Stress can tempt me to act nuts. I used to make the excuse that I could drink
because I was under too much stress. Since then I have learned that there is
nothing worth a drink. A drink will only and always make things worse.
So what
is the answer for stress? I believe the
answer is spiritual. If I surrender to God while in the midst of difficulty and
busy-ness, I can find solutions. God
has a way of slowing me down. He has a way of breaking the tasks into small
baby steps. He also has a way of giving me acceptance for my weak and easily
tired self. You are doing too much. Save
something for tomorrow. God says take a break, breathe, pray, and turn on
the music. Check your motives; Is this
really important, or am I worried what others will think? Eat ice cream. Go for a walk.
I can’t pretend stress isn’t there. It will all blow up if I
ignore the warning signals…(frustration, anger, whining, yelling, blaming…..).
Often my expectations are just too high. God is practical. He says there are
only 24 hours in a day and there are prescribed things to accomplish each day
if I listen.
Sometimes it’s not the amount of things to do that brings
the stress, but the level of difficulty that brings stress. It’s stressful to
watch a friend or family member suffer with depression or hopelessness. That kind of stress can only be understood
with God’s help, and even then things can seem like nothing good is
happening. This is where God intervenes;
He gives me a new perspective or a deeper insight. The situation may not change
or get better, but it gets do-able. I begin to see His purpose of eternity; suffering
often turns to glory, growth, and ultimate good for that loved one and for me as
God is sought for answers.
DO the next thing and pray. Sing loud. Laugh and cry. Yell scripture. Refuse to worry.
