Overwhelmed
Overwhelmed – completely overcome in mind or feeling, overpowered or crushed by superior forces.
Think about when you felt overwhelmed and fearful that what you were experiencing was too much to bear. A significant loss might have caused it, an unexpected change of circumstances, an illness or tragedy we believed would never come. Possibly, the overwhelming feeling was coupled with a sense of regret for choices resulting in undesirable consequences.
Periods of trial and difficulty are part of the human condition. Even Jesus faced circumstances he thought would be too great to bear, requesting that God remove the burden from him in his prayers in the garden before his crucifixion. Though none of us looks forward to feeling overwhelmed, most recognize that not all of life is smooth sailing. And, somehow, we continue to survive.
If we are honest, we also realize that our survival is usually not a result of our strength, cleverness, or moral fortitude.
What does our survival tell us? Author Frederick Buechner wondered how survival through loss and tragedy should be interpreted. Ultimately, he believed it was evidence of God’s grace and mercy.
“It tells us that weak as we are, a strength beyond our strength has pulled us through at least this far, at least to this day. Foolish as we are, a wisdom beyond our wisdom has flickered up just often enough to light us, if not to the right path through the forest, at least to a path that leads forward, that is bearable. Faint of heart as we are, a love beyond our power to love has kept our hearts alive.”[1]
In our independent culture, we are often reticent to seek support or assistance in times of need. But this is the function of the church. Brothers and Sisters in Christ are a means by which we experience God’s love, grace, and mercy even when overwhelmed. It is also why we are called to serve those in need—that we can be tangible evidence to them of the “strength beyond our strength,” “wisdom beyond our wisdom,” and “love beyond our power to love.”
“Dear children, let’s not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions.”
I John 3:18
Our ability to give and receive support is one tool God uses to shape us into the person we were created to be. Pray that God will alert us to those feeling overwhelmed so we may help lift their burden. And pray, too, that God will help us remain humble enough to allow others to comfort us when we feel overwhelmed.
[1] Buechner, Frederick. Crazy, Holy Grace - The Healing Power of Pain and Memory. Zondervan, 2017. P. 62.
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As RPC’s Associate Pastor for Mission Outreach, Rev. Dr. Dan Kreiss, has a heart for service and a diverse array of experiences in the mission field. Be sure to subscribe to the Mission Outreach Blog to read and follow along as he documents his personal journey and shares his vision for RPC’s mission outreach commitment. Along with providing meaningful resources, this blog will help jumpstart the important conversations our church community must be having about missional living.
Rev. Dr. Dan Kreiss
Rev. Dr. Dan Kreiss is the Associate Pastor for Mission Outreach at RPC. Dan is particularly passionate about encouraging the church to reflect the diversity found in its surrounding community in regard to age, gender, ethnicity, education and economic status.