HelpFinder Bible - Flipbook - Page 321
page A319
beyond our ability to endure, and we thought we would never live through it.
The intense demands of life have the potential to overwhelm you. The expectations, the
criticism, and the scope of the need and responsibility can threaten to crush even the
strongest person.
• L U K E 1 0 :4 0 -4 1 | But Martha was distracted by the big dinner she was preparing. She
came to Jesus and said, “Lord, doesn’t it seem unfair to you that my sister just sits here
while I do all the work? Tell her to come and help me.” But the Lord said to her, “My dear
Martha, you are worried and upset over all these details!”
• MAT T H E W 1 3 :2 2 | “The seed that fell among the thorns represents those who hear God’s
word, but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the worries of this life and the lure
of wealth, so no fruit is produced.”
Stress can cause you to focus on the trivial and miss the important. As pressure squeezes
your perspective inward, you lose the big picture. Preoccupation with the issues of the
moment blinds you to what’s really important.
Should I be surprised by the stress of life?
Jesus warned us to expect stress. This world is filled with trials and sorrows that generate
stress. The key to dealing with stress is not to be surprised when it comes but to learn how
to respond. While there are many healthy and positive ways to handle stress, never neglect
the spiritual help the Holy Spirit promises to provide if you ask.
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• J O H N 1 6 :3 3 | “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.”
• 2 C O R I NT H I A NS 4 :9 | We are hunted down, but never abandoned by God. We get knocked
down, but we are not destroyed.
Keep going! Knowing that God is by your side during times of trouble and stress can help
keep you from giving up.
• PSA L M 5 5 :2 2 | Give your burdens to the Lord, and he will take care of you. He will not
permit the godly to slip and fall. (See note on page 508.)
• I SA I A H 4 1 :1 0 | “Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your
God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.”
• PSA L M 6 2 :2 | He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress where I will never be
shaken.
• J O H N 1 4 :1 | “Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me.”
• H E B R E W S 2 :1 8 | Since he himself has gone through suffering and testing, he is able to help
us when we are being tested.
• PH I L I PP I A NS 2 :4 | Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in
others, too.
The first step in dealing with stress is to bring your burdens to the Lord. Only he brings true
peace of heart and mind. God’s availability and promises provide effective stress-reducers.
• 2 SA MU E L 2 2 :7 | “But in my distress I cried out to the Lord. . . . He heard me from his
sanctuary; my cry reached his ears.”
• PSA L M 8 6 :7 | I will call to you whenever I’m in trouble, and you will answer me.
Be persistent in prayer.
• MA R K 6 :3 1 | Then Jesus said, “Let’s go off by ourselves to a quiet place and rest awhile.”
He said this because there were so many people coming and going that Jesus and his
apostles didn’t even have time to eat.
Take time to slow down and take a break from pressure-packed situations.
• 1 C O R I NT H I A NS 6 :1 9 -2 0 | Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit,
who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, for God
bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body.
HelpFinder
How can I deal with stress and pressure?