The
following are not my words, but a recent letter from friends who are both
missionaries and counselors. I am
reprinting here with permission and hope you find the words as helpful and
healing as I have…
I don't think I have really ever known what to do with that word. It has seemed to be an embarrassing word to admit personally—one that somehow marks me as deficient or lacking.
33 He took Peter, James and John along with him, and he began to be deeply distressed and troubled.
It dumbfounded me that I had read it before but never really made the connection—Jesus was overwhelmed. He was not lacking and he wasn't sinning. He was at the end though and felt like he couldn't go on.
When we are emotionally flooded—distressed, overwhelmed, angered—our brain wants to move into fight or flight mode. Reading on we see Peter tried both, both ending in disaster. Our minds in this state are prompted for immediate action, but rarely is it a good action. It is action that at its core is about self-preservation.
Jesus took another route; one that can provide a path for us as well. We watch Him admitting his state, inviting others into the process with him and then choosing to calm his mind and spirit in prayer and surrender before acting.
34 “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death,” he said to them. “Stay here and keep watch.” 35 Going a little farther, he fell to the ground and prayed that if possible the hour might pass from him. 36 “Abba, Father,” he said, “everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.”
I see the fruit often of fight or flight in my own life as well as the lives of the leaders we work with. Escape, numbing, violence of words and actions all seem to flow from this place of being overwhelmed.
This attitude has never seemed more real or important. In the midst of being overwhelmed to breathe deeply, focus over and over again on who He is, to desperately cry out and admit my need for Him and others and to wait.
We are so grateful that so many of you pray for us and take the time to keep watch with us. We are ever in need of you—to keep from flight or fight and to press on and in. Thank you!
Brian and Crystal Boecker
Brian and Crystal Boecker
Acct. # 0389338
This was lining up to be a summer of
steady work—you know where you are hoping to get some of those longstanding
projects checked off the list. It took a turn somewhere and it began to rain
that word—overwhelmed. It was raining down in many places in many peoples
lives. From crises, to loss, to conflict, to critical decisions—it seemed
everywhere people were overwhelmed with life and with responding to the needs
in others’ lives.
I don't think I have really ever known what to do with that word. It has seemed to be an embarrassing word to admit personally—one that somehow marks me as deficient or lacking.
That is probably why the words from
Mark 14 in a recent sermon struck me so hard. Listen to Jesus’ words as he
faces the most difficult of circumstances:
33 He took Peter, James and John along with him, and he began to be deeply distressed and troubled.
It dumbfounded me that I had read it before but never really made the connection—Jesus was overwhelmed. He was not lacking and he wasn't sinning. He was at the end though and felt like he couldn't go on.
When we are emotionally flooded—distressed, overwhelmed, angered—our brain wants to move into fight or flight mode. Reading on we see Peter tried both, both ending in disaster. Our minds in this state are prompted for immediate action, but rarely is it a good action. It is action that at its core is about self-preservation.
Jesus took another route; one that can provide a path for us as well. We watch Him admitting his state, inviting others into the process with him and then choosing to calm his mind and spirit in prayer and surrender before acting.
34 “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death,” he said to them. “Stay here and keep watch.” 35 Going a little farther, he fell to the ground and prayed that if possible the hour might pass from him. 36 “Abba, Father,” he said, “everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.”
Honest admission—courageous surrender.
I see the fruit often of fight or flight in my own life as well as the lives of the leaders we work with. Escape, numbing, violence of words and actions all seem to flow from this place of being overwhelmed.
Choosing to yield when we are
overwhelmed seems to bring peace that contradicts or surpass all that is going
on.
"Be still and know that I am God”
Ps. 46:10
This attitude has never seemed more real or important. In the midst of being overwhelmed to breathe deeply, focus over and over again on who He is, to desperately cry out and admit my need for Him and others and to wait.
We are so grateful that so many of you pray for us and take the time to keep watch with us. We are ever in need of you—to keep from flight or fight and to press on and in. Thank you!
Brian and Crystal Boecker
You
can reach Brian via email at:
Brian.boecker@uscm.org
&/or
make financial contributions to their ministry online at:
https://give.ccci.org/giveBrian and Crystal Boecker
Acct. # 0389338
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