Blood Pressure

As I was preparing for a weekend teaching, I came across an interesting study conducted by Duke University. They sought to discover the modern sources of stress...what makes people’s blood pressures rise and their tempers flare? The results were quite surprising. As you go through the list... if you identify with one of their reasons... take a minute and read the Bible verse below it. God hasn’t designed us to carry so much pressure... and He gives us His words and promises to help counter it. 

According to Duke University, what are the main causes of today’s stress? What does the Bible have to say about how to handle each of them?

#1: Suspicion and resentment. Nursing a grudge was a major factor in unhappiness.

What the Bible says to do: “But when you are praying, first forgive anyone you are holding a grudge against, so that your Father in heaven will forgive your sins, too.” Mark 11:25

#2: Living in the past. An unwholesome preoccupation with old mistakes and failures leads to depression.

What the Bible says: “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!” 2 Corinthians 5:17

#3: Wasting time and energy fighting conditions you cannot change. 

What the Bible says to do: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.” Proverbs 3:5-6

#4: Withdrawing and becoming reclusive during periods of emotional stress.

What the Bible says to do: “And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.” Hebrews 10:25

#5: Indulging in self-pity when life hands you a raw deal.

What the Bible says: “And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.” - 1 Peter 5:10

#6: Rejecting basic virtues—love, humor, compassion and loyalty

What the Bible says to do: “And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.” Philippians 4:8

#7: Expecting too much of yourself. 

What the Bible says: “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” Romans 3:23

#8: Becoming self-centered.

What the Bible says to do: “Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. 4 Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.” Philippians 2:3-4

Remember, no matter what the world throws at you... the Bible has an answer. 

You weren’t meant to carry as much stress as you do. It’s time to make a change.

Are you ready?

Today… if the world knocks you down to your knees... remember, that’s the best place to pray. Stay there... turn to your Heavenly Father... and let Him know what hurts. Leave your problems with Him... and resist the temptation to run back over and pick them up. He is big enough to shoulder what you’re struggling with and loving enough not to give them back to you. 

Pray more
Stress less
Breathe easier
Live healthier

Give the glory to God. 

You were meant to be blessed not stressed.

Unbearable

A psychologist walked around a room while teaching stress management to an audience. As she raised a glass of water, everyone expected they'd be asked the "half empty or half full" question. Instead, with a smile on her face, she asked: "How heavy is this glass of water?"  Some guessed 8 ounces... others 20 ounces... She replied, "The weight doesn't matter. It depends on how long I hold it. If I hold it for a minute, it's not a problem. If I hold it for an hour, I'll have an ache in my arm. If I hold it for a day, my arm will feel numb and paralyzed. In each case, the weight of the glass doesn't change, but the longer I hold it, the heavier it becomes."

Stress is the same way.  Hold it for a little while...no problem.  A little while longer...a little more weight.  All day?  A week?  It quickly becomes unbearable.  So how can we control the pressure on our lives?  Take Jesus up on what He offers in 1 Peter chapter 5  verse 7:  “Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.”  God wants us to turn to Him when times get tough... We weren’t created to carry the weight of the world... so today, let’s choose to trust in His strength and not our own.

One Full Day?

Have you ever tried to go one full way without worrying?  I have and it isn’t easy.  I’d like to tell you that I give it all to God and never take it back.  Or I stay calm under very stressful situations without trying to fix the problem all by myself.  But I can’t.  You know why?  I’m human.  We worry from time to time… or at least most of us do.  As I was studying for a weekend, I ran across this interesting story about a woman with an extremely rare condition…

So rare, in fact, that only 400 cases have been reported worldwide.  It causes her to speak without hesitation… jump when others pull back… boldly face danger… and do it all with a smile.  Her condition?  Urbach-Wiethe syndrome… also known as “no fear” disease.

This woman lives with absolutely no external fears.  No sweaty palms.  No elevated heartbeat.  No worry.  She still logically senses incoming danger…  for example, if a car is heading toward her, she knows to get out of the way.   She is able to face external stresses with no fear.  But the internal ones?

Still there. 

Isn’t it interesting that this condition blocks her from being afraid of what she can see… but still allows the mind to process fear on the inside?   The mind is powerful… and if we let it, it will paralyze us in worry and strife.  It causes us to fear externally and internally… spending our days stuck in neutral waiting for things to change.  But did you also know that you don’t need a rare condition to numb you to worry and stress.  In fact, God has already given you the plan.

