Stress has become a major problem in our world today.  We have all the gadgets and “time-savers” we could ask for, but the busyness in our lives has escalated in spite of it all. It seems life has become more complicated and simplicity is out of vogue.  The busier we are, the more important we appear, but we pay the price with stress and pressure that can overwhelm us, make us sick, and make us too tired to function. Much of our stress is self-induced, but it can also come from the outside.  Stress is pressure or a force that strains or deforms. We have probably all experienced that pressure to some degree, and know that it can change our reasoning and our temperament. 

            Philippians 4:6 offers us a solution to our stress.  “Be careful [anxious] for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.  And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” 

Paul, the Apostle, wrote that passage of scripture.  He had a lot of opportunities to be anxious and stressed.  His life was full of controversy because he spoke the truth openly, and it made people mad.  He had many threats against his life, beatings, ship wrecks, and other difficult circumstances.  He was even stoned and left for dead one time.  When he got up, he went right back into the city where they had stoned him.  The reason he could face such difficult circumstances, was that his faith in Jesus Christ remained strong. 

In 2 Corinthians 4:8-9, he wrote another passage that can help us through stressful times.  “We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed.”  What a testimony! 

            If we are troubled, we are hedged in.  Have you ever felt that way?  Maybe the pressure of your circumstances or the opposition of the people around you made you feel anxious and boxed in.  We may feel that the walls are closing in around us and will soon crush us, but God will deliver us.  Remember, we may be “troubled on every side”, but God will not allow us to be distressed.  The word “distressed” here actually means to be crushed.  In Psalm 118, the psalmist says when he was in trouble (a tight spot), he cried out to God and “the Lord answered me, and set me in a large place.”  How refreshing when we are taken out of that tight spot and put in an open place of freedom.  Keep your faith in Jesus Christ, and He will not allow anything to crush you.  It may be tight sometimes, but God is faithful.

            Next, Paul says “we are perplexed, but not in despair.  ‘Perplexed’ means to be without a way.  But the word ‘despair’ means not utterly without a way.  When our circumstances look impossible, we tend to doubt and get upset.  Our human nature takes over and tries to design a way out only to realize we are without a way.  But God is not without a way, so we are not utterly without a way.  We have the resources of God when we belong to Jesus.  There was a song that was popular a few years ago that said, “God will make a way where there seems to be no way.”  He still can, and He still does.  We may not have a way out in our own strength and wisdom, but we are not without resources.

            II Timothy 3:12 gives us this promise.  “Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.”  That is not the kind of promise we want to claim, but it is true.  Why?  Because we are in this world, but not of it.  We have been born into a spiritual dimension, into the Kingdom of God.  Jesus said in His prayer for His disciples (and us), “I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.”  Yet, we are sent to the world to proclaim the gospel message.  Therefore, there is persecution.  To persecute means to afflict, pursue, drive away or injure.  That is natural for one who truly follows Jesus Christ.  However, we are “not forsaken”.  He will never desert us or leave us behind to stand alone.  Remember when Stephen was stoned to death because he proclaimed the truth?  As he was dying, he saw “the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God.”  (Acts 7:55)  He was not deserted, and neither will we be deserted by our Lord.

            Paul also says we may be cast down (struck to the ground) but we will not be destroyed (destroyed fully, perish).  When we are cast down, it is not a permanent position.  “The steps of a good man are ordered [established] by the Lord: and he delighteth in his way.  Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the Lord upholdeth him with his hand.”  (Psalm 37:23-24) 

            When you feel overwhelmed, remember this scripture passage.  What a wonderful reassurance we have from our God Who never breaks a promise.

EQUAL KNOWLEDGE - EQUAL RESPONSIBILITY

 “…So that they are without excuse: because that, when they knew God, they glorified Him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.”  Romans 1:20-21

            They changed the speed limit on a road I travel several times a day.  One section of the road is now 45 miles per hour instead of 55.  I can see no reason for it, and it’s very difficult to get used to going slower there.  BUT it’s the law now, and I am responsible to discipline myself to obey it.  There is another section in town that has a sign posted that says, “No Passing on Right”, but for some reason or another, people do it every day.  Maybe they haven’t read the sign; maybe they think it’s okay because everybody else does it or that it doesn’t apply to them because they are careful to make sure it’s clear before they break the law.

            We can think of so many excuses why we don’t have to do what God’s Word says, but it applies to all of us equally.  God isn’t interested in how good our excuse is.  We are responsible to discipline ourselves to obey.

CHALLENGE TO CHANGE:  “Do I feel a responsibility to live my life in a way that is pleasing to God, or do I feel I have the right to live however suits me best?”

Regardless of the rights we feel we deserve, it is not acceptable to God for us to choose another way other than His way.  He has told us plainly how to receive eternal life.  When we reject Jesus, we choose the consequences of eternal death.

STAY ON THE ROAD

 “…Let us run with patience the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith.”   Hebrews 12:1b-2a

            It’s amazing what you see people doing while they’re driving down the road.  They talk on the phone, fix their hair or makeup, and even text message each other.  Once, a man in front of us kept leaning over in the car, obviously looking for something.  He kept swerving until finally he hit a curb and his tire flew apart.  Somehow, he got to a parking area and we stopped to see if he needed any help.  He had everything he needed to change the tire, but he thanked us.  He admitted what he had done was really foolish.

            We need to keep our attention on where we are going in life and how we are getting there.  If we keep our eyes on Jesus, we can avoid so many pitfalls and accidents.  Stay focused rather than allowing the foolishness of this world to put you on the sidelines.

CHALLENGE TO CHANGE:

“Am I consistently looking to Jesus in every part of my life, or am I distracted by the allurements and influences of the world system?”

A constant union with Jesus is necessary to win the race of life.  We can’t follow Him for awhile and our own thoughts part of the time and arrive at the destination He has planned for us.   Our gaze on Him must be steady, and our feet must follow at all times.