Off-Load Stress – Part 5: A Calm Spirit (continued…)
Do you remember The Sound of Music as it unfolds on the big screen? Major changes are taking place in Austria. The Nazis have taken over the country, and we watch how this affects the von Trapp family. Maybe you recall the huge flag with the German swastika being draped from the front balcony of the family mansion. That scene graphically symbolizes what’s happening.
Maria, played by Julie Andrews, may not have been an asset to the abbey where she was a postulant. But she has found her true calling in marrying Captain von Trapp—and becoming stepmother to his seven children. Maria proves her worth time and time again, and eventually the entire family escapes from Austria and Nazi dominion.
As good as this musical is, much of the advice given about dealing with the stress of changing times is somewhat surface. For example, I doubt that remembering your favorite things will keep you from feeling badly when the dog bites or the bee stings.
Let’s look at some lines of a song written at another time during an earlier day of national and personal tension.
The Lord is my light and my salvation—
whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the stronghold of my life—
of whom shall I be afraid?Though an army besiege me,
my heart will not fear;
though war break out against me,
even then will I be confident.Hear my voice when I call, 0 Lord….
My heart says of You, “Seek His face!”
Your face, Lord, I will seek….Be strong and take heart
and wait for the Lord (Psalm 27:1-3, 7-8, 14).
David’s advice sounds a bit more substantive. During times of extreme stress, his practice was to seek the Lord.
When your anxiety level rises, which of these two approaches seems more characteristic of you? Too many Christians know in their heads that they should first talk with their Father in heaven. But they never seem to actually get around to it. They don’t say, as David did, “Hear my voice when I call, O Lord; be merciful to me and answer me” (v. 7). Instead, they practice a homegrown method, concentrating first on talking their problems out with everyone else they can find.
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Sunday’s coming. Do you have your sermon ready? Is it relevant? Will it effectively motivate your congregation to walk more in step with the Master? What about that Sermon Series you’ve been thinking about?
Or, if you’re someone who plans well ahead, have you asked yourself what you will preach for your Easter Sermon, your Advent Sermon, your Christmas Sermon?
David Mains and Mainstay Ministries can help. We offer a wide variety of Sermon Starters and Full Sermons that will give you Sermon Ideas to help you prepare for regular Saturday or Sunday sermons, Mid-week Bible Sermons, and Sermons for special occasions.
We also offer assistance as you create Topical Sermons, Sermons Series, and sermons for special times of the year. We have resources available to help you with Advent Celebrations, Advent Sermons, Christmas Sermons, Easter Sunday Sermons, Patriotic Sermons, and more.
For more information on how to create better Bible Sermons and how to turn Sermon Ideas into Sermon Outlines, and then into effective, meaningful Sunday Sermons, please click here to visit David Mains’ website.
You will also find a variety of resources for pastors and congregations at the Mainstay Ministries website. Just click here.
