Overwhelming

Now that I am older, I get more easily overwhelmed with too much stimulus. In other words, when too much information is coming to me at once, I become anxious and confused. The stimuli can be requests from others, background noise, lights, things that I need to do, or media. The resultant anxiety makes me want to retreat and I have difficulty moving forward. This is a new, but progressing phenomenon for me, as I have not been a worrier in the past.

Fortunately I have a source of wisdom and hope in this area. God gives us a command and a promise in Philippians 4:6-7; “do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” So the command is to put off anxious feelings and to put on prayer and thanksgiving. Then God promises to give us peace and will guard our hearts and minds. That sounds like a good deal to me! When I feel myself getting anxious or overwhelmed, I will try to stop and pray.