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Letting Go of Overwhelm

Devotion

Feeling overwhelmed can sometimes result from difficult circumstances such as the sudden death of a loved one, the challenges of single parenthood, or the reality of being underemployed.

However, when we look at feelings of overwhelm and how it relates to excess weight, more often than not, overwhelm is derived from an internal state of anxiety, fear, and doubt. It stems from feeling that there is something you're lacking; therefore, you keep doing more and more to satisfy that feeling of lack. People who struggle with feelings of 'overwhelm' lack healthy boundaries around managing their time, energy, and relationships. They over-obligate, over-commit, over-give, over-think, over-do, and are constantly under pressure to do more.

As with all emotional strongholds or addictions, you subconsciously perpetuate the feeling of overwhelm in your life by consistently, and often subconsciously, taking on too much. And like all addictions, the emotion tries to fill an insatiable void or hole in your life. For a drug addict, the payoff is the high you get from the drug, so what's the payoff from feeling overwhelmed?

The payoffs are many:

• Society rewards the busy, and people are often impressed when they hear how much you accomplish. Like getting Facebook 'likes' or Instagram 'followers,' your mind craves attention and recognition.
• It gives you a good excuse for not doing what God has really called you to do; it's a form of procrastination.
• You may feel like you get a lot done, which gives you a temporary high.
• Filling your time with one thing after another does not leave room for you to pay attention to your real needs. Staying overwhelmed becomes a way to numb the pain—after all, you don't have time to feel.

It's these payoffs or rewards that keep you stuck in overwhelm mode.

Even though overwhelm comes from a feeling of 'too much,' it's actually feelings of 'not enough'; that, on your part, you don't have enough time, talent, skills, etc., to do what you need to do. So you keep trying to do more and more to fill the void.

• When you're overwhelmed, it's almost impossible to focus because your mind is always overrun with too many thoughts that keep you from experiencing God's peace and rest.
• When you're overwhelmed, you feel like you need to control everyone and everything—this gives you a false sense of control because you're actually out of control.
• When you're overwhelmed, you don't make good decisions because you're unable to focus on what's really important; it's hard to 'see the forest for the trees.'
• When you're overwhelmed, you're always jumping from thing to thing, looking for the quickest and easiest solution instead of taking the time to focus on what matters most.
• When you're overwhelmed, you look for ways to stop the insanity that is your life, so you use things like food, drugs, shopping, TV, or other things to distract you.
• When you're overwhelmed, God's voice gets drowned out among all the dozens of to-do's, schedules, and plans.

Like other emotional addictions, you let go by following the 3 Steps to Letting Go:

Step 1. AWARENESS. Pay attention to what feelings come up in your body when you are overwhelmed, e.g., racing heart, sweaty palms. Then pay attention to what feelings put you in a state of overwhelm: Saying 'yes' to others when you really want to say 'no'; setting unrealistic timelines; cramming too much into your day; catastrophizing; focusing on problems; over-obligating; people-pleasing. As you feel it, just take a deep breath and release the tension in your body.

Step 2. ACCEPTANCE. You acknowledge your feelings of low self-esteem, fear of failure, need for approval, fear of rejection, and accept that this is what's really at the root. Don't try to fix the symptoms (your actions). Stay focused on the root feelings.

Step 3. STAND IN POSSIBILITY. Give those fears over to God every time you experience them and confess who you are in Him. Confess that you can be still and know (psalm 46:10). Confess that you find rest and peace in God.

Action Steps

If you struggle with feelings of overwhelm, journal all of the activities that keep you overwhelmed in the course of your day and practice letting them go.

Reflect

1. Every time you feel overwhelmed today, see it as an opportunity to cast all of your cares on the Lord. Listen to how He is talking to you.

2. How can 'being still' help you to release the spirit of overwhelm? Psalm 46:10

3. What payoffs do you derive from being overwhelmed? Give them to God and allow Him to meet those needs.

Prayer

"Lord, it feels like my mind is always racing, and there is never enough time in the day. I feel like a hamster on the wheel going 100 miles an hour but never getting anywhere. It feels like I can never catch up. Feeling overwhelmed also keeps me from eating healthier and exercising because sometimes I'm so tired, I just don't care! I keep searching for love and approval in all the wrong places. Lord, forgive me. My value does not come from what I do for others or from all that I accomplish. It comes from you and you alone. Remind me that I am enough. Today I find rest and peace in you. In your name, I pray. Amen!"

I pray that you will live in excellent health. To find our books, resources, or to sign up for our weekly newsletter to help you discover weight loss, God's way, go to https://cathymorenzie.com/yv .