I Can't Do This!

I can't do this! It's just to hard! I feel overwhelmed!

These are feelings I am very familiar with. I have felt them at every stage of my life. When I was a student and exams were approaching I would often feel panicked and overwhelmed. As a mother it started when I was in the delivery room and the contractions became seemingly impossible to bear. Then surrounded by my children I was constantly confronted with situations where I was supposed to be in charge and I didn't know what to do.

"I can't do this! It's just to hard! I feel overwhelmed." I always see pictures of Mary as being calm and serene, but God used real people not actors. When Mary's honor was brought into question because of the pregnancy, when she had to go to Bethlehem when it was time to give birth, when she had to flee to Egypt in the night to save the life of her child, I think she was stressed. She was a young woman given a task that was to big for her to do.

What was it the angel had said to her? "Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you." As I meditate on this I wonder, is this true for Mary alone? Hasn't God also promised to with me. When Mary wondered how the things the angel told her could happen the angel said,"The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you." God was not calling Mary to accomplish this task apart from Him but empowered by Him. This isn't really different from the things God is calling me to do.

When Jesus was preparing to leave his disciples he gave them this promise. "If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you." John 14:15-17 This is the same Spirit that overshadowed Mary and made the impossible possible.

The last words the angle said to Mary were,"For nothing is impossible with God". Mary humbled herself and responded, "I am the Lord's servant. May it be to me as you have said."  This reminds me of Ephesians 2:8-10 "For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works,so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared before-hand, that we should walk in them." So I choose to say with Mary," I am the Lord's servant. May I walk in the good deeds you prepared in advance for me to do."

Lord Jesus, you know that when I am faced with tasks that overwhelm me my human response is to panic. When I feel my children are in harms way I feel frightened. I think Mary must have shared these human emotions as well. Help me to look at the responsibilities you've given me with eyes of faith and not with eyes of flesh. When my flesh screams,"I can't do this! It's just to hard. I feel overwhelmed!". Help me to anchor my hope in your promise that you have given me your Holy Spirit and with you nothing is impossible.