Overwhelmed or Overcoming

"Then he said, “I am God, the God of your father. Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for there I will make you into a great nation. I myself will go down with you to Egypt, and I will also bring you up again, and Joseph’s hand shall close your eyes.” Genesis ‭46:3-4‬

Jacob was about to move with his whole family to Egypt, which was unfamiliar territory. But it appears that he became worried and reluctant to make the move. Why would he be worried when all appeared to be working to their advantage. Jacob's son, by God's providence was second in charge of all of Egypt. As humans, we don't always like change. The familiar, in view of coming change, seems safe and secure. When we have to move to unfamiliar territory, we feel less secure because we feel less in control. In familiar territory, we can almost predict was going to happen, but in unfamiliar territory things are less predictable, hence we feel less in control. And when we feel like we are losing control we can feel overwhelmed with a variety of emotions, like worry, stress and despondency.

To avoid being overwhelmed, and move to being an overcomer, we must stay focused on the one who is always in control of all things, namely our Heavenly Father. And this is not just a one time deal where we tell ourselves, "God is in control" and move on. It is a daily "refocusing" on the attributes and character of God, like He is sovereign, and He is good. On more than one occasion, Jacob, along with the other Patriarchs and leaders of Israel, had to be encouraged by God to not be afraid, and reminded that He was with them.

Being an overcomer also requires daily "relinquishing" control of our lives and circumstances to God and "relying" on Him to accomplish His purposes through us. This doesn't mean we sit back and do nothing, but that although we should give our best to the Lord, we do so in dependence upon His grace and for His glory.

Before Jacob made the move into the unfamiliar, the Lord reminded Him, "I myself will go down with you to Egypt and I will also bring you up again." If you want to be an overcomer and not be overwhelmed by the changes of life, you must remember who is in control, namely Jesus. And like Joseph, who went down into Egypt ahead of His family to make a way for them, Jesus came down from heaven to make an eternal way for us. And He promises that He Himself with be with us through all of life's changes and challenges. We are secure in Him, we are overcomers through faith in Him.