I don’t know about you, but there have been times in my life that have felt overwhelming.  Sometimes, I’ve felt that way because I don’t like how things have turned out.  The end result isn’t close to what I thought it would be when I started out.  Or circumstances at other times have swirled around me like a tornado…and I feel like Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz, in that house that’s being lifted up and carried to who-knows-where.  And at other times, my schedule is just flat-out, out of control, and I don’t know where to begin.

My default at those times can be to go in my closet and cry.  Now, just so you don’t get the wrong picture of me crying, while standing in the middle of the clothes rack, it IS a walk-in closet with space to sit down…space to be alone…space to get a grip again.  It doesn’t happen often, and usually a good cry in the closet, along with some heart-to-heart conversation with God can put me back on my feet again.

But on occasion, I’ve been so overwhelmed, one good cry in the closet has led to another, and to another, and to another.  I’m sure you all can think of a time when it’s been difficult to move past the tears, the discouragement, the hurt or the stress of the situation.  That’s when I have to have some self-talk and get myself sassy. And I need to remember that I may have an enemy trying to fill up my mind with swirling thoughts of sadness.  But I can be sassy back at him, knowing that I have a big God who IS going to get me out of this.  So I may have been hitting the closet a little bit lately, but I’m not going back anytime soon!  Today’s verse has put the sass back in me…and I’m praying it’ll put some sass back in you too!

Micah 7:8-9 MSG ~ Don’t, enemy, crow over me. I’m down, but I’m not out. I’m sitting in the dark right now, but God is my light. But it’s not forever. He’s on my side and is going to get me out of this!

This morning, I felt an overwhelming sadness over a situation in my life. To be honest, I wanted to just crawl back into bed, go back to sleep, and hope that when I woke up again, the situation would somehow be different. But I knew that wouldn’t be the case. So even though that emotion was pulling me into hibernation mode, I got dressed for work. Because I needed to be there…and not just in body only, but with my mind alert and engaged in the things that need to be done today! I wasn’t sure how this was going to shake out, since my thoughts kept drifting back to the situation…and fighting off tears seemed to be the only thing I was somewhat succeeding at.

Well, I finally got dressed…and I looked fine on the outside. But on the inside, I still wasn’t ready to go to work. So I sat down with my Bible…really not having any idea of where to turn, what to read…but so needing a word from the Lord. And when I opened my Bible, it fell open to Psalm 86. And God, in His tender mercy, immediately drew my eyes to verses 3 and 4. Tears sprang to my eyes. But instead of tears of sadness, they were tears of gratitude for His great love and faithfulness to carry me through every situation in life, no matter how difficult it is. And to not just help me make it through, but to have a happy life in the process. I don’t have to know how He’ll do that…you don’t have to know how He’ll do that for you…but it’s something we can count on from morning to night!

Psalm 86:3-4 MSG ~ I count on You from morning to night. Give your servant a happy life; I put myself in your hands!

I’ve often said that I’m a cliff dweller…who lives close to the edge.  Now that doesn’t mean I literally live on some mountain.  What it does mean is that I have a tendency to extend myself in my commitments…especially where it concerns my time.  I get out there, dangerously close to the edge of what I’m able to reasonably do.  Not because I have some desire to crash and burn out from exhaustion, but because there are so many tasks to be done, people to reach out to, experiences just waiting to be experienced…you get my drift, right?  Basically, I get in over my head, and I drift towards the edge of the cliff.

So what keeps me from falling off? Is it my great ability to balance all of my time commitments perfectly?  No…I can’t take any credit whatsoever.  It’s not what I do…it’s Who I’ve learned to reach out to for help, when I feel close to falling.  It’s God…who shows me how to live on the cliff without falling off.

Are you a fellow cliff dweller, living on top of a mountain of commitments?  Do you feel like you’re in over your head and you’re afraid that you’ll fall? Well, let me give me some great news! His hand of help is extended towards you…how do I know?  I already needed His help this morning!  And He was there for me, and He’ll be there for you.  Not to take you off the cliff, but to show you how to safely live there…by showing you how to order your day and better manage your commitments. Frankly, I like living on a cliff…I like the view from up here…that is, as long as He’s holding my hand!

Isaiah 43:1-2 MSG ~ “Don’t be afraid, I’ve redeemed you. I’ve called your name. You’re mine. When you’re in over your head, I’ll be there with you.

I was talking to a friend last week, and we started talking about some of the things we were afraid of when we grew up.  She had been afraid of quicksand…I had been afraid of the Invisible Man.  She had been afraid of being eaten by an alligator…I had been afraid of being caught by Pygmies and having them shrink my head. We laughed, of course, since neither of us was in any real danger of any of those things happening.  But those fears were so real, so paralyzing, so sleep-stealing at the time!

So do I still have those fears?  No…but other fears have most certainly tried to take their place.  Fears that involve finances, health, children, what’s happening in the world…I’m sure you could add plenty to that list! And if I let myself think about those things, they can be just as real, just as paralyzing, and just as sleep-stealing as those childhood fears.  So what’s a grown-up girl to do?

For me, it’s making a conscious decision, when those thoughts come, to put them out of my mind!  Because if they’re trying to make a house visit?  They can’t come in and get comfortable, UNLESS I let them!  And so I get pushy…and push those thoughts out, by replacing them with the thoughts of all the good things God has done, is doing, and will do in my life.  I remind myself of specific verses about God’s protection, His peace…His comfort.  And as I do?  THOSE thoughts crowd out those fear-filled thoughts.  So what fears are you fighting?  Get tough…get pushy…and get some sleep again!!

Joel 3:10 MSG ~ Let the weak one throw out his chest and say, “I’m tough, I’m a fighter.”

Proverbs 3:24 AMP ~ When you lie down, you shall not be afraid; yes, you shall lie down, and your sleep shall be sweet.