Stress is a killer. There are numerous studies I could point to that show this statement to be absolutely true, but this post is not about stress. It is about one way to try to deal with it, so that you are not impacting those around you.
Today, especially this evening, has been a really rough day. I am feeling the mounting pressures of not having time to get done all that I need to do, as well as being pulled away from my family time to take care of too many things. As a consultant, I am often at the mercy of my customer base and their timing to get their network jobs done. As a trainer, I am working to get class locations situated and get the material ready for the next upcoming class. Add to that the need (and desire) to spend time with my family, especially before I’ll be leaving for a week to go to training, and I can feel my stress level go up a few notches.
I have, for most of my life, dealt pretty well with these types of stresses. I noticed today, though, that I have been a pretty grumpy guy. I have been short with my wife and kids as well as my customers on the phone. The thing about stress, you see, is it steals your peace and joy. These 2 things are given by God, so I decided to go searching for HIS answer to stress. Here are a few verses that I found:
John 14:27 reads, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.” This one is my first stop, because it is one that I quote to myself often. By allowing the stresses of this world overrun my thinking, I am essentially laying aside what Jesus himself offers to me. So, the first step in removing the stress factor in my life is to recognize that Jesus has already given this gift of peace. I just need to keep looking to Him and I will be able to get through these situations. I know that this is, at times, easier said than done, but it is an important point. By permitting the stresses of this world to take the peace that Jesus gives, I am essentially allowing Satan to be more powerful than Jesus in my life. I must take the time to speak with Him and allow him to, once again, shower me with the peace that is already mine through Him. THANK YOU JESUS!
The next verse I found is even more direct in teaching me the source of the stress, or at least the source of why it impacts me so harshly. Romans 8:6 reads, “The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace.” SO, what God is telling me here is that if I lose my focus on HIM and focus on the flesh (that’s bible-speak for “the world and it’s worries”), then I will not have “life and peace”. What happened to me today was that I didn’t spend enough energy with my mind in the right place. I was SO focused on the things I had to do that I forgot my TRUE purpose in life. You see, we were created to worship God. It is essential to our well-being that we do so. In forgetting to remember the one who gives life, we lose the peace that He gives. THANK YOU JESUS!! By bringing this verse to my mind, you have reminded me that I must continue to be vigilant in seeking YOU.
Philippians 4:6-7 reads, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” This is both a command and a promise. First, we are commanded to not be anxious. That term is translated as “worry” in some translations. In the King James it reads, “Be careful for nothing;”. By assuming the responsibility of making all the things I need to do work out, I am assuming the weight of success or failure as well. The bible teaches that we should bring these things to God and let HIM “worry” about them and replace OUR worry/stress with His peace, which passes understanding. That is the promise. It is a wonderful witness to just how good God is for people to see us, as Christians (HIS CHILDREN), living in the same world everyone else lives in, and “somehow” not be impacted in the same negative way as those who do not know Him. While it is impossible for me to understand how God accomplishes this peace, it is entirely unfathomable to those who do not know God. It is something that must be experienced to even recognize it. When I am overburdened, as I was today, I really notice that this peace is missing. THANK YOU JESUS!!
Finally, there is 1 Peter 5:7, which reads, “Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.” God does not want us to be stressed. He sent his son, Jesus, to the earth to take all of that away. Jesus WILLINGLY suffered and died for my sin. “Wait,” you may be thinking. “Is being stressed a sin?” I believe that there are enough verses that carry the same message as Philippians 4 that command us to “not be anxious” to support the idea that our worry is a sin. It displays a specific lack of faith on our part when we do that. Worry and stress are tools of Satan. We should pay heed to Romans 12:2. This verse says, “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” Again, this is a command of God. By excessive worry, we are living as those who do not know God live. We are taking on the responsibilities that belong to God. It’s no wonder we are stressed! THANK YOU JESUS!!
I believe that the real key to properly handling stresses that we face is to continually focus on Jesus. We must allow our hearts to seek HIS strength and power. If we can do that one thing, we can sing, along with David THIS song (Psalm 103:1-5):
1 Praise the Lord, my soul;
all my inmost being, praise his holy name.
2 Praise the Lord, my soul,
and forget not all his benefits—
3 who forgives all your sins
and heals all your diseases,
4 who redeems your life from the pit
and crowns you with love and compassion,
5 who satisfies your desires with good things
so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.
Praise to Jesus the Christ! Instead of being the “best stressed”, God wants to give us the “best rest”! THANK YOU JESUS!! All verses quoted are New International Version.