Monday; March 23

Is there a season of life that find particularly stressful?  Maybe that answer depends upon where you are in your life.  If you are just starting out, wondering how we are going to find a house or raise the children or stick with a profession can create anxiety.  As we age, facing retirement, health issues and a lessening sense of community involvement can create stress.  If we allow it, life – at any stage – can have an emotional impact.  Now, while stress and anxiety can be an issue, it doesn’t have to be debilitating.  For some of you, this discussion is moot because you have found an emotional equilibrium that eases the burden; but for others of us – even staunch believers – stress can present problems.

There are all kinds of theories about how to ease stress – from meditation to medication – but I think that one thing that can make a world of difference is a believe that inner peace is possible.  It may not be simple, and it may not give us a peaceful easy feeling 100% of the time, but faith in God can help take the edge off of our struggles.  To me, one of the most comforting passages of the New Testament is, “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:6-7).  Whether we see this as a command or a promise, there is hope that we can find a sense of calmness no matter where we are in life.  We may not understand how it works, but we know that it can and will.

Think About It!

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