A plan for you, the worrier.  A hope for you, the stressed.  A peace for you, the burdened.  His plan?  He wants you to get up everyday and internalize these two verses:

“I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.”  John 16:33

“So do not fear, for I am with you;

    do not be dismayed, for I am your God.

I will strengthen you and help you;

    I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”  Isaiah 41:10

No fear.  No wringing  your hands over an empty bank account.  No more late night crying sessions over children that have lost their way.  No more feeling the dread of upcoming evaluations… or examinations… or loss.  You weren’t sent here to fear.  You weren’t designed to live in denial.  You weren’t meant to spend every day grasping for control of situations that you can’t possibly bend to your will.  

You were meant to trust.  

You don’t need more faith.  You need to live out the faith that you already have.  Even if all the faith you’ve got left is the size of a pebble… God can move mountains with it.  Take the two verses from today’s devotional and write them down on index cards.  Keep those cards with you everywhere you go… purse, wallet, dashboard, vanity, mirror, etc.   And when the enemy tries to take you down by buckling your knees,  stand strong in the power of these truths from our Heavenly Father.  

Life’s coming at you… and because of these verses, I can assure you that you’ll be ready… not in your own strength, but through the One who walks with you in the valley of uncertainty and challenge.   He’s more than enough and He’ll never let you go.  

Click

      Harry Houdini, the famed escape artist issued a challenge wherever he went. He could be locked in any jail cell in the country, he claimed, and set himself free quickly and easily. Always he kept his promise, but one time something went wrong. Houdini entered the jail in his street clothes; the heavy, metal doors clanged shut behind him. He took from his belt a concealed piece of metal, strong and flexible. He set to work immediately, but something seemed to be unusual about this lock. For 30 minutes he worked and got nowhere. An hour passed, and still he had not opened the door. By now he was bathed in sweat and panting in exasperation, but he still could not pick the lock. 

Harry Houdini was trapped.  The clock was ticking....and he was genuinely scared.

The mind is a powerful thing.  For some of us, we’ve been trying to figure out how to be happy... how to break free... for a long time.  Every time we think we have it solved, we struggle with the lock... and hear the sound... 

click.  

We try something new... we beg God... we act nicer... we treat people a little better... all trying to somehow impress God so He will lift the burden of the prison we’re in.

click.  Still locked.

Anger, frustration, and doubt all begin to replace what little hope we had left.  We are in prison... and it seems that it is where we are bound to stay.  That bad decision, word that was said, past discrepancy... all gatekeepers to a cell that seems permanently sealed.  The lock won’t budge... and whatever happiness we may have once had is a memory. 

Is there a way out?  What will set us free? 

What does God suggest we do about it?  

Before we discover that... let’s go back to our story of Houdini:

Finally, after laboring for 2 hours, Harry Houdini collapsed in frustration and failure against the door he could not unlock. But when he fell against the door, it swung open! It had never been locked at all! But in his mind it was locked and that was all it took to keep him from opening the door and walking out of the jail cell.

Houdini escaped the cell because he stopped struggling with the lock on a door that wasn’t locked to start with.

We do the same thing every day.  Our mind holds us prisoner in a cell that isn’t locked.  

God tells us to handle it this way: 

Psalm 46:1 “He says, ‘Be still, and know that I am God.’”

Be still.  Hardly our first reaction to being locked down...beaten up... or shaken.  

Ever used a finger prison?  Those gags where you put the tips of your index fingers into the ends of a braided paper cylinder.  When you tug on them, you can’t get your fingers loose.  The trick?  Don’t tug.  Relax and slowly remove each finger individually. 

When we quit struggling... when we stop pushing... when we cease trying to force it... when we let God be God... He reveals that what is holding us back isn’t our circumstances, it is our perception of the power of the lock.  

In fact, if you look closely at the lock, you can see the manufacturer.  Can you see it?  It isn’t Master or Yardley or even Black & Decker.

It says Satan on it... and he wants you to think it’s the strongest lock ever made.  What you did is unforgiveable... who you are is unchangeable... what happened is irreversible.  

Not true.  

God wants to be God in our lives.  He wants us to relax...refocus...and realize that He is working ahead of things... that Grace is for us too... and that He is key to our happiness.

