God is complex and has many attributes; however, humans usually focus on a few. He is personally involved with His creation and concerned with our well-being.
I too struggled with stress to the point of despair; a demanding job that led to burn out”, deeply in debt, a struggling marriage, sacrificing time and money for friends and a job lose left me in an emotional and mental mess. I had to stop and take inventory. What were the causes of this stress and how was I going to deal with it. Realizing that much of my stress was caused by fear, an inability to say “no” and other daily responsibilities I had to go to God. He would have to give me the strength to make the necessary stress reducing decisions.
The gospels- Matthew, Mark, Luke and John are filled with stories of people being healed. However, the story of the demon-possessed man Mark 5:1 stood out in my mind during my time of despair. This man was tortured by an unclean spirit night and day, until Jesus came along and healed him. So, I suffered much until I cried out to Jesus for help.
God has left us with His Word filled with godly principles and promises that lead to a prosperous life. The principles in the Bible are meant to be useful for daily living. However, many times we do not understand how to make biblical principles practical. For example: Matthew 6:25-34 says—do not worry, but seek Him. But how do we obey this command and receive the promise of His of providential care? This principle is easier said than done, because we worry. Think practical! God is a practical God. He expects us to take responsibility for our lives. There are some things that He will do and some practical things we must do. Sometimes it is difficult for us to distinguish between God’s part and our part. Prayer, meditation and talking with someone you trust can provide practical ways to help solve problems. Tips for overcoming stress:
- Stop and take an inventory of your life. What are the sources of your stress? What can you change and cannot change? Be honest! Ask God for help in this area (pray and meditate). Accept that there are some things beyond your control.
- Create an action plan.
- Learn to say “No”.
- Set aside daily time for yourself; at least 30 minutes. Put this in your schedule. Don’t break your appointment with yourself without rescheduling it during the day.
- Read stories from the Bible. It is filled with hopeless situations that required God’s help.
God is in the business of helping people heal and mend. It is His desire for us to come to Him for all of our needs.
