“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.”  (Php. 4:6; NASB)

 What things are causing the most stress in your life? In most cases, when one is asked that question the answer is accompanied by eyes rolling, a deep sigh, or a quick response of “where do I start?”. There have been countless books written and methods developed to teach us how to deal with the stress in our lives. There are webinars, DVD courses, exercise programs, etc. that are designed to help us deal with everyday life. Peddling courses and videos promising to give us relief from our anxiety has become big business because our stress levels seem to be continually increasing. Technology, which promised to make our lives easier, has done the opposite. Whether we like it or not, we are expected to always be available to anyone that might need something. We expect instant answers or results, and when we do not get them, we get stressed.

Here is something for you to consider. Stress is a choice. It does not have to be a part of your life. You can choose to stress over things, or you can give them over to the Lord. Most things that cause stress in our lives are out of our control. In many cases, it is the lack of control over those things that causes the stress. But God has control over all things. That doesn’t necessarily mean He will remove whatever is causing you stress because you pray for it to end. It means that if you have a relationship with Christ, you will find peace in however He deals with each situation. This takes faith and a decision to accept that “all things work together for good to those who love God…” (Rom. 8:28).

There is a very effective way to help with this process. Make a list of the most stressful situations in your life. Think through them to see if there are any that have simple solutions you haven’t thought of because you never stopped to think about them. Now on the same paper, list all the things you have to be thankful for such as the Blood of Christ that washes away our sin, your personal salvation, “… the prize for the upward call of God” (Php. 3:14); I’m sure you get the idea. Put this list in your Bible and use it whenever you spend quiet time with God (hopefully that’s every day).

Praise Him for the blessings and favor He has poured over you, then pray for peace in your everyday challenges. Choose to trust that God loves you and will not forsake you. His peace is available to all who believe regardless of the surrounding situations. It’s your choice.

Have a great week and God bless.