What to do When You Feel Overwhelmed

“Overwhelmed” is a word we hear a lot in our culture today. As I write this post, I can honestly tell you that my schedule and all that is going on looms like an overwhelming cloud. It’s just part of life, it seems, to walk in and out of overwhelming circumstances sometimes daily. I have even heard children use this term while they are playing. What is it that causes us to be so overwhelmed in life? I wish I had an answer and a cure for that part of life, but I am not attempting to give great insight into that question in this post. My purpose in this post is to encourage your heart if it is overwhelmed today. Maybe you are not at that point today, but you know that it can happen at any point of any day in the future. So, let this post be a point of reference for you in your moments of feeling overwhelmed. What are we, as believers, supposed to do when we are overwhelmed? I believe that the Psalmist explains this very clearly in several passages in the Psalms. Let’s look at my favorite one today – Psalm 61!

Although we don’t know the exact background of this psalm or what David was going through at the time that he wrote this psalm, I think we can imagine what it may have been for him. Look at David’s life for any length of time and you will realize that he did not ascend to the throne of Israel in a normal way. His family was not a great example of support for him. He made some grave errors in his walk with the Lord, and yet, God calls him a man after His own heart (Acts 13:22). His psalms are often an emotional rollercoaster of feelings, but one thing that is important to note about David is that he always comes back to praising God and affirming what he knew to be true about God. That is exactly what we find in Psalm 61. David was tired and feeling inadequate, but he found his hope and strength in the Rock, his shelter in the covering of Christ’s wings, and his assurance in the promises of God. Let’s just walk through a good portion of this psalm briefly together.

"Hear my cry, O God; attend unto my prayer. From the end of the earth will I cry unto Thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I." Psalm 61:1-2

There’s our word overwhelmed! Although we don’t know why David was overwhelmed, we know that his heart was struggling at this moment. David begs God to hear his cry and to listen attentively to his prayer. He tells us that he feels far removed as he cries out to God. He knows God is there, and he asks the Lord for strength and security in this moment of being overwhelmed. David then tells us something he believes about God – he needs God to lead him. Notice in verse 2, that he doesn’t resolve to find a place of safety or to deal with his feelings better next time. He begs God to lead him to a place of safety. He admits that he needs God to help him in this time of being overwhelmed by asking to be led.
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Friend, I must ask, is this the way that you and I deal with our overwhelming moments in life? Do we run to Christ and cry out for His leading and His protection? Sometimes I find myself making plans on how to be better or how to escape the overwhelming moments rather than following the Psalmist’s example. Carry on with me in the next two verses.

"For Thou hast been a shelter for me, and a strong tower from the enemy. I will abide in Thy tabernacle for ever: I will trust in the covert of Thy wings. Selah." Psalm 61:3-4

In these verses, David again expresses his confidence in the Lord and His provision of strength and security. He speaks of resting in the shelter and the tower of protection that God provided for him for safety from the enemy. In verse 4, he makes two “I will” statements committing to seek God’s presence and to dwell in it.

In the overwhelming moments of life, who do we express confidence in? Who do we seek to spend time with? It’s natural to look to human help in these situations – your husband, your mom, or maybe your dearest friend. But that is not what we find in Psalm 61.

I remember a time in college (too many years ago) when I felt like I could not possibly complete all the tasks placed before me. I was complaining and probably even crying about it to a friend. I can still see her sweet countenance when she said to me, “Amanda, have you spent any time with the Lord today?” I was almost incredulous in that moment. Did she not hear what I was telling her? I had no extra time and not enough time for the tasks of today. And yet, the Lord used that sweet, godly friend to point me to my greatest need – choosing to dwell in Christ’s presence in my overwhelming moment! I remember that I promised her that I would take time to read my Bible and pray before starting my task list that evening. I still wasn’t convinced, but how could I tell her I had no time for God? I don’t know how He did it then or how He continues to do this in my life today; but, after spending time with the Lord that evening, I completed ALL the tasks before me with time to spare. Is that because I found a way to cheat time? Of course not! Dwelling with God is what is most necessary and is the place of greatest security for every believer, especially in the moments of the most overwhelming feelings.

Skip down with me now to the last verse of the psalm.

"So will I sing praise unto Thy name for ever, that I may daily perform my vows." Psalm 61:8

Here is David’s conclusion – I will praise! David starts the psalm feeling his inadequacies, exhaustion, and generally overwhelmed. But after seeking God, expressing his confidence in God, and resting in His presence, David resolves to sing praise and to daily serve his God. Let’s circle back to the question I posed at the beginning of this post – What are we, as believers, supposed to do when we are overwhelmed? Run to Christ! Cry out to Him in prayer, expressing your confidence in Who God is and what He has promised to you as a believer. Spend purposeful time in His presence. These actions taken in overwhelming moments will drive you to praise, just like they did David. Don’t miss this point about praise! We hear a lot that we are supposed to pray when we are in need, but sometimes we sit in our prayers in “the depths of despair” to borrow from Anne of Green Gables. We are quick to moan to God about all that is wrong and all that we need Him to fix for us. But we forget that God is worthy of our praise ALWAYS, even when we are overwhelmed! Spurgeon in his Treasury of the Psalms said it this way, “We ought not to leap in prayer, and limp in praise.”

Friend, are you overwhelmed? Run to Christ and spend time in His presence pouring out your heart to Him. Then praise Him as He helps you carry those overwhelming times with His grace beyond our understanding.

What prevents you from immediately running to Christ when you're feeling overwhelmed, and how can you cultivate a habit of seeking His presence first in those moments?