Overwhelmed or Taking-On-Too-Much

Mark 14:32–34 (NASB 2020)

^32” They came to a place named Gethsemane; and He said to His disciples, “Sit here until I have prayed.” ³³ And He took with Him Peter, James, and John, and began to be very distressed and troubled. ³⁴ And He said to them, “My soul is deeply grieved, to the point of death; remain here and keep watch.”

Why? Because he was about to go through the most physically painful time of His life, and He was going to be killed.”

DEEPLY GRIEVED – OVERWHELMED

It is the popular word these days is overwhelmed.

You will hear it often from people who are experiencing various types of occurrences.

Different types of overwhelmed

• Physical – Such as He was attacked by six men at the same time, overwhelming him.
• Circumstantial – Such as one event after another happened almost at the same time overwhelming the woman.
• Emotional – Such as He was overwhelmed emotionally by the sudden death of a loved one, the loss of his job, and the continued problems in his marriage.
• Mental – Such as She suddenly had so much data concerning the project that she felt overwhelmed at figuring it out.

The dictionary has three ways to understand it:

• bury or drown beneath a huge mass.
• defeat completely.
• give too much of a thing to (someone); inundate.

The REAL question is:

Is it “overwhelmed” or “taking on too much?”

Mark 14:35–36 (NASB 2020)

³⁵ And He went a little beyond them, and fell to the ground and began praying that if it were possible, the hour might pass Him by. ³⁶ And He was saying, “Abba! Father! All things are possible for You; remove this cup from Me; yet not what I will, but what You will.”

 May persons today who say they are overwhelmed are really saying, “I have other interests that are more important to me.”

Is it – Overwhelmed?

1. Were you forced to do more than you were capable of doing?
2. Were you required to do it in less time than you were able to do it?
3. Were you heaped on with more expectations than you anticipated?

Is It – Taking-On-Too-Much?

1. Did you volunteer to do the extra work?
2. Did you promise to get it done sooner than you knew you could do it?
3. Did you give others the impression you could do more than what you were able to do?

Did Jesus “take-on-too-much” or was He overwhelmed?

In Jesus’ case, He did not take on too much, He was thrust upon with a load that was beyond His capacity as a human to handle it.

If it were not for the Father’s love and the help of the Holy Spirit, Jesus the human would have been unable to withstand the onslaught of the beatings and crucifixion.

What About You?

When you think you are overwhelmed is it because you were imposed upon with something beyond your capacity to handle or was it that you took-on-too-much to do?

2 Corinthians 8:11–12 (NASB 2020)

11 But now finish doing it also, so that just as there was the willingness to desire it, so there may be also the completion of it by your ability. 12 For if the willingness is present, it is acceptable according to what a person has, not according to what he does not have.

WHAT WE DO FOR OUR LORD.

3. Finish doing it – If you start something finish it.
   1. Keep your word.
   2. Fulfill the covenant.
4. The completion of it – The finished or completed work is a testimony in and of itself.
   1. Luke 14:28–30 (NASB 2020) – 28 “For which one of you, when he wants to build a tower, does not first sit down and calculate the cost, to see if he has enough to complete it? 29 “Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who are watching it will begin to ridicule him, 30 saying, ‘This person began to build, and was not able to finish!’
5. By your ability – Be aware of what you can and cannot do.
   1. Do not take on more than you can handle.
   2. Do not give your word on something you cannot fulfill.
   3. Do not accept more responsibility than you are able to manage.
   4. You must self-evaluate.

HOW WE MUST DO IT.

1. If the willingness is present.
   1. First, this means that you have considered the responsibility and know that you will be able to handle it.
   2. Second, this means that you want to do what is requested.
2. According to what a person has.
   1. This means you review your calendar, your prior commitments, other projects, and know that you have the time, energy, willingness, interest, and are healthy enough to do what is requested.
3. Not according to what he does not have.
   1. This means that you do not choose to accept responsibilities that you already know you may not be able to handle because you have other interests, do not have enough time, are not as interested, have enough energy to finish, or are physically able due to your health.

How did the people in the Bible handle the call to do more?

• Abraham left his family.
• Moses left his royal life.
• The disciples all left their jobs and responsibilities to follow Him.
• Paul left his religion.

In other words, the ministry took precedence over earthly responsibilities.

Paul was a tentmaker, but when it came time for doing the work of the Lord, he lay tent-making aside.

He was never overwhelmed because He knew what his choice would be every time.

Philippians 3:13–16 (NASB 2020)

“13 Brothers and sisters, I do not regard myself as having taken hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. 15 Therefore, all who are mature, let’s have this attitude; and if in anything you have a different attitude, God will reveal that to you as well; 16 however, let’s keep living by that same standard to which we have attained.”

WHAT WE DON’T WANT TO HEAR FROM GOD

Revelation 3:2 ESV

Wake up, and strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not found your works complete in the sight of my God.