These past few weeks have been a whirlwind of activities; from retreats to rush week events and moving in and getting settled. I knew there was something special about this semester, I could just feel it! Ok I know that every semester it’s special, but I knew this semester was going to be a lot crazier than it was that past term. It started off pretty well; I got to know new students and bonded with old ones. I always get a rush of excitement at the beginning of every semester cuz there’s so many people to get to know!! So being the natural sanguine that I am automatically got all giddy about spending time with all of them!! I FINALLY met someone who loved to sing Disney songs with me all the time! (Shout out to my Disney buddy Lian!) It was great. Nothing much to worry about at the beginning of the semester and more over there wasn’t much school to do during the first month.
All of it was going well until I found out that I was given a new set of roles
this semester. I won’t go into detail, but let’s just say that it was something
I didn’t even see coming. I remember even before finding out I told God that “I
would do everything that is given to me in excellence.” thinking that it was
something that I had an idea of. God knew where to put me during this season
even though I didn’t. After finding out, I talked to my fellow student leaders
about how I felt about it and they encouraged me breaking off all the lies that
the enemy was throwing at me that I was not capable of where I was put and that
I was going to feel separated from the rest of Emmaus. I felt a little better
about it.
The next day at church Pastor Erin
preached a bomb message about feeling overwhelmed. She took the passage from
Deuteronomy 1:9-18 and spoke about the time where the Israelites were about to
enter the Promise Land. At the beginning of the passage Moses was feeling burdened
because the Israelites have increased in number. Basically Moses was feeling
overwhelmed with the responsibility that God has called him to. At this point
the Israelites were making Moses feel overwhelmed to the point of death. Pastor
Erin continued by asking us how we would deal with things if we were ever
overwhelmed; and she went on by saying that first of all we shouldn’t let the revelation of who God is be moved. She says that when we feel overwhelmed we are
tempted to feel like God has abandoned us. During those times it is our
flesh-like mentality that we automatically let our circumstance dictate who God
is, when who God is should dictate our circumstance. Depending on what season
we are in we tend to define God according to how we feeling during that season.
If life is good then God is a good God. If we go through hard times God is a
God who abandons us etc… “God should change our circumstance, not our
circumstance should change who God is.” She continued to say. And the reason
why Moses actually felt overwhelmed was because God fulfilled His promise to
Abraham (verse 10). The truth is some of the things we are complaining about
are actually a result of God’s blessing over our lives. Moses was in a sense
promoted into a different level yet he is asking God to kill him because he
couldn’t handle it. And honestly the reason why Moses felt that way was because
he was so insecure about whether or not he can do what God has called him to
do.
As I listened to the sermon I
began to reflect on what was going on in my own heart. The reason why I was
feeling too overwhelmed was because I felt insecure about my own abilities of
what they were asking me to do. I didn’t see things from God’s perspective and
where He wanted to take me this semester. That Sunday I cried my eyes out
during service just trusting God for this next season. Even though I don’t know
anything I knew one thing’s for sure. I wasn’t going to let my circumstance
dictate my God.
So for those of you out there who
feels overwhelmed at your current situation, be reminded that it’s because of
God’s blessing in your life. So don’t grumble at your situation asking Him why
He has given you such things, but rather let God define you circumstance. God
gives us God sized dreams. When we walk with Him, He will naturally bring us
through a door we are not ready for. Would we rather go back to what we
are comfortable in, what we have become an expert in, than allowing Him to lead
the way down a road full of adventures? God is engaging us to have relationship
with Him. So an encouragement to all of you out there feeling overwhelmed, be
overwhelmed no more!
