My husband and I were driving home. The kids were asleep in the back seat. I stared out the window consumed with thoughts swirling around inside my mind. My husband looks my way and asks,
How are you doing?”
I thought about his question for a few seconds. I didn’t want to answer with “I’m fine” although that would have been a very easy way to answer him and not have to explain all the reasons I was wasn’t fine. How do I to put into words all that is going on with me right now? Just another consuming thought to add to the mix.
Then I shared with him,
I am feeling super overwhelmed.”
Usually my husband would respond with more questions. Usually he would want to know why I was overwhelmed and then try to fix whatever parts he could to help lessen my stress. But this time he placed his hand on my leg to comfort me, then replied,
Sometimes, it’s okay to be overwhelmed.”
When he spoke those words, my heart softened and my thoughts stopped swirling for a moment. My husband validated my feelings, assuring me that where I was at, was okay. Being overwhelmed didn’t have to define the rest of my day and it didn’t mean I wasn’t capable. Knowing this made all the things I was worrying about seem less of a burden.
Freedom. His words gave me freedom. Instead of being bound by my thoughts and the anxiety that stirs up from those thoughts, instead of feeling frustrated that I was so overwhelmed, my husband’s words reminded me that sometimes it’s okay to be overwhelmed!
It’s going to happen.
I don’t know if you are feeling overwhelmed right now.
Maybe your husband is preparing for deployment,
maybe you just had another baby,
maybe you are going back to college,
maybe you are starting a new job,
maybe you are in need,
maybe your bank account is running low,
maybe you feel lonely
…I could list even more…the point is that there can be many things that overwhelm a woman. And only God knows just how overwhelmed you are.
If you are like me, the feeling of being overwhelmed frustrates you, paralyzes you, hinders you from tackling the very things making you feel overwhelmed. You feel defeated, depressed and down right useless.
But! What if we told ourselves it’s okay to be overwhelmed? What if we recognized it, asked God for strength and then moved on? What if we denied the enemy power to tempt us into a fit of anxiety and fear because we allowed ourselves to be overwhelmed to remind us that we cannot do life in our own strength? What if we allowed it to help us acknowledge our great need for God?
The next time you feel overwhelmed, unless you are overwhelmed this very moment, I want you to walk in freedom! I want you to tell yourself,
Sometimes, it’s okay to be overwhelmed.
Then pray and share with God and your husband some of the reasons why you are overwhelmed. Talking about it can help you overcome the stress of your situations, and God or your husband may have a clearer view of how to help you move on. I hope this encourages you today.