When Christ resurrected, the door to every cell in every prison in every mind sprung open.  Don’t focus on the lock of your circumstances... push on the door.  It’s open.  God made sure of it.  If you’ve been bound... stop struggling.   Give those heavy chains to God and gently push against what seems to be permanently holding you in.

Trust me... that door will open and you will be released.

Released from pain, guilt, inadequacy, low self-esteem, past failure... Does the pain go away?  Not immediately, but the only way to start the process...the first step to true freedom from what has held us in... is the release from the unlocked prison.  

I can hear doors swinging open all over the world.  Let the healing begin.  

Blessed

As I was preparing for a weekend teaching, I came across an interesting study conducted by Duke University.  They sought to discover the modern sources of stress...what makes people’s blood pressures rise and their tempers flare?   The results were quite surprising.   As you go through the list... if you identify with one of  their reasons... take a minute and read the Bible verse below it.   God hasn’t designed us to carry so much pressure... and He gives us His words and promises to help counter it.  

According to Duke University, what are the main causes of today’s stress?  What does the Bible have to say about how to handle each of them?

#1:  Suspicion and resentment. Nursing a grudge was a major factor in unhappiness.

What the Bible says to do:  “But when you are praying, first forgive anyone you are holding a grudge against, so that your Father in heaven will forgive your sins, too.”  Mark 11:25

#2:  Living in the past. An unwholesome preoccupation with old mistakes and failures leads to depression.

What the Bible says:  “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!”  2 Corinthians 5:17

#3:  Wasting time and energy fighting conditions you cannot change. 

What the Bible says to do:  “Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding.  Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.”  Proverbs 3:5-6

#4: Withdrawing and becoming reclusive during periods of emotional stress.

What the Bible says to do:  “And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.”  Hebrews 10:25

#5:  Indulging in self-pity when life hands you a raw deal.

What the Bible says:  “And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.”  - 1 Peter 5:10

#6:  Rejecting basic virtues—love, humor, compassion and loyalty

What the Bible says to do: “And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.”  Philippians 4:8

#7:  Expecting too much of yourself. 

What the Bible says:  “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God”  Romans 3:23

#8:  Becoming self-centered.

What the Bible says to do:  “Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. 4 Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.”  Philippians 2:3-4

Remember, no matter what the world throws at you... the Bible has an answer. 

You weren’t meant to carry as much stress as you do.  It’s time to make a change.

Are you ready?

Today… if the world knocks you down to your knees... remember, that’s the best place to pray.  Stay there... turn to your Heavenly Father... and let Him know what hurts.  Leave your problems with Him... and resist the temptation to run back over and pick them up.  He is big enough to shoulder what you’re struggling with and loving enough not to give them back to you. 

Pray more 

Stress less

Breathe easier

Live healthier

Give the glory to God.   

You were meant to be blessed not stressed. 

Independence

“In his kindness God called you to share in his eternal glory by means of Christ Jesus. So after you have suffered a little while, he will restore, support, and strengthen you, and he will place you on a firm foundation.”  1 Peter 5:10

Maybe you woke up today with the weight of the world on your shoulders.

Sometimes it’s what life throws at you.  Sometimes it’s discipline for a bad decision.  Every time it’s tough.  Really tough.  Hard to believe that you’ll be able to bear up under it.  Stresses, confusion, anger, bitterness, worry, and wonder... all mixed together in the soup of our day.  Life gets very very hard.     And in the midst of our pain, the devil sits nearby whispering...

“If God loved you...you wouldn’t be going through this.” 

That voice sounds so familiar.  It’s the one that tells you that you aren’t good enough... or that God has left you... or you don’t matter.

He just doesn’t let up.  

   

The saddest truth is that some of us have become convinced this is true.  It’s far easier to believe we are being punished for something than it is to think that God is allowing it to happen for us to grow.  We don’t like discipline.  We don’t like not knowing.  And if we’re being honest... we don’t like to wait on God’s timing when our own seems like a better plan.

God knows what He’s doing.  

He truly does.  

After going through a season of severe anxiety myself, I know this... You WILL be victorious over what is holding you down.   How do I know?

