Stressed Out!

​America is under attack. The enemy: stress.
Granted, life is stressful. Stress can be positive or negative.  Currently, negative stress has intensified to a dangerously unhealthy, and in many ways, destructive level.
Multiple stressors  are stressing you and me out: Covid-19. Economic uncertainty. Financial insecurity. Pivotal national elections. Political corruption. Hateful rhetoric. Character assassination. Violence in the streets. Safety concerns. Church and school closures. Natural disasters. Threats from foreign enemies.  I am feeling some stress just writing this down!
The world’s negative noise is stressful.
Speaking for myself, I have noticed I am extra edgy, uptight, frustrated, impatient (more than usual!), prone to outbursts of anger at times, questioning, wondering, saddened and sorrowful over the state of affairs in the country I honor, respect, take pride in and love.  .  
Sounds like depression doesn’t it?  I am not depressed in the classical, clinical sense, but I am stressed out.
America society is extremely volatile, in grave danger of spiritual, moral, and civil implosion.  Disregard for the sanctity of life from the womb to the tomb, disrespect for lawful authority, disdainful prejudice toward people different than us, disgraceful, shameful, degrading perverse  immoral conduct, and rejection of and rebellion toward the God of the Bible fuels the fires of division and disunity that is manifesting itself in skyrocketing divorces, domestic violence, anxiety, fear, depression, addictions and suicide.
So, what can we do to reduce massive stress that has a stranglehold on our personal lives and nation?  I am glad you asked.
Jesus Christ knows how to help us with stress. God’s only Son personally dealt with stress while on earth. The moment He pronounced Himself as the Messiah, He was rejected by the very people He came to save. Jesus was mocked, blasphemed, ridiculed, denied, betrayed, abandoned, physically. tortured, and the Lord’s heart was broken over sheep without a shepherd.  His human stress levels were unimaginable.
How did Jesus manage stress and pressure?  He regularly stole away from everyone and everything to meet alone with the Father. He prayed. He sought the Father’s will. The Lord came away from those times when He cast His stress on the Father with peace in His heart for the next round of life.
Stress surrounded the Lord, yet He walked in rest in midst of the stress.
In Matthew 11:28-30, Jesus invites you and me to find rest from stress in Him.
“Come to me, all who are weary and heavy laden, 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 shall find rest for your soul. For My yoke is easy and My load is light.”
Please note three positive action steps Jesus invites us to take to receive rest for our weary (stressed out) souls.
COME. Simply come to Jesus. Why? Because He promises “rest” for all who are weary, worn out and burdened. “Come” is for everyone who seeks relief from life weariness that stress produces.   
TAKE. Receive from Jesus. Yoke, hook up with Him.  Stop trying to handle your stress by yourself. Christ’s yoke is easy, His load is light. Easy and light sounds good to me!  
LEARN. Jesus possesses a gentle and humble heart that cares sincerely and deeply about our stress and weariness. Being stressed out provides an opportunity to learn how to manage stress successfully from the Lord.
The result when we come to Jesus when stressed out:  less stress.
The Lord’s way of dealing with life is far less stressful than mine or yours. His way of managing stress is all about rest. Rest, peace, calm and joy for our stressed souls (mind, will and emotions) is ours when we come to Jesus to rest in Him.    
 Manage stress or it will mismanage you.
How To Manage Stress

• Cast your stress on the Lord. Give it up to Him and leave it there. I Peter 5:7
• Guard your personal peace. Erect a restful barrier between you and the world’s unrest.
• Avoid stressed out people when possible. Do not borrow someone else’s stress.
• Shut out, shut off things that stress you out. Begin with social media, negative news services and negative Ned’s and Nellies.  
• Saturate your spirit, mind and heart with God’s Word. Study scriptures that assure you of God’s peace and rest for you.
• If you need to release pent up stress, find a field, or go in your backyard and scream! It will do you a lot of good!
• Thank God that He knows how to help us handle stress in a positive, healthy way.

Rest in the Lord is the key to beating the stress of the world
Maybe you are stressed out like me. What if you and I committed ourselves to pray for one another to take our stress to Jesus and receive His rest? I certainly would like you to pray for me. I would be honored to pray for you.
“Rest in the lord and wait patiently for Him; do not fret because of him who prospers in his way, because of the man who carries out wicked schemes.” Psalm 37:7  
A Word For Your Week: Rest in the Lord and stress will take a hike.