Drowning in Responsibilities? How to Find God in the Chaos

Raise your hand if you feel like you're drowning in a never-ending to-do list. You can’t see me, but my hand is up too! It’s exhausting and frustrating—why does it only seem to grow?

As I mentioned in a previous blog, the Lord provides exactly what we can handle and what we need—nothing more, nothing less. So… does that mean I’m adding things to my list that don’t need to be there? Or am I marking everything as a top priority, even when it isn’t? If I’m being honest, I’m doing all of the above. Taking on things I shouldn’t, labeling everything as urgent, and carrying more than I was meant to.

Turning my eyes to the Lord has meant learning to step back and see my to-do list for what it truly is. I thrive with a list—it keeps me organized. Lists are a great tool, and I will continue to use them. But if I’m being honest, they can also become a way for me to try to control everything around me. I put everything I possibly can on that list to feel like I have a grip on life. Maybe you can relate.

When my husband came into the picture, I noticed my list got even longer. Why? I’m not entirely sure, but as I walk through this journey, I think it’s because marriage introduced things I can’t control. And in response, I tried to rein everything in.

In this post, I’m breaking down what I’ve been working on to lighten my load and, more importantly, find God in the midst of it all.

Bible Verses for Overwhelm & Surrender

• Luke 1:37 – "For nothing will be impossible with God."
• Romans 8:28 – "And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good."

What’s Weighing You Down?

Identifying Your “Must-Do” vs. “Should-Do”

Here are a few examples from my own life where I’ve blurred the line between what must be done and what I’ve unnecessarily pressured myself into. One of the biggest areas? My weight.

Weight Loss – Releasing Control & Turning Back to God for Strength. 

Medically speaking, I need to lose weight to reach a healthy range for my age and body. But in my mind, this had to happen now—fast. I put immense pressure on myself, to the point where I was stressing, worrying, and even breaking down in tears when I didn’t see immediate results.

At the start of this year, I stopped and asked myself: "Why am I rushing this?" The answer? I don’t need to.

I was so consumed by the urgency that I wasn’t even asking the Lord for help. Instead, I was exhausting myself emotionally and mentally. My knee injury also forced me to slow down—I went to physical therapy, and the difference has been night and day.

Now, instead of chasing instant results, I’ve set a long-term goal: reaching my target weight by July 2027. Slow and steady. And in doing so, I’ve lifted a weight off my shoulders—one that has allowed me to turn my eyes back to the Lord, open up, and surrender the pressure I was never meant to carry alone. 

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      The Maple Falls – Letting Go of Pressure & Letting God Lead

Another area where I’ve been feeling the weight of responsibility? The Maple Falls.

When I started working on different aspects of it—social media, legal setup, finances, and planning—it felt like everything had to be done immediately. My brain spiraled into thinking nothing can wait. The more I researched, the more articles I found saying, Don’t forget this! Make sure you do that! Suddenly, I wasn’t just overwhelmed—I was stuck. I didn’t even know where to begin anymore.

Somewhere along the way, I realized I was drowning in responsibility so much that I wasn’t even talking to the Lord about it. I was trying to fit into the world’s definition of success instead of following what God was asking of me.

Once I recognized this, I started taking small steps back and praying for guidance. Even if all I could say was, “God, I am lost. I need help.”

I won’t pretend that I’ve mastered this shift—breaking the everything is urgent mindset isn’t easy. But my focus going forward is this:

·        What MUST be done now?

·        What CAN wait?

·        Am I giving God the space to lead me, or am I trying to control everything myself?

Even while writing this very post, I felt stuck. The words weren’t coming, and my brain kept spinning. I had to physically stop, take a deep breath, and ask, "Lord, what would You like me to do?" That small pause—that simple shift—made all the difference.

Letting Go of What You Can’t Control

The Power of Surrender

• • Short guided prayer: "Lord, I am overwhelmed. I can’t do everything, but I trust You will guide me to what matters most."

Inviting God Into the Chaos Instead of Adding Him to the To-Do List

What if we stopped trying to “fit God in” and instead let Him be part of everything we do?

• • Pray while folding laundry.
  • Talk to God during your commute.
  • Offer your daily tasks to God as worship.

Invitation to Share:

What’s one simple way you invite God into your daily routine? Drop your thoughts in the comments—I’d love to learn from each other!