Most of us
know all too well that anxiety
and stress can wreak havoc on our emotions, but it can make us physically sick
as well. What are we to do when the
amount of stress we allow in our lives has gotten out of control? What can we
do to reign it in before it kills us? There is a spiritual answer to stress,
one we can use with a bit of mindfulness, faith and hope.
Part of the problem
could be we no longer trust God. We don’t
truly believe He is able to conquer and break the strongholds in our lives. Our
faith has taken a nose dive and crash landed in a heap, leaving us without a
way to take off again. Where do we begin when our faith wings have been
clipped? How do we properly set our spiritual buoyancy to the right position?
First we should
confess our inability to trust God, that we have allowed fear to reign terror
on our hearts and minds. Furthermore, we should profess that we’ll
begin to trust God, placing our lives in His capable hands. We will begin each
day with a time of quiet reflection. No radio, TV or computer, no electronic
devices to clutter our minds until we’ve
spent some time with Him. We simply come to God thanking Him, asking Him to
help us throughout our day and pray He will guide us in all we do. Then open up
His Word, the Bible and chose one verse from Psalms, One verse from Proverbs
and one other Scripture of your choice to meditate on. I always advise starting
in the Gospel of John, but you can choose. By doing this you’ve armed yourself with the help you so
critically need.
If you’re able to find time during the day,
repeat this process, perhaps at lunchtime, or on a break at work. On the drive
home, let the verses you’ve read that day lift your spirits as
your drive in rush hour, they may calm any anxiety that is building. At bedtime, use
this same quiet time as an important part of your nightly routine. Turn off all
electronic “noise”
and let His peace
permeate your being, helping you unwind.
What you’re really doing is reprogramming
yourself spiritually, emotionally and even physically to reset into a pattern
of trust. You are retraining yourself to capture every thought and bring it
into godly influence. You are no longer conforming to the ways of the world,
but are adhering to the precepts given by our Father in heaven.
Our Savior Jesus
reminds us not to worry, to place all our trust in Him, to leave all of our burdens
in His capable hands. He will ease our troubled hearts, if we will but cry out
to him for help. He tells us in Matthew 6:24-35 to not worry, because
would that change anything? No, so we’re to trust in Him, then He will
see us through whatever is troubling us, big or small. Why? Because He loves us
and cares deeply for us, more than we may ever truly know. Trust Him!
Stress doesn’t leave overnight, but with regular
application, you are well on your way to a life filled with peace, joy and
inspired living.
Scripture: In
peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone Lord, make me dwell in safety.
~ Psalm 4:8
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