Overrun

by: Carole L. Haines

¹⁵ Through Him then, let’s continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips praising His name. (Hebrews 13:5)

I have become overwhelmed by the simplest of things lately. It’s not any of them individually, it’s all of them together. Like a continual drip, drip, drip on the top of my head that has worn me down. It seems crazy to me that I cried over ants this morning. I have been battling these creatures every year, to keep them out of my house. I pre-sprayed in the Spring, and that really seemed to work. But lately, they have broken through the barriers. Anything that is left out on the counter, a crumb, a drip, a slight spill, is overrun by ants in the morning. The ants were back this morning, crawling on and around my Laptop. I just pushed it away onto the floor and put my head down and cried.  Then I went out to my garden and a lot of the weeds I had pulled just a few days earlier had grown back. I had to pull them again. I just can’t seem to get all the roots out. Life can feel overrun sometimes, we just can’t seem to keep up.

Overrun by ants or weeds, or whatever. All the little things plaguing us at once, all those little nibbles into our time, our peace, our joy. I felt so silly crying over ants and weeds, but it was just the final brick that brought my Jenga Tower crumbling down to the ground. My husband saw my distress, picked up my laptop, unscrewed the bottom and proceeded to evict any stray ants still lingering. He blew them all out with his own breath. Then I thought, that’s what I need God, Your breath blowing over all the ants and weeds in my life right now. I need You Holy Spirit to refresh my soul. and Spirit in You, just You.

“Breathe on me, Breath of God, Fill me with Life anew… until my heart is Pure.” These words from the Hymn by Edwin Hatch are resounding through my head and heart right now. Take a moment to look it up and listen to it on YouTube if you can. Just sit and soak in God’s Goodness and Grace.

Father, I praise You for all Your blessings. I know that even as the the weeds are growing, so my flowers and vegetables are thriving. I am so grateful for Your Goodness. Help me to be diligent and sensitive to when others are feeling overrun. Guide me to be a refreshing breath in their life, as my husband was in mine this morning. I need to become more like You, Jesus, less like me. I need to decrease and allow You to increase more and more within me. Please guide my heart deeper into You today, Lord. I miss You. Refresh my soul in Your delightful presence. Thank You Father, Jesus and Holy Spirit. Amen