1. What you are feeling is for a SEASON.  

“In his kindness God called you to share in his eternal glory by means of Christ Jesus. So after you have suffered a little while, he will restore, support, and strengthen you, and he will place you on a firm foundation.”  1 Peter 5:10

That pit in your stomach. The tears that sting your eyes.  The lies.  The abandonment.  The loneliness.  You won’t feel these forever.  Look at the verse... it says your suffering is not a permanent condition.  Of course, a little while to God may seem like an eternity to us….but God’s timing is perfect... and we need to keep in mind that there is a purpose to the pain.  It may feel like Winter now... but Spring is coming.   Endure the season... but while you are going through it... thank God for His continued love and protection.  

He is building you... one season and one challenge at a time.

1. What you are feeling is for a reason.

A man found a cocoon of a butterfly. One day a small opening appeared. He sat and watched the butterfly for several hours as it struggled to squeeze its body through the tiny hole. Then it stopped, as if it couldn’t go further.

So the man decided to help the butterfly. He took a pair of scissors and snipped off the remaining bits of cocoon. The butterfly emerged easily but it had a swollen body and shriveled wings.

The man continued to watch it, expecting that any minute the wings would enlarge and expand enough to support the body. Neither happened. In fact the butterfly spent the rest of its life crawling around. It was never able to fly.

What the man in his kindness and haste did not understand was that the restricting cocoon and the struggle required by the butterfly to get through the opening was a way of forcing the fluid from the body into the wings so that it would be ready for flight once that was achieved.

The butterfly was meant to go through struggle to make it capable of thriving in its life.  

Look again at today’s verse:

“In his kindness God called you to share in his eternal glory by means of Christ Jesus. So after you have suffered a little while, he will restore, support, and strengthen you, and he will place you on a firm foundation.”  1 Peter 5:10

The very reason you hurt is because there is something in it that will refine you...  You will learn something about the depth of your faith...the strength of your God... and how very much He loves you.  

Pushing through builds perseverance.  Enduring under the weight brings strength.  Leaning on God when it hurts develops faith.  

You’ll need all three to become the person that God has created you to be.  Perseverance...strength...faith.  If life were always easy, you’d struggle with all three.  

You were designed by a loving God to stand strong in the face of adversity.  To fly.  Instead of running from the troubles or looking for shortcuts around the trials... embrace them.  It won’t be easy... Maybe you’ll want to be a martyr... or blame yourself or someone else... or feel like a victim.  

You aren’t.  God is bigger than anything you will ever come up against.  The season you are in has been long and difficult... but you’ll make it.  Never quit.  Keep moving forward... even tiny steps if you have to.  

And when the clouds part and the sun comes back out... break free... spread your wings and be a living testimony of Christ’s goodness and love.  

Shadow

There’s a Swedish Proverb that states:  “Worry often gives a small thing a big shadow”

As you read this today... you might be worried about something.  It’s kept you awake... taken over your thoughts... and made prayer time with God seemingly impossible to get through without distraction.  In Philippians 4:6-7, Paul tells us how to deal with these types of burdens:  “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.  Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.”

Is worry casting a huge shadow over your life?  Pray and don’t stop until you have an answer.  Be honest... blunt... straightforward with your requests.  Pray specifically and unceasingly... and when God comes through (and He will in His own perfect way and time)... give thanks for what He does.  Worry is destructive and never works.  Give your burdens to God... leave them there... and experience a peace like never before.

The Remedy

In December of 2005, a team of Australian scientists confirmed what many long suspected.  There is a direct connection between emotional stress and the body’s ability to fight illness.  They discovered that when someone is dealing with anxiety, it releases a hormone that battles against the natural immune system.  In other words... worry can make us sick.

Fortunately, God has already remedied this condition... Proverbs 4 tells us that if we listen carefully to what He says... and let His promises penetrate our heart... we will experience healing and life.  So what is the antidote to stress?  God’s word.  Throughout the Bible we are told to depend on, focus on, rely on, count on, and lean on God when times get tough.  When we really start to believe that He is enough... our blood pressure goes down and we move forward to walk in His strength.   Next time you’re feeling sick... spend some time reading the Bible and claiming God’s promises... they are sure to cure!

Heavier

A psychologist walked around a room while teaching stress management to an audience. As she raised a glass of water, everyone expected they'd be asked the "half empty or half full" question. Instead, with a smile on her face, she asked: "How heavy is this glass of water?"  Some guessed 8 ounces... others 20 ounces... She replied, "The weight doesn't matter. It depends on how long I hold it. If I hold it for a minute, it's not a problem. If I hold it for an hour, I'll have an ache in my arm. If I hold it for a day, my arm will feel numb and paralyzed. In each case, the weight of the glass doesn't change, but the longer I hold it, the heavier it becomes."

