The days we are living in can be filled with a lot of stress due to uncertainty. The economy not just in the United States, but indeed globally, may be cause for great concern about the future. Meanwhile, individuals and families try to cope with everyday life. As a result, many people live with a great deal of stress.
Many articles have been written about stress. I have spoken on a number occasions to groups of people about reducing stress in the workplace. I do know that ignoring the stress in your life can have some serious physical consequences as well.
So what is God's opinion about stress? There are Christians who believe that no matter what adversity comes your way, you are just supposed to accept it as God's plan. In other words, just suffer and endure because He has some kind of a reason. But even if you believe that, it doesn't get rid of the stress.
The Bible talks about being careful, or anxious for nothing. The word careful could quite literally be translated, "stressed out." The Greek word, merimna?, means to be mentally divided with cares and concerns.
We all have cares and concerns, but when those cares and concerns become overwhelming we become stressed out. So, that word, merimna?,, in the Bible is used both of having cares and concern, like we all do, and it is also used when we are overwhelmed, when we are stressing.
God's advice is that we should be stressed out for nothing. What? Is it possible to live without stress? Yes, and He tells us how.
The Bible says that in everything, by prayer and petition to God, with thanksgiving, we are to let our requests be made known unto Him. We remain thankful for what He has already done for us in our lives, and we let Him know about our current situation. Another verse talks about casting all your care (anxiety, stress) upon Him because He cares (has care and concern) for you.
Now some could dismiss this by saying that they have prayed and asked for help, but they are still stressed out. Perhaps we shouldn't be so quick to dismiss God's instructions on how to relieve stress. Maybe we should simply carry out His instructions, even if we need to cast our cares and let our requests be made known to Him a hundred times a day.
If we do so, the Bible promises that the peace of God will guard our hearts and minds. Isn't that where the stress factory is, in our hearts and minds? And when we are stressing, just how peaceful are we?
It is amazing how many people hear, in detail, other people's situations that they are stressing about. Some spend so much time telling others all about their stress. Maybe a better use of one's time would be to tell God, and keep bringing it to Him.
One final point is critical. Why would God ask us to make our requests known to Him? Why would He ask us to cast all our cares on Him? Why is there so much scripture about prayer?
The answer is so plain and obvious that it is so often overlooked. God wants to answer our prayers! He is a God of answered prayer. Why else would the scriptures say things like, "Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and you shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you?"
So we can choose to follow His instructions, because He not only wants to help and answer our prayers, but He also knows how detrimental living with stress can be. Stress takes a great toll on our bodies and minds. Some have stressed about a situation so much that the physical consequences in their body from that stress were far greater than that which they stressed about in the first place.
I am aware that there are a number of things one can do to reduce stress like exercise, laughter, getting more sleep, watching your diet, etc. I'm not at all negating those things. But, for me, the first thing on my list when I am feeling any stress at all, is to cast all my cares on Him, because He cares for me.
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Michael A. Verdicchio offers a FREE eBook, "9 Keys to Answered Prayer!" for signing up for his FREE weekly news letter, "The Pep Letter," at:
http://www.ConfidenceAndJoy.com
Michael is a husband, father, minister, author, broadcaster and the voice on numerous projects and productions, Get a FREE Lifetime Membership to EnrichingYourLifeNow.com when you subscribe for FREE to his inspiring blog.
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