STRESS
Image courtesy of Stuart Miles
Matthew 6: 25-27 ASV says - Therefore I say unto you, be not anxious for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than the food, and the body than the raiment?
Behold the birds of the heaven, that they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; and your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are not ye of much more value then they?
And which of you by being anxious can add one cubit unto the measure of his life?
I believe that Our Heavenly Father was talking about stress in this scripture. One day everything is great and going your way. You have a good job and spouse who loves you. Your children are healthy. You have a beautiful home and then your faith is tested. Your job downsizes and you have more work and deadlines that you can’t keep. You have no time for your family, friends or loved ones because you are too busy being stressed out trying to keep up with the Jones family when you yourself are living from paycheck to paycheck. You feel like your entire world is coming apart. Your life is in turmoil and you don’t know what to do, so you cry on the shoulder of someone else when you should put your trust in God. As he scripture says we should trust God to take care of our needs; after all aren’t we more valuable to him then the birds.
The Lord put us here for a special purpose and if we are stressed out all the time we can’t possibly fulfill what is required of us. You probably ask yourself “what is my special purpose in life?” If you don’t know what your purpose is, you should ask Our Heavenly Father to reveal it to you.
The world says when we are stressed we should:
- Get enough sleep
- Exercise
- Eat a healthy diet
All of that is good advice but it is not enough.
I say when you are stressed you should:
- Read The Bible
- Pray
- Trust Our Heavenly Father.
If you include those three things in your daily routine, you will find peace, be healthier and happy because of less stress in your life. Then you will be a blessing to others.