Stress is the same way.  Hold it for a little while...no problem.  A little while longer...a little more weight.  All day?  A week?  It quickly becomes unbearable.  So how can we control the pressure on our lives?  Take Jesus up on what He offers in 1 Peter chapter 5  verse 7:  “Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.”  God wants us to turn to Him when times get tough... We weren’t created to carry the weight of the world... so today, let’s choose to trust in His strength and not our own.  

Hurry Sickness

To live the life you’ve always wanted you can’t be hurried.  

No rush.  No elevated heartbeat as you race to your next destination.  No hypertension... no ticking clock... no must-do agenda.  When we become hurried and push ourselves too hard, we lose the ability and capacity to love others.  Love takes time... and we can’t give what we don’t have.  If we are too busy... we might not be loving those around us at the level they need us to.  Plus, when we are in a hurry, we get angry much more quickly.   Our fuse shortens.  We snap at those we love... hoping that they’ll understand the pressure we’re under.  The closer the relationship it seems... the harsher the tone we use.  They’ll get over it... they are family.  

Right?

I talk to so many who claim that they have to hurry to get everything done.  I contend that if we can’t stop during our day to love people... take care of ourselves... and most importantly, talk to and praise God... than we’re too busy.   

Hurry sickness is real... and it’s not Biblical.  So many claim to follow Christ.  If Christ is their leader... than why do they spend their waking hours trying to outrun Him?  To outdo Him?  To handle things they aren’t supposed to in an attempt to win more favor from Him... so that He’ll bless them with even more opportunity... so they can add more to an already overbooked schedule.  You can’t earn favor.  He gives that away freely because He loves you unconditionally. 

If you are following Christ.  Follow Him.  He’s not running.  

While He was on the earth, Jesus Christ was never in a hurry.  He walked slowly enough to feel an old woman tug at his robe... stopped long enough to visit with Mary and Martha... and allowed little children to run up to Him so He could give them a hug.  Christ-followers stay behind their leader.  They let Him set the pace.

I know what some of you are saying... Pastor, that’s easy for you to say... you don’t live my life!  You’re right.  You are busy and it’s hard.  You’ve got bills to pay, kids to feed, and a boss that gives you the workload of two employees.  You’ve got professors who give you massive papers to write at the same time... a leaky roof... and in-laws who insist on calling and telling you how disappointed they are in you.  I hear you...  But I also know that God has asked us to do two things:  Love Him first and love our neighbors as ourselves.  In fact, love is what we are supposed to be known for...

“By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”  John 13:35

Do you have time to love others?  To hear their needs?  To empathize with their situations?   LIfe isn’t about how much we can pack in before we head out... it’s about how many people we come into contact with and affect with the love of Christ.   I’m not saying you can abandon what you need to do to get through things.  What I am saying is that you’ve got to spend some time re-prioritizing and choosing the great tasks over just the good ones.   Commit today to look for some open space in your schedule and purposefully use it to read God’s Word and love others.  Make a list of the most important people in your life... do they know you love them?  When was the last time they got some uninterrupted quality time with you?  Maybe it’s been too long.  Maybe you’ve come down with a case of hurry sickness.  We want to partner together with you to help you discover and embrace the cure...

“Then Jesus said, ‘Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.’”  Matthew 11:28

Weary? 

Have heavy burdens?

Stressed out? 

Hurried?

Come to Christ.  He will give you the rest you seek.

Breathe Easier

I came across an interesting study conducted by Duke University.  They sought to discover the modern sources of stress...what makes people’s blood pressures rise and their tempers flare?   The results were quite surprising.   As you go through the list... if you identify with one of  their reasons... take a minute and read the Bible verse below it.   God hasn’t designed us to carry so much pressure... and He gives us His words and promises to help counter it.  

According to Duke University, what are the main causes of today’s stress?  What does the Bible have to say about how to handle each of them?

#1:  Suspicion and resentment. Nursing a grudge was a major factor in unhappiness.

