Stressed Out and Frustrated!!! Chasing the Wrong Things

I think we all are stressed out about something. Some stress is simply part of life. 

If you have kids - STRESS! 

If you have a spouse - STRESS! 

If you have a job - STRESS!

 If you don't have a job - STRESS!

I'm not for sure that stress can totally be avoided on this side of Heaven - but the problem comes when we heap stress on ourselves because we spend our time and energy chasing the wrong things in life.

We spend so much time climbing our "life ladder" that we never check to see if it's leaned against the right wall!  Sometimes I think that we are pastors/teachers don't help much either.  We spend so much time on what "not to do" (sin) that we seldom help people learn "what to do."

We try to be happy keeping religious lists of do's and don'ts thinking that somehow God will love us more - bless us more - give us more if we gain His approval!   And if we get it wrong, God will punish us for not "keeping the list."   Talk about fear and stress!!!!  

Christ came to set us free from "religion" - He came to invite us to enter into a relationship. (John 8:36)  His love is perfect/complete and is not dependent upon our "performance."  Stop stressing about trying to "earn something from God" that He already has freely given.  (1 John 4:18-19)

This is a list from material I found years ago:   Seeking Significance in all the Wrong Places. 

Seeking to be happy	vs.	seeking to be holy
Seeking to be religious in a church	vs.	seeking to grow in a relationship with Christ
Seeking cultural Christianity	vs.	seeking biblical Christianity
Seeking external do's and don'ts	vs.	seeking internal obedience of the heart
Seeking human approval	vs.	seeking God's approval
Seeking your own will	vs.	seeking God's will
Seeking to live for present gain	vs.	seeking to live for eternal values

"So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal."  

(2 Corinthians 4:18) 

If, as a follower of Jesus, you goal is to be happy - you are in for frustrating times.  Happiness is passing - fleeting - based on externals while joy, peace is based on "eternals."  It is just a total different perspective.   Happiness is wonderful when it comes - but when times are difficult, if you are seeking happiness you will be frustrated.   But even during the difficult times, joy and peace are possible if you look through a different perspective.

Look through the list above and see which side you lean toward.  Be honest.  (grin)   One side leads to frustration, stress and disappointment while the other side leads to peace and fulfillment.  It is a struggle to be where we need to be in these spectrum each day - but it is good to have your life ladder up against the right wall!

 I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me.  No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead,  I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.   Philippians 3:12-14 (NLT) 

When Things Are Falling Apart

Peter was writing this a followers of Jesus that had been persecuted.   It had been about 30 years since Jesus had been crucified, resurrected than then ascended into Heaven.  At first, followers of Jesus were persecuted primarily by the Jews, but as they began to differentiate themselves from the Jews, the Romans began to persecute them also.

Christianity was easily misunderstood during that time.   They didn't have Priests, Temples or Rituals that other religions did.  Not only that, some Romans thought Christians were cannibalistic because they, "drank of the blood and ate of the body" of their leader. Roman allegiance was to Caesar as god - Christians would no acquiesce and became an enemy of the state.  Additionally, there was no "class" among these followers of Jesus - everyone was equal.   This was unheard of in Roman Society.

Nero's persecution of Christians was brutal.  He had animal skins sewn and tied to Christians then threw them to the lions.   He impaled them, set them on fire and lit his palatial gardens at night.  Women were tied to bulls and dragged through the city. Many Christians were crucified.  The persecution was fierce.

It was in the face of this persecution that many fled.  Peter writes in verse 1:2 the provinces of Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia as places where Christians had fled.   So Peter writes to this "exiles" who had lost everything.  Some had lost family, others jobs, savings, many had fled just with the clothes on their backs.  He writes to instruct them in how to live in exile  -  how to live when your world have fallen apart.

“Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed.  As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance.  But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do;  for it is written: "Be holy, because I am holy." 1 Peter 1:13-16 (NIV)  

We all have times of hopelessness. Times of suffering. We bring it on ourselves at times - sometimes it is at the hands of others - sometimes it is just part of living in a world that is hell bent on hurt.

So what do we do? What do we do when bad things are happening while we try to follow Jesus? 

Prepare Your Mind for Action:   Rather than spending time in despair - Gather your thoughts and remember what you have learned.   This was written to believers - followers of Jesus.  They had been taught by the disciples what Jesus had said.   The world would persecute you the same way their persecuted Jesus.  But He would never leave you - He left His Spirit to comfort and guide you.  

Today as believers we know much more - biblical principles such as knowing that God is at work in our lives to mold and mature us (James 1:2-8); that whatever we are facing will ultimately be used by God to future His kingdom (Romans 8:28) and that ultimately we will spend an eternity with Him (2 Corinthians 5:8).  

Romans 12:1-2 (NLT)  And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him.  Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.

This is Part of Life – There are going to be difficult times in life.  Sometimes we bring them on ourselves through our own choices; sometimes Satan is active in our lives; sometimes there are those who truly wish to do us harm and sometimes it is just the everyday chaotic events of life.

John 16:33 (NLT)  I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.” 

Don’t Allow Externals to Control You – What externals?   People, expectations, fame, money, there are many things that control our lives.   What controls your life is the thing you will push everything else aside to get to.   That is what you worship.    Peter says control yourself - don't be controlled by anything or anyone.

The old illustration of the Thermostat and Thermometer comes to mind.   The thermostat controls the surroundings - the thermometer at the mercy of his surroundings.   Which are you?

1 John 2:15-17 (NLT)  Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you.  For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world.  And this world is fading away, along with everything that people crave. But anyone who does what pleases God will live forever.

Focus Your Trust/Hope on God  - Where is your focus?  On your troubles or on Him?  Where is your focus?  Where do you look for help?  In what do your place your faith?   Faith is living as though something is true even though you have no evidence of it.  Do you have faith that God will guide you, protect you, see you through?  Live as though it is true BEFORE you see God move!

Proverbs 3:5-6 (NLT)  Trust in the LORD with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding.  Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.

Do Not Respond Like Someone Who Has No Hope –There was a time you didn't know about God.  You didn't know what Jesus said.   You didn't know about the Holy Spirit.   But now you do!   Don't live - don't think as if you don't!  

Matthew 6:33 (NLT)  Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.

Be Holy – For He Is Holy –  The difference between holiness and blamelessness is that one looks at the heart/motives while the other just looks at the externals.    Holiness not only does what is right - the motives/intents of the heart are pure.   One day we will be totally holy/spotless before God - until then we are to strive to be holy.

1 Peter 1:16 (NLT)  For the Scriptures say, “You must be holy because I am holy.” 

Peter writes to those who are in the midst of fleeing persecution and tells them to get their thinking straight.   Reason/respond as someone who has been prepared for the inevitable problems that come here on earth.   Don't let people, situations or externals to control you.   Keep yourself controlled by following the Spirit of God.  Keep your focus on Him - not on all the problems around you.  Don't respond to life like someone who has no hope.  Don't respond like someone who doesn't follow Jesus.  Live a life that is Holy.  Live a life that is complete.