Feeling overwhelmed? It’s by design.

Can’t make it to every rally? We’re singing in a choir, and the voices around us will carry us when our voice gives out.

Kriston Jae Bethel for The New York Times

I was proud to be one of the 100,000 people who gathered for Philadelphia’s No Kings rally. We were the flagship rally of the nationwide protest, and I think we collectively sent Donald Trump a strong repudiation of his policy and agenda. We wanted to make sure Palestine was part of the protest, so I was glad Jewish Voice for Peace and Mennonite Action both nationally sponsored the event.

I was involved with organizing a pro-Palestine contingent in Philly, who was insistent on making sure that Gaza and Palestine were front-and-center in the list of Donald Trump’s egregious policy choices. I wanted everyone who was fighting against cuts on Medicaid, who wanted to protect migrants, and who wanted to preserve queer and trans dignity, to know that Palestinian justice is not mutually exclusive from those causes. Too often, we silo our interests, and the shame of that is that the Christian Nationalist assault on us doesn’t do that—in fact, we are all victims of its attacks. So in addition to the success of the protest, I was happy with how strongly Philly represented Palestine.

To organize our contingent, a group of us met about weekly to get on the same page about our messaging and our strategy. It takes real intentionality to organize, especially to organize a contingent within a much larger protest. We collected a few hundred pro-Palestine protesters, and even picked up some off the street. A pretty great success.

But I have to admit I felt a sense of relief when one of the actions I was involved in organizing was complete, and my plate felt a little less full. That is of course, until Israel attacked Iran, and we're off to the races planning a new action to protest the U.S.’s involvement in Israel’s war. We often chant “not another bomb,” and sometimes, for me, that is code for “not another round of organizing meetings.” Coalition work is challenging and time-consuming. I’m grateful I’m afforded the chance to do my part, but it can all feel overwhelming. Even keeping track of the various actions can be overwhelming on its own.

In addition to the sheer number of actions and demonstrations being organized, those of us on the ground are deeply involved in coalition building. We want to draw the circle as wide as we can. We want to include as many people in our coalition. The result of that is often making compromises, moving slower than we wish, and having prolonged discussions about language and ideology. That work on its own, especially for the most affected, can be exhausting. So much passion is held by us as we organize that sometimes it can be hard to listen to one another as we seek to create a coalition. I want us all to exercise patience to keep on keeping on, without losing our resolve. Our enemies are hard at work, doing the same thing.

When I feel that sense of being stretched or burdened, I remind myself that part of the Trumpist strategy is to overwhelm us and give us a sense of helplessness in the face of the serious onslaught on our rights. There is so much to resist, and we’re only one person. What do we do when our enemies are prospering? When those who do evil seem to be winning? The Psalmist in the 37th Psalm reminds us not to fret, not to give into anger, but to trust in God, who will make evildoers“fade like the grass and wither like the green herb.” Lord, hasten the day.

Part of trusting in God is knowing that our contribution is enough. You might not be able to make it out to a protest. A ten-block march in 90-degree summer heat may feel impossible for you—and it may well be. But you are doing your part even if you can’t show up. There are other ways to participate and support the movement. You can offer a financial contribution to the organizations planning it. You can share the event on social media or with your friends. And don’t undercut the power of prayer; praying for the safety of the organizers and activists, who are under new and constant threats.

In fact, those who are prayerfully-minded can offer a non-anxious presence of care for those of us on the front lines. In the midst of all the difficulty, your words of love, care, and affirmation can go along way. A phone call or a text message of encouragement is also you doing your part.

And for those activists who feel like they can’t lift another finger, call another elected official, plan another action, it’s OK to take a break. The world isn’t resting on your shoulders. We are doing this in community and in solidarity, and the beauty and joy of that is that when one needs rest or one just feels despair or discouragement, the community of love that carries this movement can carry you, too. Organizing in community is like singing in a choir. When we don’t have the strength to sing, there is always a friend by our side to carry our note for us. When one of us needs a breath, the rest of the choir can lift their voices.

The journey ahead of us is long. We do need to keep resisting, but take care of yourself too along the way. Practice rest, find joy, and look for a community of friends that share your passion. It’s OK to turn off the screen every now-and-then. To trust that the Spirit will do the heavy lifting, even as we do our part.

Trump and his cadre of vipers is seemingly indefatigable. But their power is already crumbling. People are making their voices known. MAGA itself is in a tailspin and fighting one another (check out Tucker Carlson and Ted Cruz go at it, if you want some catharsis). Hold on to hope, beloved, our victory is promised, and this round will be over soon. We have the numbers and we have the hope and promise of God, most importantly of all. Justice will prevail, and it doesn’t have to be yours alone to usher in. God is faithful and trustworthy. And God’s love endures forever.