What might cause me to feel overwhelmed? - Overwhelmed - TouchPoints

Exodus 15:22Then Moses led the people of Israel away from the Red Sea, and they moved out into the desert of Shur. They traveled in this desert for three days without finding any water.

Exodus 18:17-18“This is not good!” Moses’ father-in-law exclaimed. “You’re going to wear yourself out—and the people, too. This job is too heavy a burden for you to handle all by yourself.”

Numbers 11:15“If this is how you intend to treat me, just go ahead and kill me. Do me a favor and spare me this misery!”

1 Chronicles 28:20Then David continued, “Be strong and courageous, and do the work. Don’t be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord God, my God, is with you. He will not fail you or forsake you. He will see to it that all the work related to the Temple of the Lord is finished correctly.”

Stressful situations such as having too much work to do and not enough time or resources to do it can cause us to feel overwhelmed. Stress paralyzes us by placing physical and emotional limits on our bodies and minds, causing us to feel incapable of doing anything.

1 Samuel 14:24Now the men of Israel were pressed to exhaustion that day, because Saul had placed them under an oath, saying, “Let a curse fall on anyone who eats before evening—before I have full revenge on my enemies.” So no one ate anything all day.

We can feel overwhelmed when we are physically worn out. Possible causes of exhaustion include sleep deprivation, dehydration, malnourishment, and over-working. When this happens, we first should attend to our physical needs.

2 Samuel 22:5-7“The waves of death overwhelmed me; floods of destruction swept over me. The grave wrapped its ropes around me; death laid a trap in my path. But in my distress I cried out to the Lord; yes, I cried to my God for help. He heard me from his sanctuary; my cry reached his ears.”

Daniel 2:10-11The astrologers replied to the king, “No one on earth can tell the king his dream! And no king, however great and powerful, has ever asked such a thing of any magician, enchanter, or astrologer! The king’s demand is impossible. No one except the gods can tell you your dream, and they do not live here among people.”

We can feel overwhelmed when we fear for our lives.

Psalm 10:10Their helpless victims are crushed; they fall beneath the strength of the wicked.

We can feel overwhelmed when we believe we are helpless and powerless to change our circumstances.

1 Samuel 17:4-7Then Goliath, a Philistine champion from Gath, came out of the Philistine ranks to face the forces of Israel. He was over nine feet tall! He wore a bronze helmet, and his bronze coat of mail weighed 125 pounds. He also wore bronze leg armor, and he carried a bronze javelin on his shoulder. The shaft of his spear was as heavy and thick as a weaver’s beam, tipped with an iron spearhead that weighed 15 pounds. His armor bearer walked ahead of him carrying a shield.

We can feel overwhelmed when our problems seem too big for us to handle.

Nehemiah 4:1-3, 7-8, 10-11Sanballat was very angry when he learned that we were rebuilding the wall. He flew into a rage and mocked the Jews, saying in front of his friends and the Samarian army officers, “What does this bunch of poor, feeble Jews think they’re doing? Do they think they can build the wall in a single day by just offering a few sacrifices? Do they actually think they can make something of stones from a rubbish heap—and charred ones at that?” Tobiah the Ammonite, who was standing beside him, remarked, “That stone wall would collapse if even a fox walked along the top of it!” . . . But when Sanballat and Tobiah and the Arabs, Ammonites, and Ashdodites heard that the work was going ahead and that the gaps in the wall of Jerusalem were being repaired, they were furious. They all made plans to come and fight against Jerusalem and throw us into confusion. . . . Then the people of Judah began to complain, “The workers are getting tired, and there is so much rubble to be moved. We will never be able to build the wall by ourselves.” Meanwhile, our enemies were saying, “Before they know what’s happening, we will swoop down on them and kill them and end their work.”

Psalm 64:1O God, listen to my complaint. Do not let my enemies’ threats overwhelm me.

We can feel overwhelmed when we feel opposed on all sides and seem to have no one to turn to for support. Feeling alone against the enemy is overwhelming.

Psalm 55:5Fear and trembling overwhelm me, and I can’t stop shaking.

We can feel overwhelmed when we are afraid.

Job 30:15“I live in terror now. My honor has blown away in the wind, and my prosperity has vanished like a cloud.”

Psalm 38:8I am exhausted and completely crushed. My groans come from an anguished heart.

Psalm 69:2Deeper and deeper I sink into the mire; I can’t find a foothold. I am in deep water, and the floods overwhelm me.

Proverbs 27:4Anger is cruel, and wrath is like a flood, but jealousy is even more dangerous.

Luke 1:12Zechariah was shaken and overwhelmed with fear when he saw him.

Strong negative emotions, such as fear, anguish, and dread can cause us to feel overwhelmed.

Deuteronomy 28:15“But if you refuse to listen to the Lord your God and do not obey all the commands and decrees I am giving you today, all these curses will come and overwhelm you.”

Psalm 38:4My guilt overwhelms me—it is a burden too heavy to bear.

Sin and guilt become heavy burdens and can cause us to feel overwhelmed by their weight. Seeking God’s forgiveness and understanding his grace frees us from the weight of guilt.

Jeremiah 52:12-15On August 17 of that year, which was the nineteenth year of King Nebuchadnezzar’s reign, Nebuzaradan, the captain of the guard and an official of the Babylonian king, arrived in Jerusalem. He burned down the Temple of the Lord, the royal palace, and all the houses of Jerusalem. He destroyed all the important buildings in the city. Then he supervised the entire Babylonian army as they tore down the walls of Jerusalem on every side. Then Nebuzaradan, the captain of the guard, took as exiles some of the poorest of the people, the rest of the people who remained in the city, the defectors who had declared their allegiance to the king of Babylon, and the rest of the craftsmen.

Loss and separation from loved ones and family can cause us to feel overwhelmed.

Psalm 55:2Please listen and answer me, for I am overwhelmed by my troubles.

Jeremiah 45:3“You have said, ‘I am overwhelmed with trouble! Haven’t I had enough pain already? And now the Lord has added more! I am worn out from sighing and can find no rest.’”

Our troubles can cause us to feel overwhelmed, and we can feel as though life will remain troubled forever.