15 November 2016
Alleviating Stress & Pressure
Psalm119:143
As pressure and stress bear down on me,
I find joy in your commands.
Believers are obviously not exempt from pressure and stress; we experience it all same as anybody. In fact, Jesus doesn’t sweep us up to heaven away from stress and pressure the moment we follow him. Rather, he sustains us in order to show everyone how thriving is not dependent upon our circumstances but in whom we place our trust. AND we also have God’s Word – his instructions. And living the way he prescribes actually alleviates stress. Did you know that? Here’s just one example:
Ephesians 4:25 (as well as the 9th Commandment) says...
Stop telling lies. Let us tell our neighbors the truth, for we are all parts of the same body.
When we speak the truth, we never have to worry about what we’ve said. Telling lies, even little harmless ones, requires a certain amount of juggling, and juggling is stressful. My husband says, “Lies chain us to yesterday,” and he’s right! We can’t be free to live today if we constantly have to remember what we said to whom and why. But if we are constantly telling the truth, we are actually FREE!
Wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom (2 Corinthians 3:17).
Jesus said to the people who believed in him, “You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings. And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free (John 8:31-32).
We can look at God’s instructions and see that all of it actually leads to freedom and away from stress and pressure. Like when Ray Comfort gives the illustration of the passenger in the airplane who knows the plane is going to crash but holds tightly to his parachute pack regardless of the flack from the other passengers who are unaware the plane is going to go down. Flack from others for following Jesus can be factors contributing to the stress and pressure we experience, but the freedom God offers by living the way HE PRESCRIBES outweighs it all.
Dear God,
Help me to cling to your instructions as your Word encourages me to do so. Thank you that I have found out for myself by experimentally obeying you and finding all this to be absolutely true. Thank you that
living the way you prescribe strengthens my resolve to follow you and makes me free in every way. Thank you! I love you and pray in Jesus’ name, amen.
Alleviating Stress & Pressure
Psalm119:143
As pressure and stress bear down on me,
I find joy in your commands.
Believers are obviously not exempt from pressure and stress; we experience it all same as anybody. In fact, Jesus doesn’t sweep us up to heaven away from stress and pressure the moment we follow him. Rather, he sustains us in order to show everyone how thriving is not dependent upon our circumstances but in whom we place our trust. AND we also have God’s Word – his instructions. And living the way he prescribes actually alleviates stress. Did you know that? Here’s just one example:
Ephesians 4:25 (as well as the 9th Commandment) says...
Stop telling lies. Let us tell our neighbors the truth, for we are all parts of the same body.
When we speak the truth, we never have to worry about what we’ve said. Telling lies, even little harmless ones, requires a certain amount of juggling, and juggling is stressful. My husband says, “Lies chain us to yesterday,” and he’s right! We can’t be free to live today if we constantly have to remember what we said to whom and why. But if we are constantly telling the truth, we are actually FREE!
Wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom (2 Corinthians 3:17).
Jesus said to the people who believed in him, “You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings. And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free (John 8:31-32).
We can look at God’s instructions and see that all of it actually leads to freedom and away from stress and pressure. Like when Ray Comfort gives the illustration of the passenger in the airplane who knows the plane is going to crash but holds tightly to his parachute pack regardless of the flack from the other passengers who are unaware the plane is going to go down. Flack from others for following Jesus can be factors contributing to the stress and pressure we experience, but the freedom God offers by living the way HE PRESCRIBES outweighs it all.
Dear God,
Help me to cling to your instructions as your Word encourages me to do so. Thank you that I have found out for myself by experimentally obeying you and finding all this to be absolutely true. Thank you that
living the way you prescribe strengthens my resolve to follow you and makes me free in every way. Thank you! I love you and pray in Jesus’ name, amen.
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