Stress the truth

So, have you ever been stressed?  Everyone has the potential to get stressed; maybe over money, relationship challenges, others complicating simple matters, forgetting stuff, gossip, change and many, many other things.   However, stress is not mandatory and can be avoided it if we follow what the bible teaches:

There's a few simple things that word tells us that will help us remain at peace in a stress-filled world and today I want to start a little series on how to avoid stress.

The first, and probably one of the most challenging ways to avoid being stressed, is 

"Don't be focussed on yourself!"

That may seem strange but the bible teaches that pride is at the heart of all our trials.  Proverbs 13:10 says that "Only through pride comes contention"
Only refers to 'no one or nothing more besides; solely.'
Pride can be defined as a feeling of deep pleasure or satisfaction derived from one's own achievements
Contention is the Hebrew word 'masa', meaning strife, quarrel or debate. 

When satisfaction is based in our own self-sufficiency and performance we are focussed on ourselves and at sometime we are going to find ourselves stressed!   
We are either going to be prideful at our own ability to deal with stuff (and that verse says that won't end well) or we will see our own inadequacies and that is never going to bring us peace.

The antidote for this is focussing our minds on Jesus. 
Isaiah 26:3 says "Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee."

When we exalt and magnify the Lord and keep our eyes fixed on his ability and greatness, it removes the feelings of having to handle it all ourselves.  This is a great truth in stress relief and I hope it helps you this week. 

Have a great week.