Where God's Word Meets My Mess
We hold onto stress because we are natural worriers, and we believe the lie that a good dose of stress is healthy because it keeps us on track to succeed and accomplish. But, honestly, we often stress about things that don't end up happening. And, on top of that, life is ultimately out of our control because our God is sovereign. So what would happen if we just let go of our stress?
Personally, I think Satan wants us to believe the lie that change is bad so that we'll despair. Because when we despair about the changes ahead of us—and the changes currently in our midst—we give up. But oh, dear friends, we can’t give into despair.
It really doesn’t make sense that we worry about Christmas. After all, the angel told Joseph, Mary, and the shepherds not to be afraid (Matthew 1:20; Luke 1:30, Luke 2:10). Christmas only becomes fear-full when we begin to focus on ourselves and what we can get out of it. Can you relate to any of the 3 greatest fears we have about Christmas?
Usually, Thanksgiving is the time of year when we express what we're thankful for. But, for this post, I decided to be different and discuss a few things I'm not thankful for. Sound depressing? It is...and it isn't!
Feeling overwhelmed doesn’t end when you graduate from high school or college. It doesn’t end when you find a career. It doesn’t end when you get married or have kids. And it doesn’t end when you settle down and retire...but as Christians, we can rely on the fact that we will be free from stress in heaven.
After spending 12 days at camp (which is the longest amount of time I’ve ever been away from home), I realized something. I am not cut out for college.
Fear doesn’t have to control you. Don’t let fears and worries rule your heart because you’ll be a miserable wreck. Let Christ’s love compel you to be brave (2 Corinthians 5:14).
I definitely feel the pressure to do well during the final days of the semester. But how can I do well on everything when I have so much to do? Balance should play a major part in the life of every student—especially during finals week. It is crucial that you keep a few things in mind during your last few days...
With everything in life, there needs to be a balance; and work is no exception. There’s a balance between not having enough rest and having too much. We can get very addicted to rest. And this addiction to rest is sometimes called "laziness."
We can’t wait until Sunday or until all the laundry is folded or until we feel like we’ve done enough labor to take a break.
We all have a “thorn in the flesh,” even the ones who seem the strongest. (They just hide it well.) We suffer so that God’s great power can be magnified to the world. He can still use us, even in suffering, pain, and weariness. He can still use us even when we are tormented by “a messenger of Satan” (whether it be a lie, a doubt, or a fear). He can use you.
Your life isn’t over when you hit a bump or two. There are better days ahead. Today may seem cloudy, but it all depends on how you look at it.
If you have a perfect plan in mind, there’s always the risk of it falling apart. Sometimes this happens because our world is fallen, and bad things just happen. But, sometimes, we’re the ones who cause our plans to get ruined…and stay ruined.
The church is not a one-man show, with Super Man (or Super Woman) stepping in to meet all the church’s needs. Because Super Man will get tired and frustrated and cranky very, very fast. You do play a part in the body of Christ—but that’s all it should be. One part. Not all the parts.
We can’t burn out because there’s more to do. The work never ends. This may sound depressing, but it’s truly joyous. There are more people to save, and we have the opportunity to serve them in love and show them what it means to be a Christian.
