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Top 7 Bible Verses For Those Feeling Overwhelmed

Top 7 Bible Verses For Those Feeling Overwhelmed

Last updated on: February 11, 2016 at 9:38 pm by Jack Wellman

Top 7 Bible Verses For Those Feeling Overwhelmed 2016-02-11T21:38:12-06:00 Jack Wellman

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Here is my top seven Bible verses about those who feel overwhelmed.

Psalm 34:17-19 “When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears and delivers them out of all their troubles. The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all.”

Most people might come to saving faith believing that their life will get easier but it is sometimes just the opposite, just as the psalmist promised that “Many are the afflictions of the righteous,” not few. The good news is that “the Lord delivers him out of them all” but God never promises us happiness as a result of our salvation; Joy, yes, but happiness is only temporary anyway because it’s based upon “happenings.” Joy is a permanent possession that is not dependent upon circumstances and Jesus came to make our joy full or complete (John 15:11)!

Matthew 11:28 “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”

We were not created to carry around the load of worry or anxiety that we do. It doesn’t do good things to the body either. It suppresses the immune system and increases the likelihood of serious illness or disease, so the question is, “Why do we carry this heavy load of life around with us; almost like a ball and chain?” Up in the morning and to bed at night, and all the day long, we are “heavy laden.” Is it pride? Do we confess our burdens and faults to one another (James 5:16)? How do we receive this rest Jesus spoke about? I believe Jesus tells us how in Matthew 11:29-30 where He says, “Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” If you take Jesus’ yoke, all the weight transfers from you to Him! That finally gives you the chance to rest!

Second Corinthians 12:9 “But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.”

Paul carried around a thorn in his flesh which was a messenger or reminder from Satan that God allowed to keep him humble (2nd Cor 12:7) even though, “Three times [Paul] pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave” him (2nd Cor 12:8), but God had a purpose in his pain. For one thing, strength is more easily displayed in weakness. If someone’s trying to live in their own strength, they can witness “the power of Christ” in their lives as much. Those who confess their weaknesses before God may notice Christ’s power, but even that of course, we attribute to the glory to God.

Psalm 91:1-2 “He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.”

The author of Psalm 91 sounds like there is an immediate threat surrounding him. There are arrows flying here and pestilence and destruction in waiting (Psalm 91:5-6), but the psalmist showed little fear as he knew he abided under the shelter and care of the Almighty God. His trust did not waiver, calling God his “refuge and [his] fortress.” Just like the shadow that was cast from the glory cloud of God in the wilderness, thereby shielding Israel from the scorching sun, so too does our God shelter those who flee to Him for refuge.

Psalm 56:8 “You have kept count of my tossings; put my tears in your bottle. Are they not in your book?”

I wonder if the psalmist’s “tossings” meant he couldn’t sleep. He may have had sleepless nights and relentless tears because David had been taken captive by the Philistines and brought to Gath. David knew that they were lying in wait to take his life (Psalm 56:6b) and apparently had been following him (Psalm 56:6a) and know he was a prisoner of the Philistines. His “tossings” were probably made worse by the fact that he was sleeping in some prison or at least in chains. As always, God was faithful and so David could write, “you have delivered my soul from death, yes, my feet from falling that I may walk before God in the light of life” (Psalm 56:13).

James 1:2-4 “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.”

That’s not humanly possible, at least in our own strength. We need the Spirit’s empowerment during times we feel overwhelmed but if we understand that the many or “various kinds” of trials are working in us to make us grow to be more steadfast. There is strength gained in the struggle.

Job 13:15 “Though he slay me, I will hope in him; yet I will argue my ways to his face.”

Here is something that is exceedingly precious to God; praising Him during times of severe trials, tribulations, and loss of life and property! When you can praise God in the storm, whether you feel like it or not, God is most pleased because here is where Job loses all ten of his children and every possession he had. All that he had left was a wife that said “Curse God and die” (Job 2:9) and friends that turned on him. In this worst of times, Job still manages to say, even if God kills me, “I will hope in Him.”

Conclusion

It’s hard to rest with your hands full. Even if you can’t unload every problem in life, you can unload every burden before God and the best way to do that is to transfer that weight from you to Him. It’s just too much to go it alone in this world and it’s even more difficult for those who are single, but there is no doubt that God never leaves or forsakes His children (Heb 13:5). I hope these verses help when you feel overwhelmed in life.

Article by Jack Wellman

Jack Wellman is Pastor of the Mulvane Brethren Church in Mulvane Kansas. Jack is also the Senior Writer at What Christians Want To Know whose mission is to equip, encourage, and energize Christians and to address questions about the believer’s daily walk with God and the Bible. You can follow Jack on Google Plus or check out his book Teaching Children the Gospel available on Amazon.

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