Overwhelmed

Recently, I have been feeling overwhelmed by the weight of my sin. To a certain extent feeling overwhelmed by sin can be a good thing. It can be a humbling reminder that you are a sinner who falls short of the glory of God in need of grace, but it can also be destructive.

I often, in my negativity, allow my mind to take over with focus on all my failures. Every sin I struggle with crashes in and drowns all attempts to think on whatever things are good, true, just, pure and so on (Phil. 4:8).  Crushed by the embarrassment from failing, I often think to myself what is the point? If I keep messing up why keep fighting?  Other times I simply don’t have the willpower to take those negative thoughts captive, and I allow myself to wallow in the shallow pond of self-pity.

This has been a subject of much prayer and conversation with Jesus and others in my life. While listening to a song I am obsessed with at the moment, ‘Overwhelmed by New Hope Oahu’, God revealed something to me. The first verse starts with

“Once dead in sin, hopeless and abandoned

Once lost, but now found you rescued me

Completely at your mercy”

The truth is we are dead in sin, and that same sin is what leads to hopelessness. The overwhelming feeling of never being able to succeed in overcoming. The chorus continues with

“I come alive within your presence

Surrounded by your touch

Embraced by all your wonder

I am overwhelmed.”

God revealed to me, if I am to be overwhelmed, what I should be overwhelmed by should be the power of God. I need to remember the power that came from the cross, the power that overcame the grave and the power that redeems. To be overwhelmed by the amazement that the Creator of the universe loves and cherishes me. He doesn’t see sin and guilt when He looks at me, but pure and holy because of Jesus. It is difficult and truly humbling to comprehend the extent of His love for me.

The next verse states “Alive in Your grace“. Grace is not given by works or by how ‘deserving’ someone thinks they are, but solely through the power of the Christ’s work. It is found in the joy of the gospel. It is a struggle for me to accept that I can not earn my salvation, but it is so beautifully designed by God that way. Because where would hope be if we had to earn our salvation. I for one, I would never be “good enough” to overcome the weight of my sin. Praise Jesus His grace was extended to us! If I am to be overwhelmed I pray it be by the sweet waves of God’s love for me, and like stirring in cream and sugar to your coffee makes it sweeter so does adding grace into the cup we call life. So be overwhelmed by God’s love and sip on your hot cup of grace today.