Slammed but not believing it (weird title, right?)

I run a risk of actually writing about this but hey, here we go...  I am in a season of time at work in which new tasks, issues, and problems are coming at me so fast I can hardly capture them- much less actually work on them.  I love my job actually (maybe too much) and I have a dozen things I WANT to work on that are proactive- but I can't get to them and I haven't been able to focus on proactive tasks in ~2 weeks.  Even the really important things like doing sales pipeline meetings with my reps or (GASP) working on structuring a deal for a customer- is hard to carve out time to do right now.  I should be thankful, and I am, I'm just tired and I can't see the end in sight.  To be clear, I am blessed in the middle of this mess, but work has taken over an awful lot of my life and even with that level of dedication I am struggling to juggle - and I just don't want to let anyone down.

There is a psychological phenomenon that can happen when so much is coming at you that you just shut down- I'm feeling that tonight.  I'm struggling to prioritize the 25 things that are all shouting for attention and coming at me within a short period of time; its challenging and exhausting.

I'm not complaining- I'm blogging which means I'm headed somewhere with this....

Emails, requests from people, tasks, "fires", issues, opportunities and even goals - all have what I call "voices".  They all speak demanding my focus and threatening something bad (or something good will not happen) if I don't get each task done; this can be quite a depressing chorus as they all bring pressure and stress with their demands.  But these "voices"only tell a part of the truth- sure many of those items are valid and should be handled.  But those "voices", thoughts, and stresses never mention I must keep the Lord #1 in my heart.  These loud and insistent tasks don't mention the Lord said "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own UNDERSTANDING, in all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths." (Proverbs 3:5-6)  These angry projects, emails, and demands shout so loudly that they blend into one hopeless dark mass blocking out rational thought- and blocking out hope.  Folks, honestly tonight I had a few moments where I said "I don't see the end of it or any improvement in sight".  The very feeling I felt this evening after work itself had nothing to do with God and it didn't come from God.

I know- I mean I really KNOW that anything that I need help with - Jesus Christ cares about.  I know if I bring him issues, concerns, stresses, conflicts, or whatever- He will answer.  I have been trusting God with personal and work issues for years and years and no matter how much I feel like the boat is sinking I just keep working hard, trust God, and pray SPECIFICALLY about what I need- and He always comes through.  I know that I just need to turn to Him on things like this.

My family has family prayer each night and we read a "Psalm of the day".  We do this and we don't miss a night.  Tonight we were all exhausted but we opened up Psalm 27- most of the scripture seemed to leap off the page to me, encouraging me in this situation but I'll point out a couple of passages that really set me free.

Psalm 27:13-14
^"13 I would have lost heart, unless I had believed
That I would see the goodness of the Lord
In the land of the living.

¹⁴ Wait on the Lord;
Be of good courage,
And He shall strengthen your heart"
Wait, I say, on the Lord!"

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=ps%2027&version=NKJV

(Copyrighted by Thomas Nelson publishing, provided on Biblegateway.com)

Its AMAZING when we go spend time with the Lord how He meets with us and sets us free.  Folks, let me be clear that I am going to spend an hour on work stuff right now and it won't be enough time- I think I can structure one deal for a customer tonight but it doesn't matter.  Now I trust God and am strong inside because MY Psalm of the day which I read faithfully every day gave me spiritual wisdom to "be of good courage" and "wait on the Lord" and showed me to see that I will see the "goodness of the Lord" in my situation.

When you're following Jesus Christ, putting Him first in your life, and seeking Him - no matter how hopeless your situation- no matter how real your problems are you are assured of God's comfort, His wisdom, and His help.  

Lord, all I can say is thank you.

...and Let's GO God!