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The Heart of Stress
When was the last time you slept like a baby? I’ve recently been with a new grandbaby - and let me remind you, even little ones don’t sleep like a baby. It’s a nice idea - deep sleep with no worries. But life is not like that.
Life is stressful. And Complicated. Unpredictable. Confusing.
Has it always been this way?
Can you imagine life in the Garden of Eden? Do you think it was stressful?
I don't think that's how any of us would describe it. Life then was FULL, yes, but
It was ordered.
Instructions were understood.
Relationships were open and honest.
Then sin entered. And life got confusing. And stressful.
Our lives are stressful because of sin
our own sin and
the sinfulness we must deal with in those we meet and to whom we relate -
because we live in a fallen world.
The good news means that Jesus has “come to make His blessings flow far as the curse is found.” (John 9:3)
What Satan meant for evil, God uses for our good.
Stress is an experience that pushes us back to God.
Our response to stress exposes wrong heart attitudes so we can deal with them.
In our weakness He proves Himself strong.
His peace experienced in the midst of our stress brings him glory.
There are helpful things we can do to manage stress. There are promises of God for us in the midst of stressful situations. Before we talk about any of this, I think it is a good thing to think about the heart issues that often lie under the surface of stress.
Keep your heart with all vigilance,
for from it flow the springs of life.
Proverbs 4:23
We may be holding on to stress for very stressful (sinful) reasons.
Perhaps we like the image of ourselves as being competent. We want to feel tenacious.
Stress is an adrenaline rush. We may get more done when we are “under the gun.” At least we have a reason to have everyone leave us alone and overlook our bad temper. But this is not the way God intended us to live. He built the need for Sabbath into the fabric of our being human, the web of our lives. Our need for rest is a gift that keeps us close to Him. He has given us everything we need to all His bidding. Don’t live in a rush. Especially when it for your own glory or it hurts those around you. (2 Cor. 9:8)
Perhaps we enjoy wallowing in our self-pity. We like to have people feel sorry for us.
We even make it sound positive by calling it a “pity party”. There is some immediate relief in feeling sorry for yourself. It’s easy, it comes natural, and it’s modeled for us everywhere. We think we can just indulge ourselves for a while and then get over it. But the relief is temporary and the damage is dangerous. Each time we need a bigger and more exciting something to help us out of our self pity. Habits are set. Patterns of thinking become ingrained. Our view of others and God becomes tainted. Self-pity is still all about self.
Perhaps we like the image of ourselves as being complex. We want to be different from (superior to) everyone else.
We want to think we are indispensable. We can think more highly of ourselves if our situation, our problem, our “temptation” is somehow not common to man. We want to rise above the rest even if it is because of our stress levels and confusion. We are made as unique individuals in the image of God, but it is contrary to God’s world (and prideful) to think that one’s trials are unique. Stress is one of the things that unifies mankind. Don’t use it to set yourself apart.
We are lazy. We want an excuse for not getting things done.
We all have an aversion to work. It is easier to make excuses about the stress we are under than to actually do the work. Philosophizing about life can be a form of willful disobedience. We’d rather keep asking questions than do what needs to be done.
Do you see your heart in any of the above?
-Don’t stress about this! If God knows it’s time to deal with something, He will make it plain
If He does, talk to Him about it. Tell Him of your struggles. Your hopes and fears. Your attitudes. Put words to what is wrong and why it is. Thank Him for the forgiveness He has already purchased for you, and ask Him to continue His work in your heart.
We’ll talk about some practical things next week. I hope you sleep better tonight.
Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
and do not lean on your own understanding.
In all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make straight your paths.
Be not wise in your own eyes;
fear the Lord, and turn away from evil.
It will be healing to your flesh
and refreshment to your bones.
If you lie down, you will not be afraid;
when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet.
Proverbs 3: 6-8, 24