Do you know why you sometimes get overwhelmed? You’re focusing on things you can’t do a darn thing about right now. You’re allowing those things to come pouring into your mind and sink your spirit. Honey, the boat is taking on water and life is getting turned upside down.

But how do you stop the flow of worries and the flood of negative thoughts?

Last week I found myself overwhelmed. I had so much I needed to do and I didn’t even know where to start. My husband walked in the kitchen that morning to give his usual good morning hug and kiss and he could see the overwhelm on my face. I told him “babe, I’m just so stressed.”

Then he said 2 powerful words that changed the trajectory of my day. He said “Don’t be.”

He’s a man of few words, but his words are powerful. Just don’t be.

Ahhhhhhh, yes. The invitation for stress and overwhelm was knocking on my door, I can always choose whether or not I let it in. This is my house and not everything gets to come in. I just needed to be reminded of the power of my choice and declare it.

That day I said no to overwhelm. I decided I wouldn’t be stressed. I decided I would make a list of everything I needed to do that day, then I asked God to help me get to work. One thing at a time, I made my way through a potential overwhelming day without sinking.

God will give you what you need for today, TODAY.

Jesus taught us exactly how to pray in Matthew 6:11 “Give us this day our daily bread.”

Why pray this way? It’s a focus on what is needed for just THIS DAY. This is an intentional turn away from the invitation of overwhelm, and instead a returned focus on today.

Sure there are uncertain things in your future. There are things you will need to do that you don’t yet know how to do. Waters you will need to go through and a boat you don’t have yet. Work you can’t possibly do today. Needs larger than your current provision. But honey you’re running way ahead to places God hasn’t even called you to yet. You’re not there today and that’s why you’re not yet equipped for it. But where you are today, you have been equipped for this.

YOU CAN DO THIS. Why? Because if you’ve asked God, he has given you exactly what you need for THIS DAY.

Lord, give us this day our daily bread. Help me keep my thoughts right here on the work I’m to do today, the steps I’m to take today, the living I’m to do today, as you have provided exactly what I need to do it well today.

Lord, help me do this right today. That’s my simple request every morning when I wake up. Remember yesterday I shared about my habit of putting my phone to charge under my bed so when the alarm rings I hit my knees, then I pray. After a list of my specific gratitude for the new day I just ask God to help me do this day right. That’s my version of daily bread. Strengthen me for today. Guide me today. Provide for today. I trust you and I move forward, but I won’t run ahead.

Isn’t that the great balance? Trusting God enough to move forward today, without running ahead. Yes, that’s what we need. Keep us here, but help us do “here” well.

Have you ever moved houses? The packing process can be overwhelming. Where do you begin? How do you even start on a job that seems so overwhelming? If you sit and think about every single thing that has to be done for the move, you become overwhelmed. That’s running ahead. That’s totally unnecessary. Wouldn’t your time be better spent grabbing a box and starting in the kitchen? You know what you could do today … you could pack the kitchen. You can’t pack the whole house, but you could pack that one room. That’s doing “here” well.

You could do “here” well. Or you could be stressed.

Stress could overwhelm you and send you in a dark place. Stress could corner you and make you feel incapable of taking action. Stress could suck all your energy and leave you with no progress and less time.

Or you could just say no. Nope. No thank you stress, you’re not welcome here. I won’t choose you again today.

I choose to focus on the daily provision from my Heavenly Father that is here for me. Today he has given me energy, strength, and willpower. He has given me what I need for THIS DAY, now I will show up and use what he has given me and make progress.

We prefer a larger provision. God give me my MONTHLY bread please. Go ahead and pour a whole month’s worth of energy and strength and clear next steps on me today. If you’re going to take me through some deep waters in a few weeks, how about you give me that boat today? If you’re leading me to a mountain to climb, give me wings down here so I can fly off the top. No, you don’t need wings on your climb honey. You need BOOTS! When it comes time to fly, God will give you wings, but until then they’ll just get in the way.

Dang, I really wanted wings today. I wanted the boat now. I want the 10 year plan God. I need to know how this is all going to get done before I get started. Isn’t that us? We are ridiculous. Our expectations are nonsense. We are stressing over events that haven’t even happened yet and steps that aren’t even here. We’re borrowing tomorrow’s troubles and piling them onto today, and honey by the time you get to tomorrow God may have cleared up that trouble for you if you would let him.

God wants to keep us in THIS DAY. He wants us here in THIS MOMENT. He has provision for you today but if you’re allowing tomorrow to seep into today, you’re missing the blessings he has for you here.

If you’re stressed, don’t be.
If you’re overwhelmed, get back in this moment.

With the rising of the sun came a new day with new mercies and provision for you. That provision will be enough for THIS DAY, and this day only. One day at a time, sweet Jesus. That’s a song:

One day at a time, sweet Jesus
That’s all I’m asking of You
Just give me the strength to do everyday
What I have to do
Yesterday’s gone, sweet Jesus
And tomorrow may never be mine
God help me today
Show me the way
One day at a time
Lord, keep us here, in the moments of today. Help us to see where we are borrowing tomorrow’s troubles. Help us to get out of yesterday. Please give us the strength to do today what we need to do. God help us today, show us the way, one day at a time.

We receive our daily bread from you and we declare IT IS ENOUGH FOR TODAY, thank you. Now please help us do this right.