I see you.
You’re tired— physically, mentally, and emotionally. You’re struggling. You’re feeling overwhelmed. You’re going through some hard things— things related to motherhood, things with your spouse, things with your finances…and other things. You’re going through all the things.
I see you.
Your spiritual disciplines are waning. Sometimes you don’t feel like picking up your Bible. Climbing out of bed and getting the family ready for church feels like a full-time job. You lack the motivation to serve. Prayer time feels weak, empty, and your words seem repetitive.
I see you.
God’s Word sounds good, but you aren’t really feeling it in the depths of your soul like you normally do. You want to believe and reckon every word of the text for yourself, but unbelief shouts louder. You’re easily distracted while you read, and your quiet time just feels dry.
I see you.
You want to hear the Lord speaking to you, but the voice of the enemy drowns it out. You’ve let the spirit of fear control your thoughts and direct your steps. You believe God is good, great, and mighty, but you’re having trouble staying under the shadow of His wings.
I see you.
And, so does the Lord. El Roi (Genesis 16:13). He sees you, He hears you, and He loves you right where you are.
When the day feels daunting
When fear, worry, anxiety, and a lack of motivation strip you of your energy and cast you down into a pit, you don’t dig yourself out. The only way out is through– and by through, I mean you let the Lord lift you out.
His process of lifting you out means you have to walk through the trials— big and small; through the places of overwhelm; and it has to be by, through, and with the Lord’s help. He is the one who pulls you out of the pit, sets your feel on solid rock, and puts a new song in your mouth (Psalm 40:1-3).
I’m right here with you. These last several weeks I’ve battled each of these thoughts, feelings, and mindsets. I’ve let myself stay in the pit at times, and I’ve let the Lord lift me up at times. But what I have learned (and am continuing to learn!), is that the Lord meets you where you are, and if you allow Him, He will grab you by the hand and pull you along to where He wants you to be.
The God Who Sees
The Lord not only sees You, but He also goes far beyond that and actually fights for you (Deuteronomy 1:30), heals you (Psalm 30:2), and comforts you (Psalm 94:19).
The Lord is here to calm your anxiety, squelch your overwhelm, and light your lack of motivation on fire. And, He doesn’t do those things in the ways the world may tell us– keep yourself busy, focus on yourself, or anchor down on your to-do list.
No, He puts a new song in our mouths– one of praise to Him.
He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God; many will see and fear and will trust in the Lord (Psalm 40:3 NASB).
Worshipping God when these feelings ensnare us is absolutely necessary– and, absolutely difficult. Yes, difficult. But, what I’ve found recently is that as I praise God when I am feeling my lowest— sitting on the floor with a blanket draped around me in an effort to find some sort of comfort— that is when my heart is changed.
Through the praise, He draws me closer to Him, calms my heart, mind, and soul, and shows me just how ever-present He truly is.
Praising God when you don’t feel like it
How do we allow God to work in us when we’re stuck in the pit? It’s easy to praise Him when we’re feeling good, and there’s a lot of sunshine in our lives. But what about when things are hard?
There is a progression I went through that brought me to the place where I can praise Him even from the pit. How? Well, as soon as the heart of praise comes full force, I realize He’s already brought me out of the pit and set my feet upon the rock.
And, when your feet are steady and firm on His rock, it’s much harder to fall back into the pit of despair.
How to calm anxiety, overwhelm, and lack of motivation
How do you calm anxiety? The Lord led me through this progression as I began to deal with anxiety due to a life circumstance several weeks ago. Although I’m certainly not “over the mountain” yet and able to perfectly deal with it, I do believe the game plan that He’s given me has proven to be helpful (of course it is— it’s from the Lord!), and perhaps it will be helpful to you too!
#1: Seek the lord
Seek the Lord and His strength; seek His face continually. (Psalm 105:4 NASB)
First, I had to start with the basics…and by the basics, I mean the most important thing: Him. He is who we are looking for and the only One who can fill the empty hole within us. Once we know Him more deeply, we get to a place where we realize that He is enough. If all else fails and all else is stripped away, He is enough.
Seeking Him means spending time communicating with Him, praying, and listening to Him. Study His Word and get to know Him better through His love and counsel.
