When I feel overwhelmed…

 

Yesterday was lovely. After church brunch, I sat with a young girl and we talked about everything from the qualities of light, to world travel, to the new Christians in our midst, to why her brother is so popular. Hubby and I went home, had a long nap before meeting our son and daughter-in-law for a delicious supper, then back here to watch our home team play hockey. Went to bed totally exhausted, but woke up this morning feeling cluttered.

My desk is covered with quilt patterns, etc. that are sorted from much I tossed, a half-finished quilt on the design wall, financial software isn’t working properly, several files to read/delete, a very needy family member is in the hospital, the sermon yesterday added to my convictions about being too quick to see the worst in all situations, and here I am doing that with the busyness in my mind, seeing the worst.

Today’s reading tells me to not be concerned, to abide in Christ. I sang a few songs that said the same thing. I know Jesus is here for me, yet realize He will not tackle my to-do list. That is my job. I want to do it with joy — actually, I’m not sure I even want to do it. Escaping all this means I need a holiday? Or to just quit feeling sorry for myself and quit focusing on the negatives and be thankful? There is much to go in that list! For a start:

One: I belong to Jesus. He died for me, and in Him “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death.” (Romans 8:1–2)

Two: He is the vine and I am only a branch, yet abiding in Him means I can bear fruit - certainly the fruit of the Spirit which is all I need for each day:

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit. (Galatians 5:22–25)

Three: I can turn away from the pressures of life. Jesus gives me all that I need to deal with them. He also says: “If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.” (John 15:7)

This means all that is on my heart for family, friends, church, all situations, will be done by Him — I just need to rest, abide, continue in Christ, turning away from this sense of clutter into the freedom of faith — meaning I trust Him regarding all that is making me feel overwhelmed. He says this…

When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you. (Isaiah 43:2)

… and because He is able to protect me and be with me, I do not need to feel overwhelmed.

PRAY: Jesus, help me get out of Your to-do list and tackle only the things that I’m to do, starting with worship and giving thanks to You for being with me and with those on my ‘concern’ list. You are able and You love them even more than I do. May You grant grace and peace, and enable me to carry on.

Not yet a perfect peach . . .

We went to the market this week and bought fruit; huge peaches, nectarines, raspberries, and grapes that crunch. Others might make pies and desserts, but we eat them as they are, fresh, ripe and incredibly delicious. Yesterday, with that perfect fruit on my mind and in my belly, I made a poster listing spiritual fruit, a reminder of my God-given purpose:

“You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. These things I command you, so that you will love one another.” (John 15:16–17)

This verse is also key in having prayer answered. God wants first a fruitful life, then to answer my prayers, even ‘whatever I ask in Jesus’ name.’

The Bible describes fruitfulness so we can know what our lives should display. Just as Jesus put in the above ‘purpose statement’ — the main evidence of fruitfulness is love, however there is more . . .

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit.” (Galatians 5:22–25)

I’ve learned that only the Holy Spirit produces this fruit. If I am filled with Him, walking in obedience with Him, abiding in Christ as He commands, then my life will bear fruit. If not, then I’m filled with myself. However, being filled does not guarantee my life will be without trials or stress. Jesus also said that being fruitful means pruning will happen:

“Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit.” (John 15:2)

I once had a large crabapple tree in my yard. It didn’t have many apples, but there were enough to make the tree valuable. After a little research, I realize it was overgrown and needed pruning. The idea was to take out old growth and shape the tree so ‘a bird could fly through it.’ I used the proper tools and tackled the job. When it was finished, it seemed there were more branches on the ground than on the tree. The next spring, no apples. I feared that I’d ruined the tree, but the year after that brought an incredible harvest.

Having God do the pruning isn’t much fun at the time. It means being open to the Holy Spirit who tackles my sin with an axe, or a knife, or a scalpel, depending on what must be cut away and how much it interferes with loving others, being joyful and at peace, showing patience, kindness and goodness, being faithful and gentle, and having that self-control that can say no to whatever is not good for me or for others. At times, I know what those impurities are and invite the pruning. At other times, He goes after something and I am slow to figure out what is happening. Nevertheless, if I cooperate in His work of making me more like Jesus, He promises there will be a harvest!

“See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure.” (1 John 3:1–3)

^^^^^^^

Jesus, I know that Your goal for me is that I “walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing You and bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God.” (Colossians 1:10) I also know that if any of that fruit is missing, then I have something to confess, something that needs pruning. Thank You for being so diligent to keep working and cutting away everything that does not look like You.