need to do is to arrange babysitting.
And while we’re on the subject of babysitting, what I actually, really need is time to exercise and practice self-care. Then I won’t feel so overwhelmed by the demands of life. That’s tricky to get, though, because I’m just needed too much by too many people. So you know what I should do? I should delegate. I need to tie up those loose ends and start working on my handover immediately.
Yikes. Sometimes, trying to do less is actually hard work. So what do we do? What any sane person would do. We hide. We become paralyzed. We feel more stuck than ever before. No wonder we remain overwhelmed–stressed and without hope. But what if, like my daughter, we prayed instead?
To the overwhelmed . . . You don’t need more advice, or inspiration, or an answer. What you need is to turn to God. Ask Him for energy. Ask Him for time. Ask Him for grace. Prayer and sitting in stillness to seek His face is not a waste of time as it often feels. It’s the one thing that will bring you help. Help that is outside of yourself.
Please don’t hear me say that you should never reassess your commitments or seek help from others. Of course, constantly checking in with your energy tank, evaluating your capacity, and saying no sometimes are all important things to do. But it shouldn’t be the first thing we do when we’re overwhelmed and stressed.
Rather, as we turn to Him who holds all things in His hands, we find that His grace is sufficient for right now–for today (2 Cor 12:9). If tomorrow you need the grace to reassess your commitments, there will be enough grace tomorrow.
If the next day, you need to make that phone call and cut back on that thing, there will be enough grace for that as well. And if the day after next, you still feel overwhelmed, and you need the grace to be vulnerable to a friend and ask for help, it will surely be given to you too.
And all this abundant grace comes from the Lord. Trust Him. He is the source of all your resources. He is more than enough . . . .for today, for tomorrow, and for always.
Originally published on the author’s Substack
by Tricia Arthur 
by Jelise Ballon 
by Jordan Harrell 
