Stress and Simplicity: Part 3

May 3

5 min read

Stress will wear you out, depress you, muddle your thinking, paralyze you. It can make you so frustrated and anxious that you don’t know what to do.

We’ve talked about the heart issues involved in living with stress. We’ve talked about a few practical ways to minimize stress. But the truth is, in this world, stress will always be a part of our lives. We cannot rid ourselves of it entirely. It’s a part of being human. Jesus understood stress. Being in a stressful situation is not sinful. In fact, God allows stress to be a part of our lives to bring Him glory as our peaceful and obedient response to stress demonstrates that we know Him to be good and wise and mighty.

How do we live with stress and bring glory to God?

God is glorified when we dependently rest in Him in the midst of stressful situations

In the Mary/Martha divide, I tend to be a Martha. (Luke 10:38-42) In stressful situations, I get busy. And being busy is OK. Even needed. But not if our hearts are restless. Jesus told Martha she was busy about “many things,” but Mary had chosen the “one thing” necessary. She had chosen to be near Jesus.

Do not forget the necessity of being still and waiting on the Lord. Do not neglect to pour out your heart to God about the things that stress you. You were never meant to face stress alone in your own strength.

For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. Hebrews 4:16,17

Not only will you receive mercy and find grace, you will be acknowledging that only in God is your hope. Prayer is a declaration of God’s worth.

God is glorified when we walk by faith in the midst of stressful situations

Walking by faith involves doing the right thing even when we can not make sense of everything around us. Walking by faith means believing that God is good and wise and mighty and therefore I do not need to see beyond the moment before I do the next thing that He has placed in front of me.

“Doing the Next Thing” has been one of my simplest secrets of living with stress.

Doing the Next Thing means looking at what is in your hands, or what is in front of you, and doing something with it. It means not waiting for strength and wisdom to accomplish the whole task, but doing the little thing that is before you. Doing the next thing can stop our minds from running wild in the “What Ifs” of fear and bring us back to the “What Is” of faith.

“Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might.” Ecc. 9:10

Have you ever walked into your house and it seemed that everywhere you looked was a mess? What do you do? Sit down and cry? Call your husband and tell him you need a maid? Leave and go shopping? No. Clean off the first counter in the kitchen and go from there.

Are you overwhelmed with the enormous task of raising godly, wise, capable, healthy children? It is a lifelong task. Where do you begin? What is in front of you? A diaper that needs changing? A book that needs to be read? A meal that needs to be made? Do that. All the truths you want to teach can not be taught in a day. It’s a little bit everyday. “Line upon line, precept union precept.”

“One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much, and one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much. Luke 16:10

I have many times been overwhelmed with a task to the point of being almost frozen to action. In the end, I am surprised at how simple it was when it was begun and undertaken in little pieces.

Obedience to what I know to do, often leads me to understand what is the next thing to do. When I don’t know what to do, I look around and find what needs to be done.

Because “Doing the Next Thing” has become a pattern of sanity for me, I have gathered over the years quotes from others on this same topic.

“To take up the cross of Christ is no great action done once for all, it consists in the continual practice of small duties which are distasteful to us.”

John Henry Newman (1801-1090)

“When sorrow all our heart would ask,

We need not shun our daily task,

And hide ourselves for calm;

The herbs we seek to heal our woe,

Familiar by the pathway grow,

Our common air is balm.

The trivial round, the common task,

Will furnish all we ought to ask,

Room to deny ourselves - a road

To bring us daily nearer God.”

John Keble

From an old English parsonage down by the sea There came in the twilight a message to me; Its quaint Saxon legend, deeply engraven, Hath, it seems to me, teaching from Heaven. And on through the doors the quiet words ring Like a low inspiration: “DO THE NEXT THING.”

Many a questioning, many a fear, Many a doubt, hath its quieting here. Moment by moment, let down from Heaven, Time, opportunity, and guidance are given. Fear not tomorrows, child of the King, Trust them with Jesus, do the next thing

Do it immediately, do it with prayer; Do it reliantly, casting all care; Do it with reverence, tracing His hand Who placed it before thee with earnest command. Stayed on Omnipotence, safe ‘neath His wing, Leave all results, do the next thing.

Looking for Jesus, ever serener, Working or suffering, be thy demeanor; In His dear presence, the rest of His calm, The light of His countenance be thy psalm, Strong in His faithfulness, praise and sing. Then, as He beckons thee, do the next thing.