Help When You’re Overwhelmed and Under-wowed

He awkwardly settled into my office chair and gave me “that look”. That look that speaks volumes without words. That look that said, You’re probably not going to like what I’m about to say. 

He was right. I didn’t like it.

With a few short words, my life was instantly changed. “We’ve been acquired by another company. I’m not sure how long we will have jobs. I’m so sorry.”

I sunk down in my chair; my head swirling. The words that followed were barely audible. But, it didn’t really matter what else he had to say. This single mom had already taken his words and shaped them into a gloom and doom scenario.

I know the drill in an acquisition … Human Resources is the first to go. I can’t lose my job. What will happen to the kids and me? I love this job and these people!

In an instant, I felt my security and my future slipping through my fingers.

The days that followed were a whirlwind. I was flown to another city and began reporting to a different person. I worked hard to make great first impressions and to fit into a new culture. I studied at night to memorize new policies and procedures.

With barely a moment to quiet my thoughts, fear slithered in and captured my heart. I became completely overwhelmed.

I think all of us can relate to being overwhelmed. The dictionary defines overwhelmed as “an overpowering or excessive amount of anything.” Anything can become overwhelming if it’s in excess or if we let it overpower us.

In that situation, fear and uncertainty began to overpower me. It began to drown out God’s voice and His power within me. That’s when the cold hard truth was revealed …

I had become overwhelmed with my circumstances and under-wowed with my God.

Ouch! That one hurt.

But how does one get under-wowed with God? I mean, He simply touched  the sick and they were healed. He spoke a raging sea into calm waters. He willed the dead to life.

Those are “WOW” events. And I believe every one of them.

Perhaps it’s familiarity that creates the disconnect. Familiarity can be a slippery slope – it can easily breed complacency.

We can repeatedly read passages that speak about His miracles, His kindness, and His compassion. But do we really savor them? Are we still wowed by them?

Revelation 2:4b tells us our hearts can depart from the love we first had for God. Meaning, we can depart from that “first love” passion we had when God first touched our hearts.

Our love relationship with Him, the wow-factor, can diminish if we don’t hold tight to it.

We begin to go down the path of independence; trying to rely on ourselves instead of God. Then fear sets in and we find ourselves spiraling away from the wisdom, peace and joy we found in Christ.

We need to flip this around.

We need to be overwhelmed with our God and under-wowed with our circumstances. 

So what’s the remedy?

Here are 5 truths that get me back on track when I feel my heart has departed.

Spend Time In His Creation:

We are reminded in Romans 1:20 that God’s divine power is undeniably evident in nature. I am ALWAYS renewed and reconnected when it’s just God, me, His creation and my journal. He is always present in His creation and I always find Him when I take time to linger there a while.

Slow Down:

The truth about multitasking is that we aren’t doing anything well. We must spend quality time seeking God if we expect to hear His word, feel His presence, and gain His power. This isn’t an easy task in today’s fast-paced world, I know. I’m trying to be disciplined about doing one thing at a time, in every aspect of my life.

Talk To Him … A Lot:  

We are instructed to pray without ceasing(1 Thessalonians 5:17). That means all the time and about everything. Every prayer doesn’t have to be a long, deep, here-come-the-tears prayer. He loves to hear our everyday chatter.

Get On Our Knees:

There is something about coming to Him with not only a humble heart but also in a humble posture. We can get comfy in our quiet time, and there’s nothing wrong with that. But there are times we should allow our knees to feel a little pain.

Share What He’s Done:

We are reminded of what He’s done in our lives when we share it with others. God tells us we can’t do this life alone. We need the encouragement and support of others and we need to be encouraging and supportive as well. What we share, we remember.

These five truths carried me through that time of uncertainty and continue to mold me today. I’m still with the company that bought us out and they’ve given me more opportunities than I ever imagined. What I once thought was gloom and doom turned out to be God providing. Through His provision, I have grown both professionally and personally through this journey.

What a great lesson! God is always bigger than my circumstances.

Ponder

What situations cause you to be overwhelmed and under-wowed? How do you regain your passion and peace? Please share your challenges and victories in the comments below. You are not alone. We need your encouragement today!

Practice

A Truth: “As soon as all the people saw Jesus, they were overwhelmed with awe and ran to greet Him.” Mark 9:15

A Song: Overwhelmed by Big Daddy Weave (Click here to listen)

A Read: Crazy Love: Overwhelmed by a Relentless God by Francis Chan

A Prayer: Lord, let my first love for you be re-kindled. I ask that you ignite my heart to the wonders of who you are and what you have done. Let your love overwhelm my heart and under-wow my circumstances so I have peace in whatever this world throws at me. I know you are bigger than my circumstances. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

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