Overcome Me!
Last night I was boiling fresh from a Pennsylvania farm corn on the cob. I had set the timer and then moved on with dinner prep, which
also inevitably included breaking up a toddler WWE tournament. Sigh. Right in
the middle of one of their matches, I heard this sound in the back of my mind.
It took a couple moments for the sound to register in my brain as BOILING water
BOILING over. Sizzling. Splashing. Lid rattling. Explosion ready to happen. I
sprinted to the stove to turn down the burner, and tipped
the lid to let some air in…ahhhh. All was well.
pressures of life. Ick. They make me feel on the verge of blowing the lid off
my mental boiling pot at any minute.
Let’s just start with emails. “Are you going to be joining
such-and-such group in the Fall? Please respond ASAP.” “Do you need child care
for such-and-such group. Please sign up ASAP.” “Here are the notes for
such-and-such. Please study them ASAP.” “Here is the calendar for the year for
such-and-such. Please let me know if there needs to be any changes ASAP.”
keep up with, the (occasional) voicemails to respond to, the thank you notes to
write, the birthday cards to send, the person to reach out to, the treadmill to
walk on, the weeds to pull, the walls to paint, the blinds to put up, the car
that needs to be fixed, the bathrooms that need to be cleaned, the dirty AND
clean laundry all over my bed that needs to be dealt with, the size 24 month
clothes in my son’s drawer that need to be given away because he’s wearing size
3T clothes that I pull out of a tub every day! And on, and on, and on, and on….
I know you feel me. I have so much to do on a moment-by-moment basis, and what do I almost
always end up doing instead? Watch TV. Scroll through Instagram. Swipe through
Twitter. Check my email- again. See what’s going on in the Facebook world. Dumb
FaceBook that we all love to hate, but can’t seem to know what to do with. Sigh. Huff. Puff. Dangerously close to blowing
my house down with the pressure building inside me.
desperately try to shut out the day- all I didn’t get done, and all I have to
do? With tears in my eyes, and a mind that can’t take it anymore, I am saying it’s time to be done.
Jesus says, “Come to me all you who are weary and heavy
laden, and I will give you rest.” “Be still.” “I lead you beside quiet waters.”
“I restore your soul.” “When you are weak, then I am strong.” “My peace I leave
with you, my peace I give.” “Quit striving, and know that I am God.”
down for a nap, and shuck the corn outside in the fresh air and sunshine -no music,
no Netflix. Stillness. When I read a book written by a Godly woman- wisdom for
my soul. When I cook with fresh herbs from my neighbor’s garden, and reflect on
such sweet gifts given to me. When I take the kids for a walk outside and share
the troubles of my heart with Jesus instead of walking on the treadmill and
watching Gilmore Girls. When I listen to worship music while driving in the car
and soak in the beauty of the mountains that surround me. When I begin to experience the Spirit’s
presence in new ways, because I’m still enough to notice. To hear. To listen. When
I read the Scriptures and experience peace. When I work on memorizing a verse. That’s when the Spirit pours out.
He’s beckoning me. The stillness, the quiet, the rest for my
soul. I have to fight for it. I have to say no to distractions. I have to be
disciplined. Ugh, the D word. But I WANT it. I WANT HIM. I need the quiet. I
need Jesus. I need the Spirit.
fill the atmosphere. Your glory God is what my heart longs for. Where my heart
becomes free. To be overcome by your PRESENCE, Lord.” (Kari Jobe)
2 thoughts on “Overcome Me!”
My favorite post of yours to date! I felt like I was reading about my life. I needed that message. Thank you, friend!
Amazing!!! I love this post Soooo much! Been struggling the last couple days and needed to read this! I am not alone!