Does The News Have You Stressed Out?

 No matter what anyone tells you, none of us are hardwired for stress. It doesn't matter how much of Jesus you have, if you don't know what stress is and how to say no to it then you will face the consequences of it.

We are certainly tough and we can get through a lot of stuff but it doesn't mean we get through undamaged. Some of us say, "Well, I have Jesus", and yet we don't even know what that means or what to do with it. Many people, as much as they love Jesus, have never learned to surrender things to him. Even though he directly taught us to not worry, we worry. So understand this:

Stress can rewire our brain and cause illness in our body, without even mentioning what it does to our emotions. It will overwhelm our systems so that we can't even make simple decisions. Sure, we can make it through and survive small amounts of stress but even then it has effects on us. However, we should never try to live through prolonged amounts of stress, just shrugging our shoulders at it.

We do not want to learn how to manage stress because even managing it is only helping us to cope with it short term. We need to learn how to face things without provoking stress, and if it does get provoked, how to send it packing. The solution has a name and that name is Jesus. When we are relationship with him, a daily trusting relationship of dependence, we learn how to surrender everything so we can keep on keeping on. Why do you think he promised never to leave us? We were never intended to do any of this on our own. But there is more than just surrender.

We are in partnership with Jesus. He does his part and we do ours. Our part is to understand how our bodies work. Just like we learn what foods are best to keep us healthy, we learn what attitudes and actions help keep us stress free. Sometimes we live as if like takes no effort and that is not what Jesus said. Certainly, we do not need to strive but we were designed for work. Life takes work.

 

The first thing you should learn about yourself is what provokes stress in you. When you learn this you can avoid it. If you can't avoid it then you know enough to surrender it as it begins. But you can also take actions so you can shed the stress before it can take root. Let's consider a few things that can cause stress in this pandemic and some things to shed it:

1. Too much news. Limit your news intake to a couple of times a day.
2. Dwelling on or fixating on the problem. We need to occupy ourselves with a balance of things and also how to surrender things to Jesus.
3. Fear. We will get past this pandemic just as we have gotten past every other mountain in our past. Do what you need to do to protect yourself (stay distant, wash your hands, wear your mask) and then ... live life to the fullest, or at least as full as the protocols will allow. Live it with joy, peace, laughter, and trust.
4. Don't keep reminding yourself of what you can't do. Accept where we are at this point and consider what we can do instead of focusing on what we can't.
5. Don't worry about other people. You do you and don't worry about the neighbours. Distance yourself from people who don't take this seriously and be friendly with those who do, but you just take care of you and yours.
6. Be kind. It is amazing how therapeutic it is to do kind things for other people.
7. Be kind to yourself. You can't help other people if you are not looking after yourself. Take those bubble baths. Have that glass of wine. Take that hour to read a good book. Go for a long walk. Do some exercising. 

It's good to be aware of the big picture but don't focus on it. Focus on the small daily steps in your life. Focus on what is for supper tonight, what you need to pick up at the store, whether you should vacuum today or tomorrow, helping the kids with their homework, calling to check on a friend. Sing. Dance. Pray. Worship. Laugh. Then laugh some more.There is a lot of life to live every day.

The news will eventually chase us down, it's impossible to get away from it. But it does not need to occupy our day, our thoughts, or our emotions. It is what it is and we trust Jesus. You worry and stress won't help. You have very little impact on the news except for prayer, so don't stress about it. Take a deep breath, thank Jesus and then decide on supper.

What The Rain Does To Me

 I was out walking my dog a couple of nights ago when I was surprised by rain. It wasn’t in the forecast and it was too dark to see the type of clouds overhead so I did not venture out expecting it. 

At first it was like “Ugh” because it was not a warm night and I had not brought a jacket. But I realized I actually didn’t mind it. In fact, I was surprised that I was enjoying it. There was a strange sense of groundedness that it gave. So I went with that feeling and decided to explore the explanation.

Lately, things have seemed a bit chaotic, out of control. The pandemic has made everything a little more complicated and there is that subconscious stress that I keep talking about. We are in control of our waking conscious thinking but we are not always aware or in control of what is beneath the surface. This may become more evident as we get back to the routine of school, realizing that this routine is very different from what we have known in the past.

Let’s face it, if we have any routines none of them are what they used to be. This causes more stress than you may be aware of. It gives a false sense of having no control.

Then there is the rain.

There are things we can control and there are things we cannot. I can control when I go to sleep but I can’t control tomorrow’s weather. I can control what I eat but I can’t control my Prime Minister’s decisions. I can control what I watch but I can’t control the content of the news. I can control the thoughts I dwell on but I can’t control what my neighbour says and does.

Did you notice something there? I can control myself but I can’t control you. I can control myself but I can’t control the world. I can control myself but I cannot control the politics. I can control myself but I can’t control the weather. The only thing I have any authority to control is myself.

So that is what the rain is doing to me, grounding me in the reality of my Father’s creation. There is nothing I can do to stop the rain. The rain is something my Father put into motion. There is nothing I can do to stop the sun from rising in the morning. This too is something my Father put into motion. There is nothing I can do to stop him from loving me, from being with me, from desiring me, from believing in me. This is something he put in motion when he said “Let there be light” and he has not looked back since and the proof of it is found on the cross.

This world might look like it is out of control but none of it comes as a surprise to my Father. He was aware before I was born and he planted things in my path that I will need in every step of my journey. He knew it all and he planned for it. But I must exercise control over me, take my eyes off the problem and discover the solution he planted before I was born and that he has made available to me now. He doesn’t make it easy but he does make it simple. I just need to look for the things of the Kingdom.

In every dark moment, I am to turn from the darkness and find that gold nugget, that glimmer of light. All good things are from above so in the dark we look for the good things, the positives and there we will find him and our encouragement. We will find the treasures, the hope, the joy, the things to celebrate and lift up.

Face it, anyone can see the dark. It does not take any discernment to see the negative, the hopeless, the decay, the loss. It takes a heart determined to seek our Father and the things of the Kingdom to discern what the darkness tries to hide : hope! Let those who have ears to hear, hear. Let those who have eyes to see, see.

So this is what the rain does for me, it reminds me that the things I do not have the authority to control are in the hands of my Father. He’s in charge and I am glad he is. So I will control what is mine to control, and I will use that to chase after the things of the Kingdom, even, or maybe especially, in the dark.