Do you ever feel overwhelmed? I do. And I suspect you do too. Especially if you’re a young mother and picking up after kids never ends. Especially if you work outside the home and caught between raising kids and caring for parents. Especially if you are older and can no longer care for yourself, your spouse and your home.
One of the things that overwhelms me is the diet my husband’s health requires. There are too many details to remember. He may eat graham crackers . . . and doughnuts. But he may not have pumpkin pie. He may have canned peaches but not fresh peaches. Besides that, my husband has no appetite. Except for pumpkin pie and fresh peaches. Well, not really. But pretty close. This all overwhelms me.
Both my husband and I have health conditions that limit the amount of work we can do; therefore, cleaning defeats me. I cannot vacuum the bedroom, kitchen, dining room, living room and sunporch in one session. So I don’t vacuum at all. I cannot wipe down the kitchen cabinets in one session, so I don’t wipe them down at all.
The demands of Christianity sometimes defeat me. I read a devotion on being kind, hear a Sunday school lesson on prayer and listen to a sermon on watching your tongue. I can’t possibly remember to do all three, so I just forget about them all.
How can we do better?
First, we may need to change our attitudes. Just because we can’t do it all, doesn’t mean we can’t do any of it. Lowly pansies are as pretty as big showy zinnias. And accomplishing one small task feels as good as accomplishing one large one. And in time, the small tasks add up to a large one. With a little planning and God’s help, we can accomplish our goals.
We may also seek and accept help. A dietician is available for consultation regarding my husband’s diet. I can ask why it is that along with unsalted pretzels and graham crackers, my husband may eat doughnuts. And may he eat all kinds of doughnuts—cream filled, raised, glazed or his favorite—iced with coconut and a cherry on top? If we need help to clean the house, we can train children (and husbands) to pitch in. Or we may utilize a cleaning service.
We can take charge of our schedules, instead of letting the hours and days and weeks slip by. In my case, I need to plan small tasks in manageable time periods. This morning I will vacuum the living room and sun porch. Period. With my husband’s input, I will plan one day or even one meal around the diet plan rather than try to plan forever-after.
And finally, we can pick and choose. Of the spiritual input I receive, there are always some areas of my life that need more attention than others. I can ask God where my focus needs to be. God never expects us to do life without Him. That’s why He sent His Holy Spirit to be with us. And in all these areas, God will help and direct me: “I can do all this through him who gives me strength” (Philippians 4:13 NIV).
So let’s say our prayers and go to bed with a clear conscience. We may not have done all we would, but we have done all we could. And that is all God asks of us.
