Well , welcome into your encouraging five-minute podcast . I'm Eric . You know my friend Heather Hi At the end of this five , over the course of the next five minutes . We're just here to encourage you , sharing some ideas and some thoughts and some inspiration for you .
And at the end of the five minutes , if you still need some encouragement , we'd invite you to listen to Virginia's home for encouragement WPER .
Yeah , you can listen on your smart speaker . Just tell it to play WPER , or you can download the WPER app at WPERorg .
Looking for every way we can to encourage you .
Especially after you've had one of those days right where everything feels like it's just too much and the to-do list keeps growing and people keep needing you and all you want to do is hit pause , but you can't now .
If that is you in this moment , take a deep breath , because you're in the right place for a little encouragement you've seen the memes like a dumpster fire .
Yeah , but life can actually truly feel that way sometimes . You know it piles up work , family responsibilities , expectations . It's like you're juggling a hundred things at once . That's not even part . Well , I don't know if you practice Maybe . Nobody wants to do that , you know .
And then if one more thing gets thrown into the mix , you feel like you're going to drop everything . If you've ever thought I know , I have . I can't handle this .
Oh gosh , yes .
You were actually never meant to handle it all alone .
Yeah , absolutely . But that's easy to forget when you're right in the middle of it . For me , I'm a wife , I'm a mother , I'm a full-time employee , I'm a friend , I'm a sister , I'm a daughter and I'm always going to show up because I want to help the people in my life that I care for .
But I know a lot of people just like me who keep showing up for everybody else and putting ourselves last and last week I was sitting in my car after a really long day . I get this email about some medical treatment for our daughter and they're like oh , it's only going to be $6,000 . I broke down I don't have that and like that was the last little thing .
So tears start pouring down my face and I just was saying God , I don't know how much more of this I can take . And even in that moment of anger , of frustration and exasperation , I heard this little small whisper God said you were never meant to carry it all by yourself .
And when you're knee deep in whatever it is you're facing and trying to handle everything or fix things , you get to that point where maybe and you've said it , I have I can't do it anymore .
You know , maybe that's . The problem , though , you know , is that we're telling God that we're not able to do it , because if we admit that we feel weak , you know , it's almost like we're saying to God I can't handle everything going on in my life right now , so I'm a total failure .
Well , here's the thing God doesn't expect us to handle it or take care of everything by ourselves . Matthew 11 , 28 , right there in his living words , has come to me . All you who are weary and burdened , and I will give you rest . God isn't asking you to carry the weight of everything going on in the world . He's inviting you to lay it down .
Lay down the burden of doing it all by yourself . Lay down the stress of trying to hold everything together . Listen , drop the weight of being everything to everyone . Just drop it . He is asking you to give it to him .
Oh gosh , I love that . So what do you do when you start feeling overwhelmed ? First thing is to literally stop right where you are . I had a pastor tell me that and I was like that feels crazy .
But when you physically stop right where you are and you take a deep breath , and then another , if you have to , and then maybe another , just breathe , and then instead of saying God help me figure this out , or God , I have to do this , just say God , I'm giving this to you now . Don't ask for his help .
Give it to him because it's a little clue I'm learning . He didn't need your help , hey even a simpler prayer .
if you can't remember all that is just Lord , help me . Yes , so powerful in those moments .
And something else you can do when you're overwhelmed is prioritize your peace right , it's not selfish , it's essential , because everything feels urgent , right , but not everything that you have to do is essential . So ask yourself what needs my attention right now ? What needs my attention today ? Can it wait till tomorrow ? What can I say no to ?
And give yourself permission to say no to things . I mean it's okay to say no if it's going to preserve you and give you a little more peace in your life .
Yes , and we can say it together . I am not alone , I do not have to do everything by myself , and I won't let my overwhelm steal my peace .
God's holding you and his grace is enough .
Yep . His grace is enough . Now , if this message encouraged you , share it with somebody else who needs to hear it . And don't forget you're doing better than you think .
Hey , if you need more encouragement , remember Virginia's home for encouragement , WPER . Just download the WPER app .
Yep , you can do that at WPERorg . Thanks so much for letting us share part of the day with you .