Have you ever felt like you have done your best, you have been doing everything you know how and things still did not work out they you thought it should. I find myself at times, more often than I should, where I feel overwhelmed with everything that is taken place in my life and it is in those moments when I realise … I have done it again.
I actually tried to go through my next hour, day or week depending on my own abilities, thinking “I’ve got this”. Maybe even thinking that what I am going through is too small a thing to bother God, like getting my newborn baby to sleep, dealing with my toddler who is having a not so great day, or just finding five minutes for myself to get myself together and do what is needed. For you the picture may look a little different, you may be facing challenges at work or in a relationship and you try and sort it out the best way you know how, but you are not getting the satisfying outcome you were hoping for.
Now what?
The bare truth is that I find ourselves in these situations because I am not mindful of Christ.
What?
Did I really think I can do everything that is expected of me as a wife, a mom, an employee, a friend, a daughter by relying on myself, without involving God a hundred per cent of the time? God does not expect or want me to cope by myself so why do I think I can? Do you know what I am talking about?
If you do, that is okay. We have a way out. We have hope.
It was one morning this past week as I sat exhausted, suffering from a serious lack of sleep but not willing to change a minute of it as I get to be with my new baby boy, that I realised “I had it all wrong”.
John 15:4-5 tells us who we should go about everything single minute of our day and night:
Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. (NIV)
We are to fully depend on Jesus for everything as we are nothing without Him. Our abilities are limited, but with Him we can accomplish the impossible.
John 5:19 gives us the perfect example of how we should go about our lives:
So Jesus explained,”I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself. He does only what he sees the Father doing. Whatever the Father does, the Son does also.” (NLT)
This verse made me stop. If Jesus, who was perfect and capable of doing anything and handling the universe, only did what His Father told Him to do, how much more should I depend on Him for everything I do?
At first, we may seem to cope well on our own but sooner than later our wheels will come off and overwhelmness will step into the door. Frustration, discouragement and exhaustion ususally follow shortly thereafter. You can stop this from happening, by not depening on yourself.
Abide in Jesus. Rest, take your refuge in Him, find your strength in Him and follow only Him. When you get up in the morning, begin with: “Thank you Lord for this day, but I cannot do this on my own, guide me in everything that I need to do today. I am not prepared to go out there on my own, I need You and trust You for everything”. As you take each step, think of Jesus as you go about your day and His wisdom, protection and grace will overshadow in everything you do and the fruits of His presence will show in your life.
Maretha Retief
Photo credit: Him & Her Pictures