Finding Calm in an Overloaded Life

What Psalm 23 Taught Me About Letting Go

By Merrie Hansen

Do you want calm in an overloaded life? When you are feeling weak and heavy laden, cuddle up with the Father. He is calling, “Come to Me, I will give you rest.”

It was the spring after an extremely difficult winter. The threat of my husband’s job layoff loomed over our heads, leading to his being away more than half the time. Heavy snow on our roof had resulted in “ice damming” and a good deal of damage to our home. We were more than ready for rest. Yet, when an opportunity arose for me to travel with my husband to Pennsylvania for a week, I saw it as an interruption from the “things” that I thought I needed to do.

As a veteran church and community volunteer, I had become an expert at multi-tasking and putting myself into seemingly indispensable situations. I began stating my case: Who would lead the women’s Bible study? How will I get the Easter services arranged, and what about music selection for Sunday services? Who would take care of my cat? How will I get home from the airport? Where will the money come from to pay for the extra-incurred expenses and my flight back?

On top of overextending myself, extreme mood-swings of peri-menopause inflicted an unexplainable mayhem in my life. All together, this spelled s-t-r-e-s-s. I was a woman desperately needing a break.

By God’s mighty strength, He quickly loosened the grip of my hands on my obligations. One-by-one He took away every argument I conjured up, eliminating my excuses.