Do you know why you sometimes get overwhelmed? You’re focusing on things you can’t do a darn thing about right now. You’re allowing those things to come pouring into your mind and sink your spirit. Honey, the boat is taking on water and life is getting turned upside down.



But how do you stop the flow of worries and the flood of negative thoughts?



Some time ago I found myself overwhelmed. I had so much I needed to do and I didn’t even know where to start. My husband walked in the kitchen and found me in a moment of overwhelm and asked me what was wrong. I told him “I’m just really stressed.”



Then he said 2 powerful words that changed the trajectory of my day. He said “Don’t be.”



He’s a man of few words, but his words are powerful. Just don’t be.



Ahhhhhhh, yes. The invitation for stress and overwhelm was knocking on my door, I can always choose whether or not I let it in. This is my house and not everything gets to come in. I just needed to be reminded of the power of my choice and declare it.



That day I said no to overwhelm. I decided I wouldn’t be stressed. I decided I would make a list of everything I needed to do that day, then I asked God to help me get to work. One thing at a time, I made my way through a potential overwhelming day without sinking.



God will give you what you need for today, TODAY.



Jesus taught us exactly how to pray in Matthew 6. He said, “When you pray, pray like this. Part of that sample prayer is verse 11 “Give us this day our daily bread.”



Why pray this way? It’s a focus on what is needed for just THIS DAY. This is an intentional turn away from the invitation of overwhelm, and instead a returned focus on today.



Sure there are uncertain things in your future. There are things you will need to do that you don’t yet know how to do. Waters you will need to go through and a boat you don’t have yet. Work you can’t possibly do today. Needs larger than your current provision. But honey you’re running way ahead to places God hasn’t even called you to yet. You’re not there today and that’s why you’re not yet equipped for it. But where you are today, you have been equipped for this.



YOU CAN DO THIS. Why? Because if you’ve asked God, he has given you exactly what you need for THIS DAY.



Lord, give us this day our daily bread. Help me keep my thoughts right here on the work I’m to do today, the steps I’m to take today, the living I’m to do today, as you have provided exactly what I need to do it well today.



Lord, help me do this right today. That’s my version of daily bread. Strengthen me for today. Guide me today. Provide for today. I trust you and I move forward, but I won’t run ahead.



Isn’t that the great balance? Trusting God enough to move forward today, without running ahead. Yes, that’s what we need. Keep us here, but help us do “here” well.



Have you ever moved houses? The packing process can be overwhelming. Where do you begin? How do you even start on a job that seems so overwhelming? If you sit and think about every single thing that has to be done for the move, you become overwhelmed. That’s running ahead. That’s totally unnecessary. Wouldn’t your time be better spent grabbing a box and starting in the kitchen? You know what you could do today … you could pack the kitchen. You can’t pack the whole house, but you could pack that one room.