With Super Bowl LVIII only two days away, both teams are in their final hours of preparation for the big showdown. One of the most intriguing aspects of every Super Bowl is to see how much teams change their approach heading into the biggest game of the season. There's something to be said about a team attempting to catch their opponent off guard by altering their game plan in a much different way than what likely is anticipated. If done correctly, this can lead to confusion which is advantageous to the team. However, I believe there's much more risk than reward in this approach. When a team starts overthinking its strategy or making things more complicated, it typically leads to the players being the ones who are confused and don't know what they're supposed to do. Because they're thinking so much about the changes or all the possible ways the game could go, it can lead to what has often been called “paralysis by analysis.” Considering the pressure, anxiety, and attention of the Super Bowl, it's tempting for coaches and players to overthink what they need to do to win and it causes them to impede their abilities to do what's best, which is usually trusting in what got them this far. As followers of Jesus, we're also guilty of sometimes overthinking things and becoming paralyzed by overanalyzing situations. I recently read a quote in a Christian article that stated, “Thinking is good, but overthinking can turn a simple matter into an overly complex one.” We want to use our minds to think, but we need to make sure we avoid overthinking by trusting in the truths that God has provided for us in His Word. Psalm 94:19 (NIV) says, “When anxiety was great within me, Your consolation brought me joy.” When faced with stressful situations that can bring us anxiety, we shouldn't use all of our energy to figure out the intricate details of how to deal with issues. Instead, by meditating on the truths of God’s Word, we can find comfort in knowing He's sovereign over our situations and remains by our side during trials. A perfect example of refraining from overthinking is found in Psalm 73 where Asaph describes his sorrow over wicked people living lives of comfort and pleasure. He doesn't understand why they're living with ease given their obvious rejection of following God. Asaph writes in Psalm 73:16-17 (ESV), “But when I thought how to understand this, it seemed to me a wearisome task until I went into the sanctuary of God; then I discerned their end.” Asaph became weary from overthinking why the wicked were prospering. It wasn’t until he went to the sanctuary of God and heard the Word of God proclaimed, that he realized He was in control of the situation and would be the One to make all things right. Today, let’s choose to focus on reading and meditating on God’s Word instead of paralyzing ourselves by overthinking things. There are truths in the Bible that can help us quiet our minds and trust Him in any and every situation. It is simply up to us to find them and cling to them! I’m Matt Osborne, and you can UNPACK that! PRAYER: Heavenly Father, please forgive me for the times I've allowed my overthinking to lead me into fear or anxiety. Please help me to look to You and Your Word when I face difficult situations. Thank you that Your Word has given me everything I need for life and godliness. In Jesus’ name, I pray, Amen.
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