Be responsible? (Stress 3)

One of the biggest causes of stress in our lives can actually be our own inability to take responsibility for our actions, emotions and responses.  For example, have you ever got cross with someone and (either out loud or in your heart) you've said 'It's their fault I lost my temper. They wound me up!"

Our human nature wants to blame others, blame circumstances or even blame God, but when we ascribe blame to external people or things, what we do is remove the possibility of being able to do anything spiritually productive about it.  This will always bring about stress.  

I remember days when I blamed my husband for my own failings, it was stressful, because I couldn't change his behaviour.   This was a cycle in my life and very time I did it, I felt worse.  One day the Lord spoke to me and told me to stop, that I was the one responsible for my emotions and I could chose to walk after the Spirit and not the flesh!  This wasn't at all what I wanted to hear!   But I did pay attention, and asked the Lord to help me.   As I yielded to the Spirit of God, I found stress dissipated - I was not getting annoyed; I was not carrying that anger and stress around like a weight. 

Instead of blaming others, look at yourself and take responsibility for your own emotions and reactions.  Then, we can allow the Holy Spirit in to change and transform us and this will remove this kind of stress in our lives.

No one can control your reactions, only you.  The bible says that as a believer you have within you the fruit of the Spirit, which includes self-control, patience, long-suffering!  (Gal 5)

Each day, and sometimes each moment we have a choice to live by the Spirit or live by the flesh.  Living after flesh is stressful, so let's take responsibility for our stuff, ask the Holy Spirit to help us and let go of this type of stress in our lives, and experience life and peace.

Romans 8:6 (TPT) For the mind-set of the flesh is death, but the mind-set controlled by the Spirit finds life and peace.


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