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"The circumstances of life, the events of
life, and the people
around me in life do not make me the way I am
but reveal the way that I am."
Sam and Mary Peebles
In
the journey of life, most people are not enjoying
the trip because of stress and anxiety. In
our everyday lives, stress is becoming such a
huge problem that is only increasing with each
passing day. Learning to reduce the stress in
your life can help you to live a more Christlike
life. Inner stress and tension has to do with
who you are on the inside. It reveals the way
you are.
Stress
is ok when it increases our capacity to act or
think or feel. But when it gets out of hand,
it is dangerous. Normal tension is followed by
relaxation but if the muscles, emotions or brain
refuse to relax, it passes into abnormal tension.
This is when a person never relaxes. I went through
a period on the mission field where I had to take
a three-month break just because I could no longer
cope with the stress in my life. I did not know
how to say "no", and I was doing too
much for too long. I was a young person in my
twenties, and I had let my stress get so out of
hand until I reached a point where I couldn't
do anything! This is not what God wants for any
of us. God used that stressful time to reveal
what was inside of me and to change me. I learned
to say "no", and I continue to evaluate
my activities on a regular basis.
"For
me, the hardest word in the English language
is no. I would like to say yes to everyone and
everything, but obedience to Christ requires
me at times to say no. Like the gardener pruning
the vine, I must constantly trim away unnecessary
activities if new life is to spring forth."
Dwight Carlson
There
are so many things in life that can make us feel
stressful. Some of them are emotional problems,
Satanic opposition, overwork or bordom with work,
disease, wrong attitudes or thought patterns,
too many changes, unresolved conflicts in childhood
where there was a lack of love and security, unconfessed
sin and so many more things. There are few, if
any, of us that can escape many of the stresses
of life. The symptoms of stress are many - tiredness,
loss of appetite, headaches, health changes, digestive
disturbances, feelings of worthlessness, irritations,
anger, emotional instability, anxiety, lack of
sleep, health changes and the list goes on and
on.
"Anxiety
in a man's heart weighs him down" (Proverbs
12:25).
There
are several things we need to realize regarding
stress. These are things we need to understand
within our own hearts in order to better cope
with stress. We must realize the following:
- Realize that overwork can be a strategy
of Satan - When you are tired, it affects
everything - your work output, your motivation
and ambition, your ability to deal with problems,
your restfulness, your mental stability and
your satisfaction. See I
Peter 5:8.
- Realize that you will always face stressful
circumstances - Everyday you are confronted
with stressful situations whether it is with
your job, your friends, your future, etc. You
can't get away from it. See I
Timothy 1:7, I
Corinthians 4:7-11.
- Realize you don't have to be a victim of
stressful circumstances - Stress is a reaction.
We need inner resources to deal with our circumstances.
See John
16:33.
- Realize that God intends for you to do
His will - This means that we need to set
limits and pray through our activities. We need
to trim away that which is not necessary. See
Exodus
34:21.
- Realize that God is sufficient and He
has provided for our basic needs - He provides
security and significance and the fruit of the
Spirit - love (I
John 4-8), joy (John
15:11) peace (John
14:27) and comfort (II
Corinthians 1:3-4).
The
Lesson for today: Stress is ok until you can
no longer relax and when it causes many negative
reactions. Satan wants you exhausted and overworked,
unable to cope. Stress is a part of life but you
don't have to be victims of stressful circumstances.
Learn to say "no" and evaluate your
life regularly. Stress comes from within. God
is sufficient and He has provided all that you
need to do His will. Learn to live life in the
fruit of the Spirit and not in the flesh. When
God controls your life, He produces the fruit
in you.
"But
what happens to our responses when things begin
to go wrong? Our past accomplishments will not
sustain us in the midst of trouble. God understands
this and has provided the basic essentials of
life in the fruit of the Spirit. Some of these
ingredients: love, joy, comfort and peace will
sustain us in every situation. God expects us
to get them from Him. When He controls our life,
He produces the fruit of the Spirit in us."
Sam and Mary Peebles
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