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.
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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.
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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
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"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."
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)
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