08/23/2026
Devotion by TXYS Chaplain Chet Collins:
When Life Is Overwhelming
“It’s a long road that has no turn in it.”
— Grandma Collins
2 Chronicles 20:1–24
A great multitude came against this righteous king called Jehoshaphat. Overwhelming odds.
Here we learn to trust Him. Our faith is stretched and grows when we can’t do it alone.
The Bible says Jehoshaphat was afraid in verse 3. And you know, it’s okay to feel some fear when you go against struggles where the odds are so much against you and in favor of something else.
You’re human.
What matters is what you do with that fear.
Jehoshaphat turned his attention to seek the Lord, to pray and to fast. This is a way to turbocharge our prayers by humbling ourselves and putting our dependency upon God alone.
Verse 4 says, “All Judah gathered together to seek the Lord.” They had a joint prayer meeting where they were in unity, and it increases the effect when we find someone to gather with us in prayer. There’s power in numbers to put the enemy to flight.
Verses 5 through 10, Jehoshaphat reminds God, but really, he’s reminding himself of God’s promises.
He reminds God that He is the God in the heavens, that He is ruler over the nations on the earth. And he tells God, You are so powerful; no one can stand against You.
You drove out the inhabitants of this land of Israel before us and gave us this land. And he said, You gave this land to Israel and to the descendants of Abraham, Your friend, forever.
He said, We built a sanctuary with Your name in it and You said that when sword, judgment, disease, or famine would come upon us, we could stand in this house and cry out to You, and You would hear our distress and our fears, and You would deliver us.
The enemy has come to drive us out of Your possession, Jehoshaphat said, which You gave us as an inheritance.
God, will You judge them? Because we are powerless before this great multitude, and we don’t know what to do, but our eyes are upon You.
Then the Bible says God’s Spirit came upon Jahaziel, and the Lord says through him:
“Do not fear or be dismayed at this great multitude, for the battle is not yours, but God’s.”
And he said, “Tomorrow, go out against them, for the Lord is with you.”
At this point, the people began to worship the Lord, and the priests stood and praised the Lord God of Israel with a loud voice.
Jehoshaphat the king told the people to trust in God.
The amazing thing is that they appointed singers and praisers to be the first to face the enemy in battle. They were to give thanks to the Lord and praise Him for His everlasting kindness.
When they began singing and praising God, the Lord set Himself against their enemies and set ambushments against them. The enemy actually began to turn their swords on one another, and they completely destroyed one another, and none escaped.
When We Are Overwhelmed
We learn from this that when we are overwhelmed with life, and the odds are against us, and we’re afraid and we don’t know what to do, we can do what Jehoshaphat and Israel did that day.
First of all, they sought the Lord for help with prayer and fasting.
And then, second, they reminded God of His promises to help them in time of need—whether it be financial, whether it be for healing, whether it be for problems with people, or something else that’s overwhelming us.
And then they listened to God’s voice as He reassured them that the battle is His.
So we need to listen to God’s voice and let Him tell us that everything’s going to be okay. He can give you that peace in your spirit as you pray and fast and seek His face.
And God lets us know, He’s got this.
The battle is not ours, but it’s really God’s.
And then they faced the battle with praise and thanksgiving, knowing they could trust God for the outcome.
When life becomes overwhelming, remember Jehoshaphat’s words:
“We don’t know what to do, but our eyes are upon You.”
And remember God’s answer:
“The battle is not yours, but God’s.”
“From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I.”
— Psalm 61:2 (KJV)
