Labels or Legacy? How David’s Awe Exposes the World’s Lies About Your Identity

I'm not even going to ask if you've ever felt overwhelmed by something in life. I know you did. Somewhere in the last 5 years you've definitely experienced overwhelm. Just the exhaustion of trying to juggle work, family, relationships, and personal goals, all while trying to keep up with the expectations society places on you, is enough to humble us. Something women knows enough about.

It’s so easy to feel trapped by the word “overwhelmed,” especially when it’s so closely tied to stress, exhaustion, and burnout. I know these "feelings" we feel, is based on a mechanism. Something that's inherently created within us by God. So off course I asked the question...

If God created us in His image, why were we created with these mechanisms. Surely, not to live a life of constant overwhelm?

The Neuroscience Behind Overwhelm

Overwhelm occurs when the brain is flooded with too many demands at once. Our brains are wired to respond to stress through mechanisms like the fight or flight system, which is triggered by the amygdala—the emotional center of the brain. This creates a rush of adrenaline and cortisol, preparing us to react to the stressor. This is an automatic, natural response to stress.

However, when we experience overwhelming stress or pressure over an extended period, the prefrontal cortex, which is responsible for decision-making, problem-solving, and rational thinking, becomes less active. In this state, it's harder for us to think clearly, make decisions, or process our emotions effectively. When you’re feeling overwhelmed, your ability to make decisions is compromised. In a world where we are constantly told we need to be in control, to act quickly, and to have all the answers, the inability to make decisions in moments of overwhelm is actually a blessing.

In those moments, God is not calling us to make decisions on our own. Instead, He is inviting us to stop, to sit in His presence, and to trust that He is the one in control. This is exactly where God wants us to be. Overwhelm, when directed towards God, is not something to fight or escape—it’s a space for surrender, worship, and awe.

Overwhelm: A Tool for Surrender, Not Stress

This is what we see in 1 Chronicles 17 when David receives the overwhelming promise from God through the prophet Nathan. David didn’t rush to make a plan, strategize, or figure out how he would fulfill God’s promise. Instead, he went before God and simply praised Him. David was overwhelmed by the enormity of God's promise and His greatness, and rather than feeling burdened, he allowed that overwhelm to draw him closer to God.

David didn't go to God and say, "Thank you for the promise, now let me go and figure out how to make it happen." No, he acknowledged that this was a promise beyond his ability to control or carry out. In that moment of overwhelm, David didn’t try to solve anything. He didn't rush to every second person to tell them of his big, grand plan. He sat in awe of God’s greatness and surrendered to His plan. He said in 1 Chronicles 17:23,

"And now, Lord, let the promise you have made concerning your servant David and his house be established forever."

He wasn’t making decisions. He was trusting in God's timing and sovereignty.

The Role of Praise in Overwhelm

When we are overwhelmed, the natural human tendency is to try to regain control, to make decisions, or to take action. However, in the neuroscience of stress, we see that when our prefrontal cortex is “shut down” by overwhelm, we’re actually not equipped to make the best decisions. This is why God doesn’t want us to make decisions in moments of overwhelm. He wants us to sit in His presence, praise Him, and let His peace flood our hearts and minds.

Instead of worrying, planning, or trying to fix everything ourselves, God calls us to exalt Him in those moments. When we feel overwhelmed, we are invited to magnify God’s greatness, not the circumstances around us. This is how we can truly channel the overwhelming feeling into something positive and life-giving. By shifting our focus from the stress of our situation to the glory and goodness of God, we allow His peace to replace anxiety and His wisdom to guide us when the time is right. A feeling is not negative. A feeling is a neurological feedback loop for reflection and learning.

This is why the feeling of overwhelm, when surrendered to God, is an amazing learning opportunity. It’s not something to fear or escape, but an opportunity to pause, praise, and wait on the Lord. God doesn’t need us to fix things. He wants us to trust Him fully, surrendering our own plans and decisions to His perfect will.

Just to be clear. I'm not saying embrace the feeling. Embrace implies that you hold on to whatever it is you embrace. Neither is holding on to the feeling the goal. The goal is to feel, recognize and move on. Just like David did.

Conclusion: Embrace the Awe of Overwhelm

The next time you feel overwhelmed, take a moment to pause. Don’t rush to fix it or try to make decisions. Recognize that God has designed your brain to slow down in these moments for a reason. It’s a chance for you to step back and fully experience the presence of God. This is where He wants you—soaking in His fullness, His greatness, and His peace.

Instead of allowing overwhelm to carry negative connotations, let it remind you that you are in the presence of something far greater than yourself. Let it be a call to surrender, to worship, and to be in awe of the God who holds all things in His hands.

Words like overwhelm are really just crafted to soften and silence obedience. We want to trade obedience for comfort, and then we call it progress because we defeated overwhelm. By swapping accountability for pop-psychology and fancy labels that make you part of the "tribe", won’t heal what only obedience can

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