What the Bible says to do:  “But when you are praying, first forgive anyone you are holding a grudge against, so that your Father in heaven will forgive your sins, too.”  Mark 11:25

#2:  Living in the past. An unwholesome preoccupation with old mistakes and failures leads to depression.

What the Bible says:  “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!”  2 Corinthians 5:17

#3:  Wasting time and energy fighting conditions you cannot change. 

What the Bible says to do:  “Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding.  Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.”  Proverbs 3:5-6

#4: Withdrawing and becoming reclusive during periods of emotional stress.

What the Bible says to do:  “And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.”  Hebrews 10:25

#5:  Indulging in self-pity when life hands you a raw deal.

What the Bible says:  “And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.”  - 1 Peter 5:10

#6:  Rejecting basic virtues—love, humor, compassion and loyalty

What the Bible says to do: “And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.”  Philippians 4:8

Breathe In #7:  Expecting too much of yourself. 

What the Bible says:  “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God”  Romans 3:23

Breath In #8:  Becoming self-centered.

What the Bible says to do:  “Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. 4 Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.”  Philippians 2:3-4

Remember, no matter what the world throws at you... the Bible has an answer. 

You weren’t meant to carry as much stress as you do.  It’s time to make a change.

Are you ready?

Today... May 8, 2015… if the world knocks you down to your knees... remember, that’s the best place to pray.  Stay there... turn to your Heavenly Father... and let Him know what hurts.  Leave your problems with Him... and resist the temptation to run back over and pick them up.  He is big enough to shoulder what you’re struggling with and loving enough not to give them back to you. 

Pray more 

Stress less

Breathe easier

Live healthier

Give the glory to God.   

You were meant to be blessed not stressed. 

Lost Sleep

There is a story told about a woman who for many years couldn’t sleep at night because she worried that her home would be burglarized. One night her husband heard a noise in the house, so he went downstairs to investigate. When he got there, he found a burglar. The husband said to the burglar, "Come upstairs and meet my wife. She has been waiting 10 years to meet you."

The tragic thing about the story above? If the robber had come in ...and the woman had never previously thought about him... he would have stolen stuff and left. One event. One outcome. Instead, this robber stole much more... 10 years of sleep... peace of mind... tranquility... contentment...

The what-ifs were much worse than the burglar who eventually showed up.

Worry is just like that. Precious seconds of our lives spent waiting for someone or something to happen. Sometimes it comes and sometimes it doesn’t. But our bodies and minds don’t know the difference. The scenario in our head seems very real...and our body reacts. Stress, high blood pressure, sleeplessness, anxiety, tension, irritability... all byproducts of a life focused on what could happen over what sometimes actually does.

Worry is powerful... and many times it leads us to turn away from God and try to manage it ourselves. Problem is... there usually isn’t a problem. Look at these stats:

An average person’s anxiety is focused on :
40% -- things that will never happen
30% -- things about the past that can’t be changed
12% -- things about criticism by others, mostly untrue
10% -- about health, which gets worse with stress
8% -- about real problems that will be faced

8%. That tells me that 92% of what we worry about is unnecessary. In the Psalms, David dealt with the 92% too... only he chose a different path than worry.

“O God, have mercy on me,
for people are hounding me.
My foes attack me all day long.
I am constantly hounded by those who slander me,
and many are boldly attacking me.
But when I am afraid,
I will put my trust in you.
I praise God for what he has promised.
I trust in God, so why should I be afraid?
What can mere mortals do to me?” Psalm 56:1-4

David chose to trust. Not try to trust. Not say he was going to trust. Not tell others to trust. Not think that trusting was a good idea. Not hear a message about trusting and then worrying all the way home. Not just trusting when things were going great. Not trusting when he ran out of his own power. Not trusting in the small things and trying to handle the big things. Not trusting his past successes. Not trusting his gut over his God.

He trusted.

Is this always easy? Are you always going to feel like trusting? Maybe not. My suggestion to overcoming worry may seem cliché but it works...

Take it one day at a time.

One day.... one decision...one choice at a time. Handle what’s now instead of what may never be. Intentionally decide...even if it’s hour by hour...to give things to God instead of allowing the enemy to intimidate us with scenarios and what-ifs.

We are a masterpiece... and our lives are a beautiful mosaic of experiences (both uplifting and challenging). Let’s turn our hearts and minds over to Christ...there’s no need to worry anymore.

