Feeling stressed? Read this…

By: Joseph Murdy

Did you know:

• Forty-three percent of all adults suffer adverse health effects from stress.
• Seventy-five percent to 90% of all doctor's office visits are for stress-related ailments and complaints.
• Stress can play a part in problems such as headaches, high blood pressure, heart problems, diabetes, skin conditions, asthma, arthritis, depression, and anxiety.
• The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) declared stress a hazard of the workplace. Stress costs American industry more than $300 billion annually.
• The lifetime prevalence of an emotional disorder is more than 50%, often due to chronic, untreated stress reactions.

Stress and worry when unchecked and out of control can consume our lives, our families, our relationships and even our very own health. The Bible gives a great deal of attention to worrying. Basically, to sum it up in a few words, “God’s got it under control!” Now, this is not to say that there are moments in our life where worry and stress are a normal and healthy response. In fact, “The human body is designed to experience stress and react to it. Stress can be positive, keeping us alert and ready to avoid danger.” Stress and worry is a normal part of life. The truth still remains, God has it under control!

The feelings of stress and worry are healthy reminders for us to pray and hand it over to God. God is in the moments of stress and anxiety, despite our reluctance to give up our right to worry. When we surrender our anxiety, God is able to free us and release us.

Jesus said, “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air; they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly father feeds them. Are you not more valuable then they?” (Matt. 6:25-26)
Some of the things we worry about can distract us from our daily lives. The point, which the Bible makes throughout, is that God will take care of us. We don’t have to worry about everything. If you were to make a list of things you worry about, put it away for a few weeks and come back to it later you would discover that most of the items on your lsit would no longer seem important. We waist precious time worrying about the things which God already has under control. Worrying can turn into a bad habit. We hold on to our worry thinking that we can fix it all. Give it to God, who already has it under control!

Here is an open invitation (no r.s.v.p. required) from Jesus, “Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”