Stress and Peace

We have all been there, tossing and turning at night, millions of thoughts and challenges running through our head, snapping over some of the simplest of things or overall just getting to the point of throwing in the towel. Yup, that is stress, plain and simple. Other factors caused by this include high blood pressure, regular illness, over eating, and the list goes on. Stress impacts our bodies in multiple ways and even more so as the years go on if we do not deal with it. The issues and struggles only compound over time as our body does not recover the way it was meant to.

Then you know the opposite feeling, where you lay your head down and drift off to a relaxed sleep. Your daily interactions are filled with differences but there is nothing you are continuously thinking about or obsessing over. You ultimately know that things are in control and you are at full peace with your current state. A deep breath gives a quick relaxing feeling and you stand outside just enjoying the serenity of your surroundings whatever they may be. Ahh the feeling that this brings. That is exactly how God wants us to live. Jesus said:

Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. (KJV, Matthew 11:28)

If I were to ask you which of these scenarios you would prefer it is obvious that the second paragraph is the one you look to. No burdens, no worries, no struggles.

Realistically speaking there is still some element of stress that is buried within the time of the 2nd paragraph. There is something that is there, the good news is as I wrote that, it is not something that comes out because it is not at the center. Chances are the stress may creep in at times but it goes away it is cast off or dealt with.

As I thought about these opposite ends of the spectrum, it had me pointing to the growth side of stress. My sons have become more and more interested in working out and I was sharing with them some of the science behind muscle growth, if they really want to build muscle it takes two things, stress and repair. First we have to stress the muscle to the point that it gets microscopic tears, which can then be followed by the right fuel to aid the repair process, along with the right amount of rest and recovery to allow the body to repair itself. Over time the muscles continue to build up from this stress and repair.

Now apply this very concept to our own lives and to Christ’s words above. Christ never said that you would be without stress or burdens, he just said to give them over to him and he would give you the rest you need. Further Paul wrote:

“There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.” (KJV, 1 Corinthians10:13)

I could go through several additional topics throughout the Bible on this topic but the point I want you to understand is that stress can be good, to a point. We cannot let the stress control us, it is there to grow us, to make us stronger, and when we need to, we need to learn how to release it and deal with it. Oftentimes the analogy of Gold in fire is given. If you take gold or silver and melt it through the heat, the dross comes to the top, allowing you to easily remove it, leaving only the purest gold and silver behind. It takes the stress of the heat to make that metal pure. Just like it takes the stress of different areas of our life to make us stronger.

As you read this today, if you are dealing with the stress of finances, a particular job, medical situation or whatever it may be, I encourage you to face it head on. Look at it head on and come up with a plan to address it. If you do not have a plan, then talk to someone (Galatians 6:2 commands us to bear one another's burdens), lay out what the stress is, write about and work through a plan.

If you have ever been faced with a rain storm, you have 3 options, you can run into it, run away from it, or stay where you are. The fastest way out of the storm is to run into it. That is what the buffalo do when they are in a field, they run head on, into the storm. If we try to run away from it, it will only last longer because we cannot run faster than it, and if we do nothing, well it is going to linger over our head as long as it takes to move on. Learn from the buffalo and face your storms, attack them.

If it is your job or your finances, those are my specialties and I would be happy to work with you to guide you on a path towards peace (Click on Services above). Stress can be good, but we should focus on where that stress can take us at the end and not let us control you.