Overcoming the Overwhelm: 2 Strategies for Positive Thinking
Jason Ellison
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Raising teens, losing friends, failing at fitness goals, working in the pro-life world – all of it feels overwhelming and just. so. depleting that sometimes I find my brain has become a minefield of fear and negative self-talk. This last year has been one of the worst of my life – loss after loss hit hard and hit fast, leaving deep, gaping wounds where friendships, joy, and purpose used to be. One day I realized that I feel like a puppet playing a part in a play, and my part is to suffer. Seriously. I knew differently in my brain, but my heart was convinced that I was put here to suffer and my goal in life was to soak up every moment of joy and calm because tragedy and pain were surely around the corner. Is this how you feel? Do you think this is really what God wants for us? I don’t, and while I had no clue how to change my fearful perspective, I became determined to see things differently.
Strategy 1: Say it out loud.
“Set your mind on things above, not on earthly things” (Col 3:1). Whether you say it to a person or to yourself, be bold enough to claim God’s Word and His promises. I’m a big believer that God has designed our bodies so incredibly well that there is power behind every moment we decide to stop and breathe, close our eyes, and speak God’s Word out loud. Sometimes, I put my hand on my shoulder and pretend it is God’s hand, warm and present, and say, “the Lord has not given me the spirit of fear, but of power, love, and a sound mind” (2 Timothy 1:7). Try it. I hope it reframes your thoughts like it does mine.
Strategy 2: Ask God to show you His goodness, and be thankful.
“Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful” (Col 3:15). A few months ago, I began to ask a simple, quiet prayer (sometimes with eyes rolling and head shaking), “God, will you show me your goodness? Help my unbelief.” He is ever-faithful and when I ask, it is amazing how my mind focuses in on the very subject I’ve brought before Him. I begin to notice blessing after blessing, mostly tiny, but when I get so empty that my heart feels shattered and my lungs burn to scream out that “life isn’t fair and I quit,” it is exactly what I need to keep going. These reminders prove that God cares, He’s with me, and He IS for me – for my good because He does, truly, delight in me, unworthy though I am. Maybe my 9 year old stops what he’s doing to give me a random hug, the shower has just enough hot water, an unexpected “thinking of you” text comes, or the checkout lady at the grocery store tells me I have a nice smile, but my soul is tuned to feel God’s kindness and love for me. I know He is present and my distress is not unnoticed, and He’s waking my soul up to the obvious things I miss over and over.
Yall, it’s a Jesus-hug.
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