How to Manage Overwhelm While Living On-Mission

Feeling overwhelmed with what’s on your plate this week? Let’s use your values (what and who you love) to give you some motivation and structure. Grab your fave journal and your best pen because we’re about to get into it!!

What is success?

What’s your gut reaction? Is it checking off everything? Even more than that? Are you waiting for a particular person’s reaction? Some financial proof of a job well done? What are you expecting here? 

Can we redefine success through God’s expectations of us? What if obedience were the measure of success? Did you pursue God and his purposes for Earth with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength today? Can you start chasing the “well done, good and faithful servant” more than the feeling of completion or worldly approval?

What do you value most?

Remind yourself what the building blocks of your life are. Quality time with family? Thriving health? Rich, slow spiritual growth? Investment in your community? I find that overwhelm sneaks in when we’re not clear on our path. Remember the life that God has called you to. Write it out.

Now, what in your schedule this week fits into each of those categories? Write it out! Everything else gets written off to the side for now.

How do you feel about what you have to do now that there is intentional value placed on most things? Knowing that your measure of success is obedience and not perfect or the feeling of busyness?

What do you have to do?

Now, let’s look at all of these to-do items as responsibilities. God has placed them in your care for this week to steward for His purposes. That does not mean that you have to carry the physical and emotional burden entirely. You are part of a community, you might be part of a family. What items—especially in your to-do list that doesn’t correspond with a value—can you delegate? Who’s on your team that you can bring alongside you? When we’re focusing on getting things done for the sake of the Kingdom, your own personal involvement can shrink without your identity or “carrying your weight” being impacted. Got a lot of chauffeuring to do this week? Can we get a carpool going? Are there too many 9-5 responsibilities for you to manage? Which of those can wait until next week and who on your team can take one or two off of your plate? It never hurts to ask. If you’re feeling like you don’t want to burden someone else with your responsibilities, remember that asking is not demanding and other people have the agency and boundaries to say no. Trust them to do that. 

The non-negotiables are the ones that firmly support your values and your purpose. Your spiritual growth, your health, the flourishing of your family and community—all of those things stay on your plate so they get the combination of attention and gifts that God has planned for them by giving them to you. Get in the habit of praying over your to-do list and listening for what God wants for you.