Pressured, But Not Cold - Sundie Morning Sistas

When Life Feels Overwhelming

There are seasons when a woman can feel like she is carrying the weight of the world on her shoulders. And for a single woman, there can be an added layer to that weight because there may not be another person in the house sharing the decisions, the responsibilities, the bills, the disappointments, or the uncertainty about what tomorrow is going to bring. Then you add everything happening around us—the economy, war, uncertainty, the constant stream of troubling news—and sometimes it feels like there is nowhere to put all of it. When the pressure isn’t only external, but things are happening in your own life that you never saw coming, you may feel more than overwhelmed. Even a woman who has walked with God for years can find herself struggling to feel His love, His power, and His presence.

Jesus never promised us a life without pressure. In fact, He told us the opposite. In John 16:33, Jesus said, “Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.” He didn’t say if trials come. He said when they come. Following Christ doesn’t exempt us from difficult circumstances, unexpected losses, financial concerns, disappointments, broken relationships, unanswered questions, or seasons when we wonder how we’re going to make it through. What Jesus promised was something greater than a trouble-free life. He promised that we would never have to face trouble without Him. The pressure may be real, but so is His power. The uncertainty may be real, but so is His presence. And the fact that we’re going through something difficult does not mean we are going through it alone.

When pressure comes, we do have to be careful, because it has a way of working on us from the inside. When we’re tired, disappointed, afraid, or continually dealing with something we cannot fix, we can begin questioning things we once felt certain about. We may wonder why God allowed this, why He hasn’t changed it, or whether He is really covering us the way we believed He was. Those are honest questions, and God is not intimidated by them. But there are some places we cannot afford to let pressure take us. We can be pressured without becoming resentful. We can be disappointed without becoming bitter. We can be confused without deciding that God has abandoned us. Psalm 61:2 says, “From the ends of the earth, I cry to you for help when my heart is overwhelmed. Lead me to the towering rock of safety.” Notice that David didn’t pretend his heart wasn’t overwhelmed. He knew exactly where to take an overwhelmed heart.

Don’t Let Pressure Make You Resentful

One of the first things we have to watch when we’re under pressure is resentment. Resentment wants somebody to blame. Sometimes it’s the person who hurt us. Sometimes it’s the people who seem to have an easier life. Sometimes we blame ourselves for choices we wish we had made differently. And if we aren’t careful, we can even begin blaming God. “If You had done this…” “If You had stopped that…” “If You had answered me sooner…” We start building a case against everybody involved in our pain. But resentment doesn’t relieve the pressure; it adds another burden to the one we’re already carrying. Ephesians 4:31 (NLT) tells us, “Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and evil behavior.” God knows what has happened to us, and He knows who hurt us. We don’t have to become the judge and jury over every person who has disappointed us. There is a difference between acknowledging that somebody hurt you and allowing what they did to become the lens through which you see everybody and everything.

Don’t Let Bitterness Find a Home in Your Heart

Bitterness can be harder to recognize because it doesn’t always look angry. Sometimes it looks like withdrawal. Sometimes it sounds like, “I don’t care anymore.” It can show up when you constantly replay what somebody did to you, keep a mental record of offenses, assume people will eventually disappoint you, or find yourself irritated when someone else receives the very thing you’ve been praying for. You may notice that compassion isn’t coming as easily as it once did. You may be quicker to criticize, slower to trust, or secretly satisfied when somebody who hurt you experiences difficulty. Those are warning signs that something may be settling into your heart. Hebrews 12:15 (NLT) warns us to watch out “that no poisonous root of bitterness grows up to trouble you, corrupting many.” Bitterness is dangerous because it doesn’t stay contained. It begins with what happened to you, but eventually it starts affecting how you respond to people who had nothing to do with it. Don’t let somebody else’s actions take up permanent residence in your heart.

Never Decide That God Has Abandoned You

And please, don’t make the mistake of blaming God for everything the adversary, other people, or life in a fallen world brings your way. Don’t think that God is the cause of everything that happens. People make choices. The enemy comes to steal, kill, and destroy. And sometimes life simply brings circumstances we never expected and cannot explain. But none of that means God has stepped away from us. He will never do that.

Romans 8:38-39 (NLT) reminds us that nothing “can ever separate us from God’s love.” Nothing means nothing. Your unanswered prayer doesn’t mean He stopped loving you. Your difficult season doesn’t mean He stopped covering you. And the fact that you cannot see what He is doing does not mean He isn’t doing anything. There may be things happening in your life right now that make absolutely no sense to you. You don’t have to pretend that they make sense. But don’t allow confusion to convince you that God has abandoned you.

So if you’re under pressure right now, know that you can be tired but don’t give up, you can be disappointed but don’t become bitter, and you can be overwhelmed but don’t ever turn your back on God. You may not understand this season, and you may not know how everything is going to work out. But you don’t have to become cold because life has been hard. Keep your heart tender before God. Keep bringing Him the questions you don’t know how to answer. Keep telling Him the truth about where you are. And when you don’t have the strength to carry everything, remember that you were never meant to carry everything by yourself. Isaiah 41:10 (NLT) says, “Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you.” You may be pressured, but you are not abandoned. And whatever this season has taken out of you, don’t let it take your heart. ■

“Pressured, But Not Cold”, written by Reverend Fran Mack, edited by Kim Times and KLizzie, for Sundie Morning Sistas ©2026. All rights reserved. All done to the glory of God through Jesus Christ, our Lord! SMS is dedicated to encouraging and inspiring Christian Women to live boldly through God’s Word.