Open to the Possibilities

Romans 8:5-8

Sometimes I catch myself clenching my fists, not out of anger, but anxiety.  My mom says that even as a toddler she’d find me stiffening my arms and legs.  Apparently, “tensing up” has always been my physical reaction to stress.

Over the years, I’ve searched for ways to deal with it constructively – yoga, meditation, breathing – but it wasn’t until I turned to prayer that I started finding some relief.  Life is still a daily struggle against my biological instincts, but it’s more manageable with “open hands.”

The world can be a scary, unforgiving place, but that’s where the Holy Spirit comes in.  “The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace” (v. 6).

The flesh brings about heartache, but the Holy Spirit brings joy.  If you want life and not death, peace and not sorrow, then you need to create space for the Holy Spirit.  Make a place for Him and He’ll open your hands and your heart.  Give him room to do his thing, because with the Spirit we can’t help but be open-handed.

And as we unclench our fists, a peace that passing all understanding will come over us.  As a person who struggles with anxiety, Philippians 4:6-7 has become my “go-to”… Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. AMEN

God is in Control

Have you ever stressed about something that you thought you had influence over, but it was not quite right? Maybe it was something at work, or perhaps it had something to do with your family. When things aren’t going as we expect, it can be stressful.

Sometimes God asks us to take control of a situation and rectify it. Other times our actions can be fruitless. At times like this, it can be stressful and frustrating as well.

Today’s reading is Genesis 41:14-32.

Joseph had been thrown in jail in Egypt. He was a victim of circumstances, and there was nothing he could do about it. He probably was frustrated and stressed.

Pharaoh had a couple of unusual dreams and he summoned Joseph to interpret them. God used Joseph to tell Pharaoh that Egypt would go through seven years of an economic boom, followed by seven years of a famine-induced bust.

Pharaoh immediately realized he needed to store surplus food during the bountiful years to feed people during the lean years. Requiring an obedient, wise man, Pharaoh placed Joseph in charge of the farm land to ensure there would be sufficient food.

 

Joseph not only was out of jail, but was now the second most powerful man in all of Egypt!

 

One overarching theme in this story is that God is in control. He was in control of the grain harvest in Egypt.

 

God was also in control of Joseph’s fate. God needed Joseph to assume an important position under Pharaoh. Joseph was in jail, but eventually God saw to it that he would be where God wanted him to be.

 

God is in control of our lives as well. We would like our life to be trouble-free and stress-free, but that is not possible. We suffer the consequences of a sinful human race, be it our own sin or someone else’s sin.

 

Given that, should we always fight to have our lives the way we want?  If God is in control, should we acknowledge that? Maybe it makes life a little bit easier knowing God is in control.

 

Is there any troublesome area in your life that would alleviate your stress if you let God take control?

 

 

We are Blessed

Nobody likes change.

 

My wife is an administrative assistant in the mortgage department of a bank. Her bank was bought by another. Her job functions changed to be more aligned with the purchaser’s procedures. And if that wasn’t enough, the government enacted banking rules that describe how she has to do parts of her job.  She has change in two dimensions!

 

Nonetheless, although stressed, she is also blessed. She survived the post merger lay-off. She also has received much recognition from her management for her willingness to change and help others.

 

Today’s reading is Numbers 6:22-27.

 

The Jews had been servants of Pharaoh in Egypt, but now they are wanderers in the dessert. They had been slaves, but now are nomads. As slaves, they knew what was expected of them each day As nomads, they were following God’s lead, but not sure where they were going and not sure how they would provide for themselves. This change was a trying time for them.

 

In the midst of this, the Jews were blessed.

 

We all undergo change in our life. Maybe we get married, or perhaps our job gets redefined to make our company more profitable. Maybe we lose our health or perhaps lose a spouse. Maybe we have to relocate to a different city.

 

There are a many things that can change which can cause much stress.

 

And yet, we are blessed during these times of anxiety and uncertainty!

 

God blesses us in many ways. We often think of physical blessings, such as food, shelter and clothing. God provides these things, and they are, of course, important.

 

Sometimes we forget, however, the spiritual blessings that God also bestows on us. He sent his only son to die on the cross so that we may have eternal life. That is the biggest blessing there is!

 

We have heard this many times, but it bears repeating:

 

“The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace.”

 

We are blessed!

Stop The World, I Want To Get Off Matthew 14:1-21

When Jesus got the news, he slipped away by boat to an out-of-the-way place by himself. But unsuccessfully—someone saw him and the word got around. Soon a lot of people from the nearby villages walked around the lake to where he was. (-Matthew 14:13-14 The Message)

Do you ever just wish the world would stop so you could catch your breath? I’ve been told that moving, marriage and a new job are the three most stressful things a person experiences. My husband and I did all three of those things in a matter of months. I remember thinking I needed a vacation from life after we were finally settled.

My mom has recently been caring for my father who is dying from cancer. Her life has changed so drastically that I can only imagine the strain she is starting to feel, yet she lives each day with a desire to serve my father and glorify God. She is an inspiration to me.

Jesus understands how we feel. Shortly after finding out about his cousin’s execution, Jesus tried to slip away only to be followed by over five thousand sick and hungry people. He didn’t send everyone away as many of us would have been tempted to do. No, he stuck around and healed the sick and fed the masses.

Life can be hard. There are days when we need a break, and that is ok. But there are also going to be seasons of life with sadness and stress that we can’t escape, when those times come remember Jesus understands and He will give you the strength you need to endure.

Read today's passage at Biblegateway Matthew 14:1-21

Holy Living, 1 Peter 1:13-25

I love to people watch. One of my favorite places to do this is at the airport. Traveling is a stressful event for some. One can see the true nature of a person, when they are under stress. Our scripture tells us to, “be holy, because I am holy”. To be holy, is to be set apart, different from the norm. It is easier to live a holy life when things are going well, but when life become tense, the journey to holiness is not as easy.

Our scripture text provides behavior modifications that will help live a holy life. One way is to “prepare our minds for action”. When traveling, we prepare for the journey to lessen the stress. Maybe we pack a snack, just in case the pretzels aren’t enough. If you travel with children, you might pack new toys to keep them occupied. A sensible traveler will be prepared.

How do we prepare our minds spiritually though? 1 Peter says to, “be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed.” In other words put restrictions on your impulses. Know your weaknesses and instead of focusing on them, center your thoughts entirely on the grace of God.

Could you imagine how life would change if we just did that. If all we did was prepared our minds by focusing wholly on the undeserved love we receive from God. I have to believe that when times get hard; our true nature would now have a God centered response.

Read the entire scripture on Biblegateway 1 Peter 13-25

You Can Run, But You Can't Hide Genesis 38

Have you ever run from one problem only to fall into another? Too often our human nature reacts with desertion rather than contend with what is happening. I am blessed to be married to a man who is not afraid to deal with issues. It can be exhausting and at times I still like to fool myself into believing that if I ignore certain issues they will go away, but the reality is they will rear their ugly head in another area of my life.

In today’s passage we see Judah, after selling his brother into slavery, running from one set of family problems straight into another. Instead of confronting his brothers and doing the right thing, Judah leaves and settles away from his family. He then finds a wife for his oldest son and we see that Judah can no more control is sons than he can his brothers.

Running from our troubles will not fix anything. Rather, if we seek God’s will and live according to his word, we can get through the rough times with healing and integrity. It won’t be the easy way out, but it will be the right way. When we deal with our areas of struggle, and often times weakness, the next time we are faced with them we will see that either, they aren’t so bad or we will know with confidence that God can get us through again.

 

Read the entire passage on Biblegateway Genesis 39