The Pain of Stress and Worry

Jul19

Many of us struggle with stress and worry. With all the “What Ifs” in life and all; life can be overwhelming at times.

Maybe your child is heading in the wrong direction.

Maybe you received a bad report from your doctor.

Maybe you are having financial problems.

Maybe you have too many things to accomplish and not enough time.

Maybe you have experienced a major change in your life recently.

Maybe your in a difficult relationship.

Whatever the case may be, worry and stress are very destructive. When we over analyze or over think things, we become consumed by them. Your daily life becomes “one-way” thinking, so to speak. You eat, drink and live that particular situation until you simply can’t function correctly and you become irrational. That is a sure fire way for the devil to create chaos in your life. He loves when you become “stressed out” or “too concerned” about something because he will take advantage of that very situation and make it worse than ever before.

John 10:10 tells us “the thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy…”

So, as you can imagine, the devil loves when we give him an opportunity to mess with our lives. Stress and worry is one such way. When we stress and worry, we tend to react too quickly and without analyzing the consequences of those actions. The devil can use that against us. He may tell you to go one way, when in all reality, you should have went the opposite direction. That’s his style, taking advantage of anything he can and making life a living hell during the process. So, what can we do about it?

Well, Jesus understood how destructive stress and worry could be. He knew that we would be setting ourselves up for physical illnesses if we allowed these destructive emotions to rule our lives. They can easily develop into migraines, pains in your body, difficulty in sleeping, digestive problems, obesity and even heart disease. These are all very good reasons to take Jesus’ advice in this matter. He specifically tells us not to worry, but instead, He says to look to God’s unfailing love and provision. Bottom line, TRUST IN HIM!

The goal is to overcome the issue. By putting God’s word into practice; you will become victorious over stress and worry. It helps us to keep our focus on Jesus, no matter how we feel. This in turn, allows Him to take care of the situation for us. For He knows what the best outcome is, so why don’t you allow Him to be your healer, provider and protector. Simply put…Whatever you need…HE IS!

The best way to use scripture is to have them handy. Every time you become worried or feeling a little anxious, stop what you are doing, and state the scripture. What this does is help you align yourself with God’s word and keep your focus on Jesus at all times. This releases the pressure of stress and worry because no matter what, Jesus has got you covered. He knows that it may feel like a setback to you, but in all reality, it is a setup for something greater. Repeat after me…”God is handling all of my problems today and does not need my help.” So, relax and have a Great Day!

KEY SCRIPTURES TO OVERCOMING STRESS AND WORRY

Matthew 6:25-27 “For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air, that they do now sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they? And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life?”

Matthew 11:28-30 “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and YOU WILL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

John 14:27 “Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful.”

1 Corinthians 7:32 “But I want you to be free from concern…”

Proverbs 12:25 “Anxiety in a man’s heart weighs it down, But a good word makes it glad.”

Philippians 4:6-7 “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

1 Peter 5:6-8 “Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time, casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you. Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.”

Verse of The Week: Psalm 34:17

Jul12

Take control of your life by taking control of your thoughts. Walk in the victorious life God intended for each of us. Read and meditate on God’s Word. Let Him transform you from inside out. God bless and have a fabulous day!

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Good Deeds or Distractions?

Jul5

pie-in-the-sky There’s so much to be said about “destiny”. So many people think it’s “pie in the sky” or just “hopeful thinking”. But in truth…it’s so much more.

God doesn’t call everyone to be a preacher or have a huge congregation. No, God calls some to be a plumber, an electrician, a writer, a singer, a songwriter, a classroom teacher, an accountant, a construction worker and on, and on, and on.

When you truly know what God calls you to do, you quickly realize that even if it’s a small part in the big scheme of things, it brings you so much joy that it’s undeniable that you are where you are meant to be. Now at the time, you might not realize how many people you have impacted by your daily work. However, your love, smiles and joy could be the very thing that impacted them the most. You might not have ever spoken a single “Biblical” word but your impact was far greater than if you did.

I see so many Christians these days running every which direction, being so stressed out, thinking that they are doing good by participating in everything. But in all reality, they are missing their true calling. Now don’t get me wrong, we are all supposed to be loving, helpful and making a difference. But if you have over committed in too many places or in too many activities than your joy will be diminished and not as effective.

What’s worse is seeing Christians compare themselves to others. I’ve seen pastors wonder what in the world is wrong with them when their congregation only has 100 people while someone else has 5,000 each Sunday. First and foremost, never compare. God works in all of us differently and it doesn’t matter if you have one person or 10,000…it’s God who makes the difference and you might have impacted that one person far greater than the other pastor did with the 10,000.

See, when you become stressed because you’re doing “good deeds” every night of the week, how can you possibly be taking time for a deep-committed relationship with Jesus? The answer is…you can’t. You’ll be too busy thinking about all the things that need to be done in order to be here or there. You’ll be wondering how in the world you’ll get it all accomplished. You’ll wonder how you’re going to get your own laundry done or go to the grocery store. At this point, these are no longer “good deeds” but have become “distractions”.

Being overly committed is not God’s design. He wants us living balanced lives, not chaotic ones. When you are so committed to all the external works, you will not have time to work on your own “true destiny”. Your true destiny comes in many forms as outlined before. God may ask you to help out in a specific church function or become a choir singer or participate in a charity event. And that’s okay. If God leads you to participate then by all means, walk out in faith and follow God’s guidance. However, the sole purpose of this writing is to say…walk in your destiny not in “good deeds”. There is a huge difference.

If you are overly committed, the real question is why? Are you truly walking out your calling or are you trying to fill a void that only God can fill?

Christian illustrations for the whole family “The fruit of righteousness will be peace; the effect of righteousness will be quietness and confidence forever”

(Isaiah 32:17)

Your destiny has a real sense of purpose. It’s not just to be busy or being a good person or doing good things. Start questioning the true motives of all your “good deeds”. Take a real hard look at why you are filling your day with so many activities. Begin to listen to your still small voice and then make your decisions. As you start listening to the deep peace within, you’ll begin to declutter your life and things will become more balanced.

God wants you to be successful and walking into your destiny. Let God guide you every step of the way. Learn to say “No” to the distractions and say “YES” to God! For when you do, you will know you’re on His right path and you’ll accomplish much more than you ever dreamed possible.

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