When It’s Hard to Be a Grown Up

“It’s hard to be a grown up” said the pretty twenty-something brunette standing in front of me.

I laughed and nodded. Yeah.  It is.

Responsibilities. Transitions. Relational issues. Bills. Decisions.  More decisions.

Grown ups have to deal with this stuff when it would be so much nicer if someone would give us a glass of milk and a plate of cookies, let us snuggle up on the sofa with the remote control–or maybe drop us off for a play date–then tuck us in for a nap.  Sounds like a slice of heaven just thinking about it!

Most of all, being a grown up means change. Change is part of childhood, of course. But when you’re a kid change happens; when you’re a grown up change has to be handled.  Big difference.

Plus, when you’re a kid you can pitch a fit if you don’t like the change and no one will think you’re weird.

Sometimes we can anticipate change–kind of like getting tossed a slow pitch.  But sometimes we’re thrown a curve ball where change comes hard and fast.  “Overwhelmed” can easily start to describe the state of our soul.

When we’re overwhelmed it’s hard to see which way to go or know the right thing to do.  An overwhelmed person tends to respond like a fearful person–fight or flight. The root of feeling overwhelmed is the fear of being out of control. Picture the moments you’ve been prone to a short fuse (fight) or run to the mall for a little something to lift your spirits (flight) all because you felt overwhelmed.  As an overwhelmed, sleep deprived new mom, I once strapped my newborn into his car seat, drove a half an hour out of town and purchased a piece of artwork with a check that bounced (Don’t judge me. I’ve learned.) It’s crazy how being overwhelmed can make us act.

Feeling overwhelmed is driven by the fear of being out of control, but then we act out the very thing we’re trying to avoid–being out of control. To say feeling overwhelmed is a crazy maker is an understatement.

Overwhelmed women need a little help.

God knows. He’s our Father, our Daddy, and whatever happens—good or bad—He know how to handle it.

Earlier this week I stumbled across this verse:

When I am overwhelmed, you alone know the way I should turn. (Psalm 142:3a)

Being God’s child brings comfort when we’re overwhelmed with sorrow and confidence when we’re overwhelmed with fear. He can turn our insecurities into security. He can take our crazy fears and create space for faith.

If we let Him.

But I must turn to God to know which way to turn.

The more often I turn to God, the more often I’ll know where to turn.

Even when we don’t know what to do or how to do it, God does.

What a relief to simply be God’s child! Sometimes it’s good to know we don’t always have to be the grown up.

For a little extra dose of encouragement today, check out Chris Tomlin’s newest song “Good, Good Father”  I spoke at a women’s retreat last spring where this was the theme song and promptly fell in love with it (as tears streamed down my cheeks, I might add).  www.youtube.com/watch?v=CqybaIesbuA