KEEPING STRESS OUT We live in a MORE world, a BUSY world, a world of too much. But it is not going to change so the only option remaining is for us to change how we respond. I believe that our ability to deal with busy – with overload – with ‘too much’ lies with our response. I think there are few key words that will help our response – MASTERY (getting in control of things), FOCUS (a clearer view of what we are doing), ENGAGEMENT (not ignoring and hoping it goes away but engaging in the things that truly matter to us) - In Australia, suicide has now passed car crashes as the #1 cause of injury death (not including cancer etc – injury deaths) – On average 7 people per day suicide – for every completed suicide 30 attempts – thats 200/day – every 10 minutes -Top causes of stress: Job, Money, Health, Relationships, Health, Sick child, Danger (fear of fire, car accident, victim of crime) The world is obsessed and overwhelmed with stress – we are worriers of the wrong kind – God has given us a way out – he has given us a strategy PHILIPPIANS 4:6-13 VS.7 - (Living Bible) - “If you do THESE THINGS you will experience God’s peace which is far more wonderful than the human mind can understand. His peace will keep your thoughts quiet and your heart at rest as you trust in Christ Jesus.” God promises a more peaceful / less stressed mind Philippians teaches 5 strategies WORRY ABOUT NOTHING PRAY ABOUT EVERYTHING THANK GOD IN ALL THINGS THINK ABOUT GOOD THINGS BE CONTENT WITH ANYTHING Lets unpack these 5 tings for a bit: 1. REFUSE TO WORRY ABOUT ANYTHING! Worry, not work- is the #1 source of all your stress – work doesn’t keep you up at night – worry does. God is clear about what he thinks of worry: PH. 4:6 “NEVER worry about ANYTHING..” o WORRY IS UNREASONABLE MT. 6:25 Don’t worry about your life, what you’ll eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Doesn’t make sense! Not logical. Irrational. 1. Worry exaggerates problems! Turns small issues into big – the more you think on it, it gets bigger! Grows out of proportion 2. Worry doesn’t work! To worry about something u can’t change is useless. Worry about something you can change is stupid – just go and fix it. o WORRY IS UNNATURAL You weren’t born with it! Worry is a learned response – you can learn which means you can also unlearn it MT. 6:26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? MT. 6:28-29 And why worry about clothes? Look at the field lilies! They dont worry about theirs. Yet King Solomon in all his glory was never clothed as beautifully as they. o In all of God’s creation-only humans worry.! Animals/Plants don’t. All creation trusts God’s care except... o Because it is unnatural- it is also unhealthy! Your body wasn’t designed to handle worry – it causes health problems: “I’m worried sick!” PR. 12:25 “An anxious heart weighs a man down” Old English: “to choke or strangle” Pr. 14:30 “A heart at peace gives life to the body” o WORRY IS UNHELPFUL Can’t make you taller/shorter, live longer...CAN shorten! Can’t change PAST.... control FUTURE The only thing worry changes is you! More miserable! MT. 6:27 Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? o WORRY IS UNNECESSARY No need to worry! MT. 6:30 “If God cares so wonderfully for flowers that are here today and gone tomorrow, wont he more surely care for you, O you of little faith? Worry is A CHOICE “Refuse” SO... 1 PET. 5:7 Unload all your worries on God since He is looking after you!” So our first strategies to a stress less life is to refuse to worry about anything….the second strategy: 2. TALK TO GOD ABOUT EVERYTHING! Don’t panic, pray! Don’t worry, worship! Stop talking to yourself & start talking to God! PH. 4:6 “Never worry about anything. INSTEAD in every situation let God know what you need in your prayers and requests...” If you prayed as much as you worry... God has promised to take care of you if you’ll just trust Him! Worry is practical atheism. Acting like God cant be trusted! JAM. 4:2 ”You do not have, because you do not ask God!” - Ask more... worry less! - If it isn’t worth praying about - isn’t worth worrying... ROM. 8:32 “Since God did not spare even his own Son but gave him up for us all, wont He who gave us Christ, also give us everything else we need?” God solved your biggest problem... so why wouldn’t he take care of your everyday? God cares about ALL of your life. “God, I’ll handle this” thats not a smart option – how has it been working out so far? 3. THANK GOD IN ALL THINGS! PH.4:6 “When you ask God for what you need also thank him for all he’s done.” (TEV) “always ask with a thankful heart.” 1 TH. 5:18 “In everything give thanks, for THIS is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you!” 4. THINK ABOUT GOOD THINGS! Your war with stress is won/lost in your mind. What you fill your mind with, determines the level of your stress PH. 4:8 “Fill your minds with those things that are true and good and right. Think about things that are pure and beautiful and respected. If anything is excellent or if anything is worthy of honor, think about those things.” Here is a test here for what is good and right - 8 TESTS you can apply and ask: Is it true? Is it good? Is it right? Is it pure? Is it beautiful? Is it respected? Is it excellent? Is it worthy of honor? Maybe you have people around you who say to you – “oh lighten up a bit – don’t take things so seriously” PR. 14:9 “Fools make fun of sin” – I believe the words we speak – the thoughts we think – frame our future – they set a course and direct a path – I think we ought to pay more attention to our thought life and our speech life! Want to change the course of your life? Change how you think and what you speak! ISA. 26:3 “You Lord, will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, and whose thoughts are fixed ON YOU!”(NLT) 5. BE CONTENT WITH ANYTHING! Not: apathy – complacency - laziness – fatalism – lacking ambition DEF: Enjoying what I have right now, rather than waiting on something else to make me happy PH. 4:11-12 “I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of contentment in every situation, whether I’m well-fed or hungry, when I have more than I need or when I don’t have enough.” (LB) ) How do I LEARN Contentment? 1. Stop comparing. PR. 14:30 “Peace of mind makes the body healthy, but envy is like a cancer.”(TEV) CEV “Contentment makes..” 2. Stop thinking that having more will make me more happy... more important... more secure ECCL. 4:6 “It’s better to only have a little with peace of mind, than to be busy all the time with both hands, trying to catch the wind.” (TEV) 3. Learn to admire without having to acquire These 5 strategies are hard – they take effort – but with all of Gods promises is a premise – and with these 5 strategies there is a great promise to our lives – a promise that we can live more peaceful and less stressed! PH. 4:13 “I have the strength to face anything and everything by the power that Christ gives me.” JOB 22:21 Obey God and be at peace with Him; this is the way to happiness.” (NCV)
Posted on: Sun, 19 Oct 2014 09:18:56 +0000
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