Life can feel overwhelming at times.

Like a deer staring into rapidly approaching headlights. Or a swimmer sizing up an ocean wave that will slam into them soon.

Several years ago when I was facing four agonizing months of chemotherapy, I couldn’t imagine how I was going to get through it. I had no way of knowing how I would experience the treatment. How I would react or what I would feel like. I was overwhelmed.

When I lost both of my parents last summer, I didn’t know how I was going to face the intense pain of loss. The grief felt huge, like a stack of weights on my chest at all times. I was overwhelmed.

When I began my coaching business five years ago, I didn’t know how I was going to create a thriving business. I had so many questions and doubts about the whole thing. I was overwhelmed.

When I became a mom for the first time at age 29, I didn’t know how I was going to raise my daughter to become a well-adjusted, healthy, caring adult. Again more questions and doubts. I was overwhelmed.

When I began college, I knew I was facing 10 years of higher education to become a psychologist. I was overwhelmed.

These are just a few of the more overwhelming moments from my life. There are so many more. I’m sure you have similar moments of your own now at the forefront of your mind.

Overwhelm Does Not Define You

Overwhelm occurs when we look at the big picture from the limited perspective of your current resources. Especially when our resources feel depleted, few, and far between. But overwhelm doesn’t have to define you. In fact, it’s not even based in reality.

Overwhelm tries to convince you that you need to solve all of your problems right now for everything to be ok. Big problems, small worries, it doesn’t matter. Fix it now. But at the end of the day, even overwhelming days, we are only human. We can only do so much. We can’t solve every problem all at once. We weren’t built for that.

You Don’t Have to Solve Every Problem

Here’s the good news: All we have is today. We don’t have to figure everything out at once.

You are God’s beloved child. God is always with you. No matter how big the wave or how bright the headlight.

Here’s another important thing to remember: The voice inside you telling you to solve every problem now isn’t God. God made us and loves us. God knows that we are finite and limited. So God doesn’t expect us to solve everything.

Our human limitations are invitations for us to bring God into the situation. Invitations to partner with Him and navigate life’s challenges together. God wants to meet us exactly where we are and move forward with us.

We are never alone in the overwhelm. We can bring it all to the One who made us and loves us. So start where you are by taking a baby step forward.

The path through overwhelm is one task, one breath, one prayer, one day at a time. Have faith that the Lord will provide exactly what you need when you need it. Even if it doesn’t match your expectations. God is faithful. He is supplying, providing, guiding, equipping, empowering, holding, comforting and loving you every single step of the way.

So take a few deep breaths and focus on your next step. Before you know it, you’ll be looking back on all you accomplished.

If you’re at a place where you are ready to have an experienced coach work with you through finding the purpose in your overwhelm, set up a free 15 minute call with me. We’ll talk through some of your story and see if we would work well together to start your journey toward abundant life.