Why Be Stressed, When You Serve The Best?

Why be stressed, when you serve the best?

I Peter 5:7 “Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.”

We live in a very fast-paced world. We see this rapid pace when we travel. There are times, I will be driving down the Interstate going 75 mph, and someone will pass me, as if I were sitting still. When you go to Wal-Mart, you had better watch around the next corner, or you just might have a demolition buggy crash. Ladies, you are at a high risk when you go to the grocery store. Have you ever watched the television show called "Supermarket Sweep"? If you haven’t, let me explain the objective of the show. Contestants rush down the store aisles, racing against the clock, filling their buggies full of expensive items, and try to find bonus prizes. You should see what a panic these people are in. I have to say, there really is not much difference in reality. Because of the time consuming and demanding lives that people are living, they rush down the aisle of the grocery store, knocking things off of the shelves, trying to race the clock of life, just in time to return home to eat, and go to bed and wake up the next day and repeat the same thing over again.

When I worked for FedEx, I can remember the overwhelming panic that I stayed in. FedEx is an occupation in which a person has to take a minute and somehow stretch it into an hour. It is an overnight service and in order to get the packages sent overnight, the courier has to really hustle. In fact, only a certain people can meet these demands. Had it not been for the grace of God, I would’ve never survived the 2 1/2 years, I worked there. I did not like being so rushed all the time. It was very hard to make rational decisions in that hustle and bustle state.

According to the American Institute of Stress, stress has been described as the #1 Health Problem in America. I quote, "The stress response of the body is somewhat like an airplane readying for take-off. Virtually, all systems (the heart and blood vessels, the immune system, the lungs, the digestive system, the sensory organs, and brain) are modified to meet the perceived danger."

Our body does not know the difference between an actual threat and a perceived threat. Our body only knows how to react to what the brain tells it.

For example, I would like to give you a little test. Close your eyes and picture yourself on the top of the Empire State Building. Keeping your eyes closed, in your mind’s eye, walk over to the very edge of the building, now look down. Do cars look like ants? Now open your eyes. How many of you felt like you were falling? Did you feel your body get warmer? How many pictured yourself falling? Your body was reacting as if you were really standing on the Empire State Building, because your body didn’t know the difference between an actual threat and a perceived threat. You can relax now.

In a "Have it your way, right away" world, how does one balance their life? Balance is the key to a healthy life. We are supposed to balance our diets in order to give our body the proper nourishment. We balance our checkbooks, so we don’t overdraw from our checking account. It is so easy to bring this rapidity into the church. Many times before we come to services, we are often rushed in our day and weighed down with cares. But should we bring this same pace into our services?

I. What advice does the Bible give for stress?

Peter said in I Peter 5:6 & 7, "Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you." I believe this is some of the greatest counsel that we could ever be given. To cast our cares upon the Master. What are cares? Cares are our worries. Peter is saying take all of your worries to Jesus, because He is concerned for you.

What a Friend We Have in Jesus

What a Friend we have in Jesus, all our sins and griefs to bear!

What a privilege to carry everything to God in prayer!

O what peace we often forfeit, O what needless pain we bear,

All because we do not carry everything to God in prayer.

Have we trials and temptations? Is there trouble anywhere?

We should never be discouraged; take it to the Lord in prayer.

Can we find a friend so faithful who will all our sorrows share?

Jesus knows our every weakness; take it to the Lord in prayer.