No Worries

I read about a woman with an extremely rare condition.  So rare, in fact, that only 400 cases have been reported worldwide.  It causes her to speak without hesitation… jump when others pull back… boldly face danger… and do it all with a smile.  Her condition?  Urbach-Wiethe syndrome… also known as “no fear” disease.

This woman lives with absolutely no external fears.  No sweaty palms.  No elevated heartbeat.  No worry.  She still logically senses incoming danger…  for example, if a car is heading toward her, she knows to get out of the way.   She is able to face external stresses with no fear.  But the internal ones?

Still there. 

Isn’t it interesting that this condition blocks her from being afraid of what she can see… but still allows the mind to process fear on the inside?   The mind is powerful… and if we let it, it will paralyze us in worry and strife.  It causes us to fear externally and internally… spending our days stuck in neutral waiting for things to change.  But did you also know that you don’t need a rare condition to numb you to worry and stress.  In fact, God has already given you the plan.

A plan for you, the worrier.  A hope for you, the stressed.  A peace for you, the burdened.  His plan?  He wants you to get up everyday and internalize these two verses:

“I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.”  John 16:33

“So do not fear, for I am with you;

    do not be dismayed, for I am your God.

I will strengthen you and help you;

    I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”  Isaiah 41:10

No fear.  No wringing  your hands over an empty bank account.  No more late night crying sessions over children that have lost their way.  No more feeling the dread of upcoming evaluations… or examinations… or loss.  You weren’t sent here to fear.  You weren’t designed to live in denial.  You weren’t meant to spend every day grasping for control of situations that you can’t possibly bend to your will.  

You were meant to trust.  

You don’t need more faith.  You need to live out the faith that you already have.  Even if all the faith you’ve got left is the size of a pebble… God can move mountains with it.  Take the two verses from today’s devotional and write them down on index cards.  Keep those cards with you everywhere you go… purse, wallet, dashboard, vanity, mirror, etc.   And when the enemy tries to take you down by buckling your knees,  stand strong in the power of these truths from our Heavenly Father.  

Life’s coming at you… and because of these verses, I can assure you that you’ll be ready… not in your own strength, but through the One who walks with you in the valley of uncertainty and challenge.   He’s more than enough and He’ll never let you go.  

Too Heavy

A psychologist walked around a room while teaching stress management to an audience. As she raised a glass of water, everyone expected they'd be asked the "half empty or half full" question. Instead, with a smile on her face, she asked: "How heavy is this glass of water?"  Some guessed 8 ounces... others 20 ounces... She replied, "The weight doesn't matter. It depends on how long I hold it. If I hold it for a minute, it's not a problem. If I hold it for an hour, I'll have an ache in my arm. If I hold it for a day, my arm will feel numb and paralyzed. In each case, the weight of the glass doesn't change, but the longer I hold it, the heavier it becomes."

Stress is the same way.  Hold it for a little while...no problem.  A little while longer...a little more weight.  All day?  A week?  It quickly becomes unbearable.  So how can we control the pressure on our lives?  Take Jesus up on what He offers in 1 Peter chapter 5  verse 7:  “Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.”  God wants us to turn to Him when times get tough... We weren’t created to carry the weight of the world... so today, let’s choose to trust in His strength and not our own.  

The Weight of Stress

A psychologist walked around a room while teaching stress management to an audience. As she raised a glass of water, everyone expected they'd be asked the "half empty or half full" question. Instead, with a smile on her face, she asked: "How heavy is this glass of water?"  Some guessed 8 ounces... others 20 ounces... She replied, "The weight doesn't matter. It depends on how long I hold it. If I hold it for a minute, it's not a problem. If I hold it for an hour, I'll have an ache in my arm. If I hold it for a day, my arm will feel numb and paralyzed. In each case, the weight of the glass doesn't change, but the longer I hold it, the heavier it becomes."

Stress is the same way.  Hold it for a little while...no problem.  A little while longer...a little more weight.  All day?  A week?  It quickly becomes unbearable.  So how can we control the pressure on our lives?  Take Jesus up on what He offers in 1 Peter chapter 5  verse 7:  “Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.”  God wants us to turn to Him when times get tough... We weren’t created to carry the weight of the world... so today, let’s choose to trust in His strength and not our own.  

Here’s the link for more information about our amazing and historic weekend at the BB&T Center:  www.potentialchurch.com/xtreme/    Hope to see you there!