Stressed Out? Get God's Input!
Does life feel like a pile of over-stuffed suitcases about to burst apart?Are you spinning too many plates in the air?Are you barely surviving?Whether we call it the stressed out life, the over-stuffed life, or the “this is crazy” life, continuous, unrelenting stress is not good for anyone.Taking care of YOU is an essential part of reducing the damaging effects of stress. Proven stress relievers include exercise, sleep, naps, time with friends, hugs, gratitude, quiet time, and changing your focus to “whatever is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent or praiseworthy” (Philippians 4:8).A Google search on “STRESS” will lead you to countless websites and articles with well-researched information.
But does God have something to say about this area of life that affects us all?
Long before “mindfulness” became the buzz word and proclaimed as the answer to every problem, Scripture tells us to be mindful of God, His grace and mercy, and His ways in our lives. Psalm 77:11 says, “I will remember the deeds of the Lord; I will remember your miracles of long ago. I will meditate on all your works and consider all your mighty deeds.”When I remember how God has led and provided for me, I can calm down. I’m reassured that He’s in control, that He hasn’t called me to do everything, and that the world won’t stop if I choose to change my pace of life.When I MEDITATE and chew over, dwell on and absorb God’s perspective about what’s happening in my life, something amazing happens inside of me. Instead of being stressed, anxious, and irritable, I get a taste of what the Psalmist experienced as a result of spending time with God: My soul becomes “like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not whither” (Psalm 1:2-3). Just the opposite of the stressed out, over-stuffed life that leaves me pressured, exhausted, and spiritually dry.
How about you? Are you living a stressed out life?
If so, check out these helpful questions I ask myself:
Where’s my stress coming from? Identify the sources.
How is it affecting me? Be specific: physical impact, emotional, spiritual.
How is it affecting others I care about or am responsible for?
Analyze: What is driving me? What’s behind why I live like this and make these choices?
Ask: Am I willing to make needed changes as the Lord speaks to me?
Let's Talk: Don’t overwhelm yourself—pray, choose two steps you can take immediately, and keep asking God what steps you need to take to live a “well-watered” and sane life. I’d love to get your feedback.