#2: Prayer time
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and pleading with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. (Philippians 4:6 NASB)
Through our prayer– our conversation with the Lord– we are able to grow closer to Him and get to know Him better. Why? Because there is so much that He reveals to us if we only ask. He calls us to seek Him, and when we seek something or someone, the goal is to find them, right?
As I’ve battled these feelings of anxiety and overwhelm, I began a prayer journal. Writing prayers, praise, and anything that is on my heart at the moment has been very comforting to me. To be able to get the thoughts out of my head before the Lord is freeing.
But, no matter how or where we pray, just know that prayer is crucial in overcoming anxiety. When we let the Lord know what’s on our hearts, He opens our eyes to other Scripture, resources, and people in our lives who can help us in our season. If we’re not ready to speak about it with the Lord, then we’re not truly ready to confront it.
#3: Spend time in the Word
When we are feeling overwhelmed and fighting anxiety, that’s not a time to slack in our Bible study. I know— it’s hard to get out of bed. I know— it’s hard to open the Bible and read the words through the tears in our eyes. I know. But this is the time!
For me, I’ve taken a break from the book of the Bible I’ve been studying in order to spend time in the Word with the purpose of finding passages and verses that keep my mind focused on Him, His power, and His ability to overcome overwhelm, anxiety, fear, and a lack of motivation.
“Follow God’s lead. There is no one who knows the Word better than He does!”
Take notes. Write Scripture. Write out your prayers. Whatever method you use and however the Lord leads you at that moment will be the most helpful to you. Follow His lead. There is no one who knows the Word better than He does! Allow Him to lead you to the passages that will minister to your soul at the moment.
#4: Find your encouragement circle
As a typically introverted person, I tend to get quiet, keep things bottled up, and go off by myself when I’m feeling overwhelmed. My natural tendency is to just deal with hurt and negative feelings on my own. But, the Lord has repeatedly shown me that this is not the time to go and live on an island. I need people. You need people.
I pray that you have a few godly women in your life that you can go to as you walk through your trials. Even if they’ve never been through exactly what you’re going through, they can help you keep the right perspective, pray over you, send you encouraging scriptures, or just check in on you and see how you’re doing.
I’ve been blessed to have a circle of friends who’ve done this for me, and it makes a world of difference. The Lord puts people in your life equipped with different spiritual gifts– gifts that can be used to minister to you.
Don’t keep quiet. Lean on the Lord and don’t take for granted the people He has placed around you.
#5: Praise Him regularly
I call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised, and I am saved from my enemies. (Psalm 18:3 NASB)
The Lord is worthy to be praised. Sometimes when we’re down in the pit it doesn’t feel that way. But, it’s true. Going through the progression of my tips #1 to 4 has led me to the place where praise can be honest and regular because I believe that despite all things, He is worthy to be praised.
Do you believe He’s worthy to be praised?
Keeping your sights focused on things above (Colossians 3:1-2), and not the circumstances of your life, reminds you that He is truly worthy.
Biblical Affirmations to start each day of the week
These truths are based on encouraging scriptures in the Bible. Remembering the truth of God’s Word not only keeps you focused on what truly matters, but helps you remember and believe that He is enough.
Read these truths when you’re struggling and wondering how to calm anxiety. Meditate on these biblical affirmations when you feel a lack of motivation. And, when the day feels daunting, spend the day focusing on one of these truths at a time. Take the time to look up the referenced verses and memorize what He has promised you.
Here’s one biblical affirmation for each day of the week!
Monday
God has a plan and purpose for my life (Jeremiah 29:11)
Tuesday
His goodness and mercy pursue me (Psalm 23:6).
Wednesday
The Lord fights for me (Exodus 14:14).
Thursday
The Lord does not forsake those who seek Him (Psalm 9:10).
Friday
I can dwell safely in the Lord, for He shelters me (Deuteronomy 33:12).
Saturday
The Lord is my keeper (Psalm 121:5).
Sunday
I will not be shaken because the Lord is at my right hand, and I have set Him before me (Psalm 16:8).
He is Enough
Sister, please remember: God is enough. Even in the pit. Even when you’re struggling. Even when all else fails, and all you hold dear is stripped away.
God is enough.
Like this post? Don’t miss the next one! SUBSCRIBE and you’ll be the first to know when new posts are published!
