12/17/2024
Don’t Stress About It
Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Your heart must not be troubled or fearful.
John 14:27, HCSB
JACK COULDN’T SHAKE the feelings of lethargy. That “afternoon drowsiness” now seemed to stretch from morning till night. He didn’t sleep well, and his supervisor had started to notice that his production at work had dropped off. Plus, he’d put on a few pounds that he couldn’t lose. Jack didn’t know what was wrong. Maybe I should start taking vitamins or exercising more, he thought.
The real problem could have been stress. Stress can manifest itself in a myriad of symptoms such as the ones above or cause angry outbursts, sadness, and irritability. Left unchecked, stress can lead to high blood pressure, heart disease, and diabetes.
All those symptoms may sound scary, especially since you can’t always avoid stress. Life is filled with it: work deadlines, discipline issues with children, marital conflicts, and family issues. Though stress may be unavoidable, you can work with your doctor to make a plan to manage stress through physical activity, times of relaxation, and getting into God’s Word. Plus, you have the ultimate stress buster in your life—the peace of the Lord.
In John 14:27, Jesus says, “I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.” God doesn’t want us to be overly stressed. Instead, He wants us to find our rest in Him.
BOTTOM LINE
Too much stress doesn’t help anything. If anything, it hurts us physically. Be sure to schedule regular checkups with your doctor. Seek to rest in God.
Matthew 11:28-30 ESV
Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. [29] Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. [30] For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."
