When You Are Overwhelmed

Hear my cry, O God;

Attend to my prayer.

From the ends of the earth I will cry to You,

When my heart is overwhelmed;

Lead me to the rock that is higher than I.

For you have been a shelter for me,

A strong tower from the enemy.

I will abide in Your tabernacle forever;

I will trust in the shelter of Your wings. Selah

Psalm 61:1-4

 

Father in heaven, how fragile life is. In a moment life may be changed forever by an accident, heart attack, stroke, rape, suicide, murder, a diagnosis with a poor prognosis, redundancy or an earthquake, flood or fire.  We are numb, shattered, exhausted. Our guts are squirming. We live in a daze. We stumble under the simplest tasks.

Or maybe the change has been sneaking up on us, come as a gradual downward slide. We’ve been ignoring the signs or been confused, not able to put our finger upon exactly what is happening – marriage problems, infertility, retirement, empty nest, financial problems, ageing, fatigue and burnout, memory loss, addiction, mental ill-health, a child with developmental, behavioural or learning challenges.

We pause in the engulfing turmoil to remember You are not caught unaware by any of these things. We rest in the knowledge that although we do not know what the future holds, we know You are the One who holds the future.

Thank You that these are the times when You carry us. You are our refuge and strength. A very present help in trouble. You give us the strength that we need as each new day unfolds.

How grateful we are that Jesus understands by personal experience the weight of these burdens. We ask that He will be exalted in our lives during these times. We ask please for His peace to be lived out in us day by day. In His name we pray. Amen

 

Supporting Verses

The eternal God is your refuge,

And underneath are the everlasting arms;

He will thrust out the enemy from before you,

And will say, “Destroy!”

Deuteronomy 33:27

 

God is our refuge and strength,

A very present help in trouble (margin = An abundantly available help).

Therefore we will not fear,

Even though the earth be removed,

And though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea;

Though its waters roar and be troubled,

Though the mountains shake with its swelling. Selah

Psalm 46:1-3

 

Be still and know that I am God;

I will be exalted among the nations,

I will be exalted in the earth!

The LORD of hosts is with us;

The God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah

Psalm 46:10-11

 

But now, thus says the LORD, who created you, O Jacob,

And He who formed you, O Israel:

“Fear not, for I have redeemed you;

I have called you by your name;

You are Mine.

When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;

And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you.

When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned,

Nor shall the flame scorch you.

Isaiah 43:1-2

 

Now may the Lord of peace Himself give you peace always in every way. The Lord be with you all.

2 Thessalonians 3:16