Off-Load Stress – Part 3: Stress in Changing Times (continued…)
Most people know what Scripture teaches, but they don’t always know how to put it into practice. This brief prayer should help you begin to off-load your stress.
Father,
You are God, even in stress-filled times. On my own I could feel overwhelmed, but Scripture tells me You care about every detail of my life. Right now, the stress I feel most intensely is (and then you fill in the blank):
- My car doesn’t work, God, and You know I don’t have the money to fix it.
- The deadline on this report is only a week away. Without help I’ll never get it done on time.
- I’ve had bouts with skin cancer for the last several years, Lord. Now it seems as though there’s a growth in my breast and I’m afraid even to go to the doctor.
- We were on top of everything, God. Then our computer system crashed in the storm, and I’m stunned! I don’t know where to start repairing the damage.
- I have to speak at the banquet in three days and I still have no clue as to what to say.
- The taxes are due and I have nothing to pay them.
- My boss is unreasonable in his expectations. The only way I can make it is to work on weekends. I’m sorry, God.
- My dad’s been sick so we’ve moved him to our house. Now the extra responsibility is making me extremely nervous. How will I handle taking care of the kids and him too?
- I’ll never pass the exam. I got way behind on studying because of my night job.
- Our marriage is going from bad to worse. We don’t seem to be able to communicate anymore.
- I took on too much with this new church responsibility. I’ve never done anything this extensive before, and I’m having real trouble getting on top of it.
With these few examples, I may not have identified an area where you feel pressure. So it’s important that you fill in the blank each day with the specific stress you feel. The prayer then continues:
Show me steps I can take, and give me the courage to take them.
In the quiet of prayer, I find that as I wait on the Lord, in other words, as I stop talking momentarily, He brings to mind specific steps I can take. He gives me divine direction for the given day! Then I need to ask for courage to take these steps.
I admit sometimes I pray this prayer when I’m in the car driving to work. If need be, the Lord can make His will known even in the midst of morning traffic.
Then I love this final line:
Calm my spirit, Lord, as I trust You to bring good in this situation. Amen.
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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.
