Feeling Scattered

Today, we’re talking about Feeling Scattered

Let’s be honest, some days you feel like your brain is playing pinball. You start a task, get interrupted, forget what you were doing, and by the time you sit down to pray… you’re scrolling your phone wondering how you got to a video of a goat on a trampoline. That’s what we’re talking about today—feeling scattered. Not in the planting seed kind of way, but in the “I haven’t finished a thought since Monday” kind of way. Don’t worry, you’re not alone, and there is peace available—even in the chaos.

Isaiah 26:3 (NLT)“You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you!”

Sometimes it feels like our brains are moving faster than our schedules can handle. Whether you’re a list-maker or a fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants kind of person, we all face those days when our minds won’t slow down.

Life hits us hard sometimes, and it feels like we are juggling too much. Like, ever made a to-do list so long it gave you a headache? Our culture celebrates hustle—but constantly running from one thing to the next leaves us frazzled. Sometimes, doing all the things doesn’t mean we’re doing the right things.

The thing we need to do is take inventory of what we can handle or do and keep that in mind when it comes to our schedules. This does a few things: it makes our schedules feel like something we can manage, and it also helps us to feel less stress and more accomplished.

Be mindful of what you can handle and what God wants you to do.

I don’t know about you, but sometimes, no matter what I have set out to do for the day, I can feel so distracted that I’m living in half-finished moments.

On those days, I try to figure out why I’m so scattered—and sometimes I just don’t know why, but I am. Then there are other times when I’m so preoccupied by my thoughts that I can’t focus on even the simplest tasks.

God isn’t asking us to live that way. He calls us into wholeness, not constant multitasking.

So, when you feel scattered, try your best to catch yourself before moving to another task without finishing the first. This will help you live in finished moments.

Mental peace in a loud world is necessary. Noise doesn’t always come from outside, as we know. Sometimes the loudest voices are the thoughts racing in our minds. Isaiah 26:3 reminds us: perfect peace comes from keeping our minds fixed on Him. It’s a promise—not a suggestion.

Take captive your thoughts, take a deep breath, and whisper a one-line prayer: “Lord, center my heart and thoughts on You.” That moment of pause can turn a scattered day into a surrendered one.

Let’s shift from mental clutter to emotional clutter. One second, we’re joyful, the next we’re overwhelmed. Emotions are a gift from God—but when they’re out of control, we start to feel like we’re just riding waves without a paddle.

The good news? God’s never thrown off by our scattered feelings. He made us emotional beings—and He’s not asking us to bottle it up. He’s asking us to bring it to Him. All of it.

Isaiah 26:3 (NLT)“You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you!”

You know the game whack-a-mole? Just when you get one thing settled, another pops up. Ever feel like that with emotions? You cry in the car, laugh in a meeting, and snap at someone you love. It’s exhausting—but it’s also human.

When we feel like we are living a life of big ups and downs, let’s seek God’s peace.

Colossians 3:15 says, “Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts.” That word “rule” means to act like an umpire. Peace gets the final say—not chaos. We don’t have to be ruled by our emotional swings.

Let’s take a moment today to do something to clear our thoughts and emotions.

Grab a sticky note. Write down one thing that’s emotionally draining you right now. Just one. Now ask God to hold it, to give you peace, and help you to walk through it. That small act is a reminder: you’re not carrying this alone.

This helps us to release everything to God not only spiritually, but mentally as well. Sometimes it takes a physical act to make change happen.

Don’t let habits and emotions hinder your capacity to access God’s trust and compassion to help you when you are feeling scattered.

We’ve talked about the mental and emotional clutter—but now let’s talk practically. How do we find rhythms that help us feel more grounded when life is pulling us in a thousand directions?

We’re told to “balance it all,” but sometimes balance is a moving target. Instead of balance, what if we asked God for wisdom to know what matters most today—and let the rest go?

Isaiah 26:3 (NLT)“You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you!”

God is the one who gives us peace beyond our understanding, so let’s learn to believe that and lean into fully trusting in God and fixing our thoughts on Him.

Let’s learn to schedule with surrender—this means to go ahead and make that to-do list but pray over it. Ask God: “Which of these things really matter today?” It’s amazing how peace comes when we surrender the schedule instead of trying to control it.

I used to make lists and schedules but then get upset and feel like I didn’t accomplish much because the expectations I put on myself were not met. So, one day I just decided that if a list and tightly planned schedule made me feel stressed, then maybe I should make a change.

This helped me. To this day, I only make tentative plans, and I do my best not to plan past a day or two. With this mindset, I’m more flexible to the unknown and for what God has for me. I have found that it is mentally better for me to loosen my grip on my schedule and plans. Sure, I still have days of feeling scattered, but I don’t put as much expectation on myself and things—and that brings peace.

Make room in your schedule to sit, slow down, and soak up the moments that God has for us.

Jesus set a good example for us with this. Jesus wasn’t rushed. His pace had purpose. Maybe today’s challenge is to slow down, breathe deep, and invite Jesus into the mess—not to fix it all, but to be with us in it.

Remember that in our scattered state of minds, God is clear and ready to help you with guidance and peace to make it down the path He has laid out for you.

If you’re feeling scattered—mentally, emotionally, or in your schedule—know this: you’re not broken, you’re just human. And your Savior is not overwhelmed by your pace.

Fix your thoughts on Him. Ask Him to bring peace into your every step. And remember, even in a scattered season, God is still doing something beautiful. You’re doing better than you think. your thoughts on Him. Ask Him to bring peace into your every step. And remember, even in a scattered season, God is still doing something beautiful. You’re doing better than you think.