Are You Stressed?

Some weeks are just stressful. Rushing around trying to get different chores in the house completed because visitors are coming to stay.

You’re helping your daughter look at apartments she’s interested in buying, so traipsing around the suburbs whilst you’re also trying to keep up to date with your own research and writing. Tt never stops.

And then of course amongst all of this is cooking meals, keeping up with the washing and cleaning. Most of you know how this all feels – even if not now in your life but years gone past.

So many of our parents and grandparents had to cook on wood fired stoves, after they had cleaned the clothes in a manual washing machine and wrung them out before hanging them outside. Brooms and brush and shovels used more than vacuum cleaners that were a luxury.

So, I really can’t complain too much with the automatic washing machines, dishwashers and vacuum cleaners that we use in the 21st century.

What we all share with past generations is the stress of life. Some days worse than others.

So, when we read in scripture Jesus stating, ‘don’t be anxious, don’t let stress get to you’, He is speaking to all of us.

Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:6-7 NRSV

Bring everything to God. Ask Him to come to your side.

I often pray for peace and stop in the middle of my stressful moments and close my eyes and breathe in Him. I slow my breathing down and concentrate on Him, on who He is. On His relationship of love with me. His faithfulness.

Then I am in a different place and can focus with less stress on the jobs before me.

My head is clearer and I know that I have the best helper with me.

So, stop, focus on the one that brings true peace to you and continue with your day as planned with less stress.

May these jottings from my journal inspire you to believe in and fall in love with Christ- the hope of the world, as stated in Jeremiah 17:7, ‘Blessed is the man who believes and trusts in and relies on the Lord and whose hope and confident expectation is the Lord!’

Love

Rosemary

Every week groups of ladies meet together to chat about the things I raise in my weekly blog post and to chat about life in general. We call these ‘Heart Connect’ groups.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

What kinds of things cause stress in your life? What do you do to cope?

How often do you ask God to give you peace in your circumstances?

What is stopping you from asking Him to guard your heart and mind when you feel anxious?