Light weight! (Stress Final)

I want to finish this series by one final thought.    The dictionary defines 'stress' as:  'subject to pressure or tension' or 'a state of mental or emotional strain or tension resulting from adverse or demanding circumstances'.

Life and the devil can subject us to pressures and tensions, and we can fold like a plastic bottle.  However, if the bottle represents us, and we are filled with the Holy Spirit, we won't crumble under pressure.  

We will never be able to stop stresses coming our way, but as soon as we recognize them we need to tap into the spiritual realm in order not to be overcome.   We need to deal with life from a spiritual perspective.  Yes, there are practical things we need to do in life, of course, but we cannot do things the way the world does it.  We need to fight, not against flesh and blood, but against principlaities and powers and spiritual wickedness and high places.  Stress is a result of the fall, a result of the enemy and a result sometimes of our own actions, but the solution is always to turn back to the Lord, get into the Word, pump up the praise and worship, pray in the Spirit and remember that we are more than conquerors, and WE are on the wining side. 

The apostle Paul experienced a whole bunch of stressful scenarios (2 Corinthians 11:23-29). He said he had 

• Been in labours more abundant, 
• Had stripes above measure, 
• Been in prisons more frequent,
• Been close to deaths often 
• Of the Jews five times received 39 stripes
• Three times beaten with rods, 
• once he was stoned, 
• Three times suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep;
• In journeyings often, 
• In perils of waters, 
• In perils of robbers, 
• In perils by his own countrymen, 
• In perils by the heathen, 
• In perils in the city, 
• In perils in the wilderness, 
• In perils in the sea, 
• In perils among false brethren; 
• In weariness and painfulness, 
• In watchings often, 
• In hunger and thirst, 
• In fastings often, 
• In cold and nakedness. 
• Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches.

And you know what he said about that all??? 2 Corinthians 4:17 (TPT)

We view our slight, short-lived troubles in the light of eternity. We see our difficulties as the substance that produces for us an eternal, weighty glory far beyond all comparison, 

The KJV says
For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.

When we get things into a spiritual perspective, we will be able say with Paul that the glory of eternity far outweighs any stresses we can face. 

Today, whatever you are going through, whatever kind of week you have had, make sure you take time to destress, by connecting with God, and strengthening yourself from the inside out.  This is the ONLY lasting and effective way to deal with the stresses of this life!

Happy Saturday.