Tuesday, October 18, 2016

Reflections on Stress

Reflections on Stress The car won't start; the baby won't be calmed; your boss wants more from you than you think you can give; the test in school seems overwhelming.

Stress is all around us... or can be.  Stress leads to arguments between partners, frustration at work and school, when we believe we can't do what's asked of us.  But, this doesn't have to be true.

By living in the moment we are able to feel God's presence in every situation.  No matter how much stress we are feeling at specific times, we can reach within to find that serene place where God dwells.  We find ourselves drawing in a deep breath, giving ourselves over to the peace that passes all understanding.  We let go of the problems with the car, and call a mechanic to fix the issue.  We call a friend, who lives close by, for help with a colicky baby.  We realize that God is with us when the boss lays too much on us, and we realize while studying for the test that we know most of the answers already.

Stress and frustration seems to come at us from all corners, but it doesn't have to.   When we live, centered in the moment, and embraced with God's everlasting love, we start to do what comes naturally to us.  The answers begin to flow in... our problems don't seem insurmountable.   However, if we stay with the frustration and stress other issues in our lives become magnified as well.  When this happens we tend to act out.  If we have an addiction we turn to it for relief, if we have a spouse we may turn on them, even though they have had nothing to do with the problem.

I remember when our son, Jason, took his final test in nursing school.  When he got home I asked him a lot of questions:  How do you think it went?  Did he get questions he was expecting?  Did he feel he had done well?  He turned around and yelled at me.  "I failed, Mom!  I failed!

Needless to say, I was shocked.  Jason is a pretty easy going man, but he was holding so much tension and stress from the test, he yelled at me.  He turned on me because he wasn't in the moment.  He was in the past and future at the same time.  He was exhausted from all the studying, and stressed out because he thought he had failed.

He went to his room and slammed the door.  I turned around to Gary.  He said, "Don't worry, honey, we know he passed."  Later on that day, the test scores were sent out via email.  He had passed with flying colors.

He apologized to me, and it was over.  I had held back my need to try and comfort him, I let God do His work.

This is why, even in the direst of situations, when we feel completely stressed out, we turn to God.  We stay in THIS moment, breathe, say an affirmation (for example; "I know I did well on the test.")
When we do this that still, small voice comes to comfort us and give us ideas of what to do.  It works, it truly does.

Practice listening for that still, small voice of God and you will have all of your answers.  Your stress and frustration will simply melt away, for you are lifted by the most powerful process of all.  The Love of God.

In Peace and Prayer,
Gary and Susan Eby



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