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Devotional

Five Ways to Reduce Stress

Scripture:

I have had enough, Lord, he said. "Take my life, for I am no better than my ancestors."
(I Kings 19:3, NLT.)

Elijah was a prophet in Israel fulfilling his mission to confront the false prophets of Baal. But when Jezebel promised to kill him because he caused all her prophets to die, he told God he'd had enough and asked him to take his life.

No doubt Elijah was under a lot of stress regarding his situation. I can relate to him for I've been under a lot of stress too. Although I'm seeking to live out the mission God has given me to write for Him, I'm stressed because of the financial problems I keep facing; I'm stressed when I take one step forward towards my goal of writing professionally and get knocked backwards two steps; I'm stressed when I don't see any financial fruit for all of the time and labor I've invested in my writing. I know God called me to write for Him, but the challenges I face as I seek to live out my calling are causing so much stress that I'm just about ready to give up on my mission..

But Charles Stanley says that "stressful situations often drive us to inappropriate responses to life pressures." Such was the case with Elijah when he wanted God to take his life. But instead of responding inappropriately, Dr. Stanley suggests five strategies we should use instead to relieve our stress:

1. Remind ourselves of God's past faithfulness.
2. Realize God's grace is sufficient for our present circumstances.
3. Recognize that God had protected and provided for others and he will continue to protect and provide for us too.
4. Rest in God's provisions and promises.
5. Return to our mission for God.¹

Are you stressed out and ready to give up on God's plan for your life? Why not try using Dr. Stanley's five step program to relieve your stress today, for it's guraranteed to be better than any exercise program around.

Sharing the Word,

Jeaninne

¹Adapted from Charles Stanley's Handbook of Christian Living: Biblical Answers to life's tough questions,by Dr. Charles Stanley, Page 317, Thomas Nelson Publishers, Nashville, TN, 1996.