Digging Deeper

“Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything; tell God your needs… If you do this, you will experience God’s peace, which is far more wonderful than the human mind can understand.”  - Philippians 4:6-7 (LB)

The term “stress” was first used by an endocrinologist in the 1930s to identify physiological responses in laboratory animals. He later broadened and popularized the concept to include the perceptions and responses of humans trying to adapt to the challenges of everyday life.  So, stress is a man made term to explain the response to a man made crisis.

As a licensed massage therapist for 11 years I have seen the effects of “the perceptions and responses of humans trying to adapt to the challenges of everyday life” manifests itself in people in so many different ways. I have also seen many types of treatments for stress over the years. The one thing in common they all have is that they only temporarily mask the cause or treat the symptoms of stress, they don’t prevent it. There is one thing I have found that can prevent stress, a total trust and faith in Jesus Christ. Stress is not only mentally and physically destructive but also spiritually destructive. It strains our relationship with Christ because it shows a lack of trust and faith.

Let’s break down Philippians 4:6-7:

• “Don’t worry about anything…” – Not most things or the big things it says ANYTHING.
• “…instead, pray about everything…” –  EVERYTHING! Often we feel like we shouldn’t bother God with the little stuff. Like we have a limit on prayer time and we should only use it for the big ones. Our God is an awesome God and He is there nothing too big or too small He can’t handle.
• “…tell God your needs…”  - The funny thing here is that He already knows our needs but this is His way of making sure we are distinguishing our needs from our wants and that usually puts a little perspective on things.
• “…If you do this, you will experience God’s peace,” – Often times when I have laid my stress at His feet I have received an instant relief, like a massage of the soul, but I also experience a prolonged relief that is impossible to achieve without trust and faith in Him.

 It’s not easy but when we take the time to apply it rather than freak out first it really is that simple. Through trust and faith in God and His promises to us we can stop masking the cause or treating the symptoms and we can remove the stress completely.

Heavenly Father, forgive us for so often freaking out first instead of turning to You first. Lord, we come to You right now with our stress and we lay it all at Your feet. We seek not to understand it all but to simply, trust in You and to have faith that Your will be done.  Amen

by Rick Phillips