Doctors and scientists agree that stress is a killer. It slowly erodes our health in many areas, and this is totally unnecessary. When we access God’s peace, we override the influence of stress on our spirit, soul, and body (Ephesians 2:14-18; Philippians 4:6-7). God gives us many resources to combat stress in our life.
One is to teach us the balance between the expectations of responsibilities, and times of rest and relaxation. We often overly schedule our daily calendar and overcommit in areas where God is not calling us to participate. This isolates us from our family, friends, and church family that otherwise can offer us support for our trials in life.
God gives us His Body to help us to realize that there is strength in numbers. The Body not only supports us spiritually, but emotionally, physically, and mentally as well. When we only function in the areas in which God calls us to minister, this allows others the privilege of service and the joys of giving their time and effort in His calling for them too.
Satan loves to destroy churches by dividing a Body of Believers over inconsequential aspects. This weakens our light in our community, and it disgraces the name of God before unbelievers. Satan undermines our assistance to God with petty squabbles, satanic lies in our mind, and hurt feelings.
When we allow Satan’s lies, wounded feelings, and differences in our talents, opinions, and service to erupt into controversy between us and members of our church family, we disrupt the flow of a means of God’s love and support in our life and community. United we stand in the power of God’s Spirit and calling on our life, but division causes undue stress for everyone.
Prayer:
Father God, help us to rely on Your Word during times of stress in our life. The loss of a loved one, our vocation, our home, our income, our treasured possessions, and/or our health will all increase our stress. Remind us that our connections to Your Body through our world-wide church family help us to flourish during these times of trials through their outpouring of love and support for us.
Your presence in our life each moment of our day helps us to traverse rocky roads with confidence in You, and we look for the miracle that You plant in every trial we experience. Remind us to spend more time in the study and reading of Your Word during times of stress, to breathe deeply, and to fellowship often with Your Saints. We experience Your goodness and grace each moment of the day as we commune with You in prayer without ceasing.
Thoughts for the Day:
The Lord takes pleasure in our fulfillment in body, soul, and spirit, and He pours out on us His great love and compassion. As we lift up our heavy head and heart to Him, He helps us in every time of need. He instructs us in His ways and in His will for our individual life through every stage of glory that His Spirit leads us through.
- Psalm 35:27, 121:1-2, 8; Lamentations 3:20-25; 2 Corinthians 3:18
