When we first come into the world, the only thing we know is that we’re taken care of. Everything is done for us – we’re fed, we’re clothed, we’re given something to quench our thirst, we’re bathed. Loved and cared for, without a care of our own.
Then we grow up. As we get older, we meet the struggle of school, friendships, chores, homework, and relationships. We grow up even more, and we become adults, where we’re met with work, finances, groceries, bills, and maybe marriage and kids. Suddenly, we’re overwhelmed, and stressed out.
Life is full of stress. No matter what we do, we are going to meet with something unexpected. A bill that is more than we thought. A bad review at work. An argument with our spouse or significant other. Health issues. A family crisis. Our children’s school/friends/relationships. Death. The fact is, we live in a broken world. And because we live in a broken world, stress will never go away.
So what do we do about it? We turn to The Bible, and see what God has left for us.
Psalm 120:1 says,
“I call on the Lord in my distress, and he answers me.”
When we’re upset, stressed, overwhelmed, fill-in-the-blank-with-whatever-negative-verb, we can always call on God. Prayer is our direct landline to God. And do you want to know something really cool? He wants us to call on him. If you’re unsure about this, I encourage you to look up these scriptures:
- Psalm 50:15
- Psalm 145:18
- Jeremiah 29:11-13
- Jeremiah 33:3
- Matthew 11:28-29
Stress may come for a season, but we aren’t meant to stay in that season. We decide to change how we react to stress. The Bible tells us to be joyful because God wants us to live joyfully. We are commanded to rejoice in Philippians 4:4. 1 Thessalonians tells us to rejoice always. And guess what? Joy is one of the fruits of the spirit in Galatians 5. Not stress.
See, God didn’t want us to be stressed out. But when the inevitable does happen, the Bible tells us that it makes us stronger. Check out James 1:2-4.
And just like summer time in Georgia doesn’t last forever, neither does stress. It’s unpleasant, but we can make it through!
Dear Heavenly Father, I ask that you cover the person reading this with Your peace. Call to their heart Father, and let them know that You are there. Although the stresses of life are many, reassure them that it is only temporary because there is nothing happening that You don’t already know about Lord. In Your name I pray, amen.
