Be Overwhelmed by the Right Things

Can you think of anyone in the Bible who went through a more overwhelming ordeal than Job  (other than Jesus)? Let’s recap what happened to him IN ONE DAY...Job 1:13-19 “Job’s sons and daughters were having a feast in the home of his oldest son, when someone rushed up to Job and said, 'While your servants were plowing with your oxen, and your donkeys were nearby eating grass, a gang of Sabeans attacked and stole the oxen and donkeys! Your other servants were killed, and I was the only one who escaped to tell you.'

"That servant was still speaking, when a second one came running up and saying, 'God sent down a fire that killed your sheep and your servants. I am the only one who escaped to tell you.'  Before that servant finished speaking, a third one raced up and said, 'Three gangs of Chaldeans attacked and stole your camels! All of your other servants were killed, and I am the only one who escaped to tell you.'

" That servant was still speaking, when a fourth one dashed up and said, 'Your children were having a feast and drinking wine at the home of your oldest son, when suddenly a windstorm from the desert blew the house down, crushing all of your children. I am the only one who escaped to tell you.'"

The story gets worse as he gets painful sores and as his wife encourages him to curse God and die. Talk about being overwhelmed with life!  The majority of the book of Job is made up of Job’s friends and him sitting around trying to figure God out (like 35 chapters!).  Why did God let this happen to Job they wonder? I honestly get really tired when reading this book. Can you imagine Job having to listen to all of this from his friends?  

In chapter 38 God speaks. He doesn’t tell Job exactly why this happened or really even address the specific issues. What does He talk about?  Job 38:1 “Then the Lord answered Job out of the storm. He said: ‘Who is this that darkens my counsel with words without knowledge?” Verses 4-5 “Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation?  Tell me, If you understand. Who marked off its dimensions? Surely you know! Who stretched a measuring line across it?” Verse 12 “Have you ever given orders to the morning, or shown the dawn its place?”  Verse 19 “What is the way to the abode of light? And where does darkness reside?” Verse 35 “Do you send the lightning bolts on their way? Do they report to you, ‘Here we are?’” For four chapters God gives one question after another.  Boom, boom, boom. 

At first glance, it might seem like God is saying, who are you to question me.  You are a little nobody and I am awesome in power. But I believe the lesson is... don’t be overwhelmed by life Job, be overwhelmed with me.  Be so impressed with me and what you can see in creation that you know there is nothing I can’t do for you.  Sometimes we are so overwhelmed by the trials of life because we are not overwhelmed by the greatness of God.

Sometimes we are like Job in chapter 42:5 “My ears had heard of you but now my eyes have seen you.”  If we are just aware of God, if we have just heard about Him, but we have not personally, spiritually seen Him, we will not be overwhelmed by Him. 

We were made to be overwhelmed by the goodness, love, mercy and grace of God. For that reason, our hearts search for something bigger than us. When life becomes all about us, we find ourselves limited in time, energy, abilities, knowledge and patience.  We find ourselves overwhelmed by life.

Jesus said in John 16:33 “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” Hopefully, you never have a day as overwhelming as Job’s, but even if you do, take heart! Change your focus to how overwhelming our God is. Don’t allow the trouble to enter your heart.  Have your heart so filled with God that the trouble can’t get in. You might feel the pressure of the trouble trying to get in, but you don’t have to let it in. It is all determined by What Are You Looking At? 

Proverbs confirms that even good people will have trouble here on earth, but they don’t have to be overwhelmed by the trouble. "Even though good people may be bothered by trouble seven times, they are never defeated, but the wicked are overwhelmed by trouble." Proverbs 24:16

Before trouble even comes your way, start filling your heart with the goodness, grace, mercy, and love of God for you and you’ll be able to stand, without being overwhelmed when trouble comes.  Get so overwhelmed by what Jesus has done for you, what was accomplished on the cross, the position and authority you now have, the rewards and blessings to come that there is no place in your heart for trouble to enter in.  

Quick side note - In Job 42:7 God tells Job’s friends that He is angry with them because they have not spoken of Him what is right.  So be careful when reading the book of Job that you don’t pick out a verse that Job or one of his friends say and think, “It’s right here in the Bible, this must be the right way to think.”  

Let me end today with inviting you to sign up for a FREE Stress Buster Strategy Session with me.  We'll discuss your #1 stress and map out a 3-step action plan to help you overcome it and start reigning in life.

Have a friend that is overwhelmed with life?  Send them a link to this blog.  Thanks for sharing!