Perhaps you can relate with an overwhelming sense of chaos. Duties that can’t be delegated. Events that can’t be sidestepped. Navigating new ropes. Bills to pay.
I try to avoid overthinking the concerns piling up like dirty laundry. But while I might be able to deceive myself for a short season, the symptoms of being overwhelmed gain momentum like a snowball—staying up too late to watch an episode of a show I don’t even like, a whirling mind as I attempt to rest, and little things bugging me that normally wouldn’t. This is not the Spirit-filled life, but a poor attempt to fix something I can’t with lesser things.
When life is full throttle with no light at the end of the tunnel, how can we get out of the overwhelming avalanche and back onto the solid ground of Christ? Finding ways to recalibrate our hearts and minds toward Jesus is essential, especially when we employ tactics we know we shouldn’t (Rom. 7:16).
3 Steps to Survive Seasons of Chaos
As life’s avalanches chase after and envelop us, we can learn how to weather these seasons and reorient ourselves toward the steadfastness of Christ. Here are three ways we can move toward Jesus in the chaos of life.
First, keep our eyes fixed on God. Sometimes we can breeze through busy, stressful seasons without realizing our gaze is no longer on Jesus, but our circumstances.
One indicator we may have shifted our focus is when we start to prioritize dealing with the stress rather than keeping our established rhythms, including time with God. When our first instinct is to check email or tackle something off our to-do list before connecting with God this places us on unsteady ground. And the more we embark down this path, the more tumultuous it becomes.
Just as ships can easily crash into the shoreline without a lighthouse, so it is with us. We can turn our gaze to our circumstances and sink our energy into resolving that rather than abiding in Christ and trusting Him to walk alongside us through it. When ships can’t see the lighthouse, they crash. When we aren’t fixed on God, our lives become disorientated. While we may need to be proactive regarding our circumstances, we don’t want to rush ahead without Jesus to light the way.
Practically, this means evaluating how our circumstances are impacting us and whether our hope is on God, our circumstances, or ourselves. If we are fixated on ourselves or our situations, we need to repent and ask God to redirect our eyes back to Him. As the psalmist reminds and instructs us, may we lift our eyes upward to where our help truly comes from—the Lord who is the Creator of heaven and earth (Ps. 121:1, 2). Without God, our efforts are in vain (Ps. 127:1).
Second, stay immersed in God’s Word. Auto-pilot mode can quickly kick in during stressful seasons, including auto-spend-time-with-Jesus mode. This is the mode where we rush our time with God because we feel like we have too much to do. Devotions become a to-do item on our list and the quicker we can check it off, the better. But when we fail to connect with God, our hearts remain hungry for the Spirit-filled hope only God’s Word can provide. And instead of filling up on nourishing soul food, we essentially skip what we most need to sustain us through our day. Time with God is never wasted.
As we train ourselves to slow down and savor time to meditate and reflect on Scripture, our hearts are directed toward what matters most—Jesus. We are reminded of God’s greatness and energized by the Spirit to keep trusting Him through whatever the day may bring. While we may not have extra time to devote—especially in busy seasons—we want to guard our established rhythms to read the Bible and savor God’s presence.
Third, keep swimming. When life feels like too much, it’s tempting to collapse onto the floor or check out emotionally and mentally. But Jesus never promised life would be easy. Instead He promised to be with us as we walk through each day because “after [we] have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called [us] to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish [us]” (1 Pet. 5:10).
God uses trials to refine our faith (1 Peter 1:6-7) and point us to His strength (2 Cor 12:9). But we are weak and prone to forgetting this. Trials remind us of our dependency on God and are a tool God uses to deepen our faith. Throughout the book of Revelation, God promises an eternity with Him for those who overcome hardships and remain faithful to Him. The only way to overcome is by clinging to Jesus.
Practically, this could mean going to bed on time—embracing the truth that we can’t do it all. Or turning off the television and spending 10 minutes in prayer instead. When circumstances threaten to undo us, we can cry out to Jesus to help us endure. And He will hear and sustain us.
Digging Out of the Avalanche
The search-and-rescue dog didn’t find me, but God did. In His kindness, the Lord redirected my eyes to Himself. The path I was on was leaving me empty, depleted, and drained. But what He offered overflowed with hope, strength, and joy. We can’t do it all or change our situation, but God is more than enough to walk alongside us through the stress and mess. (Ps. 73:25).