I've been reading a wonderful little devotional book that focuses on stress & anxiety ("Less Fret More Faith") by one of my favorite Christian authors - Max Lucado. I really like the way Lucado organizes his thoughts and I also like his down-to-earth writing style.

            This morning, this is what I read: "worry is the interest we pay on the prayer-less life. Worry happens when we keep our problems to ourselves or present our problems to the puny deities of money, muscle, or humankind. Peace happens when we pray ... even before our prayers are answered our hearts begin to change." And isn't that the truth??

            I don't consider myself to be a "major" worry-wart. But I DO have my moments, what about you? Whenever I decide to truly stress out about something, I can not only lose sleep over it, but it can also be a pervasive theme throughout my day - a theme that I just can't seem to kick. It can cause me to not laugh as often, and to not fully enjoy whatever the day has to offer - all because a sense of doom and gloom just seems to hover over everything.

            Lucado says, and I believe it, that the United States is now the most anxious nation in the world (congratulations to us!). And then he asks the question: "how can this be? Our cars are safer than ever, we regulate food and water and electricity ... most Americans do not live under the danger of imminent attack ... Citizens in other countries experience one-fifth the anxiety levels of Americans, despite having fewer of the basic life necessities ... Something about our particular way of life ... is making us less calm and composed."

           WOW! That is quite a revelation, don't you think? And don't you wish we could identify whatever that illusive thing (or, more likely, things) is that causes so much stress and anxiety in our lives?

             However, he reminds us that there is help for people like us. And it has to do with prayer and meditation on God's Word (Philippians 4:4-8)

             "Rejoice in the Lord always ... Be anxious for nothing but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which passes all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."

             So we 1) remember God's goodness and give him praise, 2) we ask him for help, 3) we leave our problem/worry with him, and now there is one final but important step:

             "...whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely ... if there is anything praiseworthy - meditate on these things."

               So, in other words, focus your thoughts on good and positive things rather than whatever was causing you stress. By God's power, we CAN find that peace that passes all understanding.

                                                                                 

Pastor Janice