This past week I was watching and listening to a local morning news show, and they said a survey showed that the most stressed-out state is ours. Hawaii has the most stressed-out people. The survey said that the high stress factors are cost of living, especially the high cost of houses and rent, the traffic and road conditions and it is the 2nd loudest state.
Compounding our state’s stress is this Covid virus and how it has changed the way we live with all its restrictions and fear, you can imagine there is a lot of stressed people which leads to depression, abuse, and angry people.
As follower we are told to give all our anxiety to the Lord.
1 Peter 5: 6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.7 Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.
We know that God knows our every need because he loves and cares for us. We just need to trust in him in every difficult situation or condition because we are in his mighty hands and every difficult situation, we go through we will serve God in them for his good purpose for us.
Jesus also teaches that we should not worry about our needs.
Matthew 6: 25 "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than
food, and the body more important than clothes?
Matthew 6: 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
The way we overcome our stress is to seek for God’s kingdom and his righteousness when we are going through difficult times. The way we do that is to look at how he created us for his kingdom’s good purpose for his righteousness. When we live the way that God created us to be, we can overcome the stressful things of this world and receive all the things God wants to give us.
Let’s look at Genesis and see God’s kingdom purpose for us.
Genesis 2: 7 the Lord God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.
8 Now the Lord God had planted a garden in the east, in Eden; and there
he put the man he had formed.
Genesis 2: 15 The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.
God created us with the ability to work to care for his creation. So, doing God’s righteousness is to do work in caring for other people especially those in his family. When we work to care for what God cares for he will give us his peace and not the stressful things of this world.
Paul teaches that work is part of winning the respect of others which will relieve stress from outsiders.
1 Thessalonians 4: 11 Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business and to work with your hands, just as we told you, 12 so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody.
Paul said to wins the respect of others is to live a quiet life and to mind your own business. Extroverts will have a hard time with this but blessed are the introverts in Christ. And to work with your own hands so that you are not dependent on others to care for your needs. These 3 things, living a quiet life, minding your own business, and working with your own hands Paul side will win the respect of others. When others respect you the less stress you will have from them
This is also true in marriage where the husband works to care for the needs of his wife and their children, he will receive their respect and less stress.
Paul tells us the attitude Jesus our Lord wants us to have when it comes to work.
2 Thessalonians 3: 6 In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, we command you, brothers, to keep away from every brother who is idle and does not live according to the teaching you received from us.7 For you yourselves know how you ought to follow our example. We were not idle when we were with you,8 nor did we eat anyone's food without paying for it. On the contrary, we worked night and day, laboring and toiling so that we would not be a burden to any of you.9 We did this, not because we do not have the right to such help, but in order to make ourselves a model for you to follow.10 For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: "If a man will not work, he shall not eat."11 We hear that some among you are idle. They are not busy; they are busybodies.12 Such people we command and urge in the Lord Jesus Christ to settle down and earn the bread they eat.13 And as for you, brothers, never tire of doing what is right.
God created us with the ability to work, he also said in the OT to be thankful because he is the one who give us the ability to prosper. When we use this ability to and care for others in their need we are doing it for his kingdom and righteousness. We are his righteousness by not being burdensome by being idle and not working to care for our own needs which Paul said leads to being a busybody that leads to sin and more stress.
God created us to work for his kingdom purpose and righteousness because of the hope we have in Jesus our Lord who will give us his peace and his strength in times when we are weary and tired.
Isaiah 40: 29 He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. 30 Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; 31 but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.
Be safe in Jesus, Ps. Glenn