God’s Prescription for Meltdowns

             Do you ever have meltdowns?  They happen to me every once in a while, especially when I feel overwhelmed about a busy schedule ahead. This week I had a meltdown. I am a big picture girl and tend to be an advance planner so when I looked at my calendar through October, I started worrying I would not get it all done, paralyzing me from getting anything done. Doesn’t the word say in Matthew 6:34 Do not worry about tomorrow….? 

            It didn’t help that I was having writer’s block on the final lecture of a Bible study I was co-authoring. The topic: Jesus. How in the world could I not find something to say about someone who has made such a difference in my life? But my fingers were stuck on my computer keyboard. Lord, what do you want me to say about your Son? God was silent.

            So, I began to cry out of frustration. Surely God will have mercy on me and give me the words. Still nothing.

            Later that morning, my friend Rebecca called me up and told me she was prompted to pray for me.  She has the same calling as me so I knew she’d understand my worries and she gave me incredible advice. She told me to pray over my schedule and ask the Lord to show me what I should be working on.  She also advised me not to think about the next couple of months or the retreat I am doing in July or October but to just focus on what God tells me to focus on TODAY.

            I thanked her and a light turned on in my brain illuminating the issue. I was not working on the project God wanted me to tackle. That’s why the words weren’t flowing.  I had been feeling a holy push to get another book project wrapped up but because I thought the other should come first, I pushed the book to the back burner. I realized I had not been obedient to the Lord’s plan for my day, so I prayed and felt peace about working on the book instead.

            This morning I looked back at Matthew 6:34 and realized the verse prior to it provides the God’s prescription for overcoming worry. It says, But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. I thought about all the times I quoted Matthew 6:33 without linking Matthew 6:34 to it.

            If we seek God’s direction and advice first, he’ll tell us what to do so we don’t have to worry about it. We’ll avoid the meltdown.

            What about you?  Are you feeling overwhelmed by life right now? Seek God’s counsel. Ask him what to do and don’t worry about tomorrow.