Dealing With Overload And Overwhelm - Part 1

November 13, 2025•4 min read

"...if we’re not careful, we can end up taking on more than the Lord wants us to take on, and then we find ourselves operating purely in our own strength, rather than in dependence upon God’s grace."

What do you do when you simply feel overloaded and overwhelmed?

Well, in the next two posts, I want to try and give you some helpful resources to deal with those times.

This can and often does happen to Christians, especially those who are very active in their local church, serving here and there. This is because if we’re not careful, we can end up taking on more than the Lord wants us to take on, and then we find ourselves operating purely in our own strength, rather than in dependence upon God’s grace.

Now this is a complicated subject and I don’t want to go into too much depth here. Essentially, though, this is a spiritual issue that requires a spiritual solution. It also requires you to make certain decisions to change what you can to try and lessen the load that’s going to sink you if you’re not careful. There’s no place for self-help in the life of the believer - our help comes from the Lord, from within His Word, and from the strength and comfort we receive from the Holy Spirit.

There are so many different factors that can get someone to this place, ranging from a shallow or non-existent devotional life with no time spent in the Word or prayer, to losing your perspective during a time of trial; and there are many other reasons too.

So the way I want to deal with this is just to give you 3 suggestions of some practical things you can do to deal with, and avoid, overload and overwhelm. And then I also have 3 resources I want to recommend that can really help you if you make use of them.

But first, what exactly am I meaning when I talk about overload and overwhelm?

There is a difference between being tired in your role as a church piano player and tired of it. If you are experiencing the latter, it could be a sign of overload and overwhelm.

It’s basically when you get to that point where you are no longer enjoying the task and it’s just become a burden that you resent and dread doing. Likewise, you also wish you didn’t have to but you feel like there’s no way out; and that's not a nice place to be in obviously.

If you find yourself in that place, here are three suggestions I have to help.

The first one is...

Take a break

While it isn't rocket science, you’d be surprised how hard that is for some people to do, even when it’s within their ability to do it. Fear of letting people down, false guilt, and a sense of being indispensable, can all cause a person to push on past the point they should have. And as a result, you, and probably others, suffer for it.

Try and do all you can to step back, take a break, and remember that the axe needs to be sharpened every now and again. However, if you choose to keep hacking at that tree with a blunt axe head, all you will do is wear yourself out. So take the time you need to stop and gain some perspective. As a further encouragement to do that if you need to, listen to these words of Jesus, from Matthew 11:28-30:

..."28 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."

The Lord doesn’t expect us to take on more than He has given us, and that which He has given us, He will give us the strength to bear.

Next week, we'll look at the last two suggestions on how to deal with, and avoid, overload and overwhelm.

[Return to The Church Piano Player Website]

This blog post was written by pastor and pianist Kris Baines, from The Church Piano Player. Kris lives in the UK with his family, having recently moved back from New Zealand where he worked as a pastor for the past 26 years (also leading worship/worship teams). Kris has also spent over 35 years writing, recording, and performing music and is now bringing all that combined experience together to help equip church piano/keyboard players.

Check out the church piano player website for more information on online courses by Kris Baines.