We all experience stress from our job, family, health, finances or relationships. Yet stress is not our problem, it’s a symptom of our problem. Behind our stress are the real issues that cause stress and many of those are myths that can drive us crazy. Would you like to have a strategy to reduce your stress?
Looking at the life of Jesus Christ we can learn how to reduce our stress. I’m amazed at how cool Jesus was in the midst of severe criticism and misunderstanding. How did He do it? We’re going to find out how in the next few blogs. He did it by living according to some principles that can also help reduce our level of stress as well.
The first principle is Knowing Who You Are.
If you don’t know who you are in your identity you’ll be vulnerable to stress. Jesus’ own words reflect that He knew exactly who He was. “I am the light of the world, I am the truth…the door…the shepherd…I came to save that which is lost…”Jesus didn’t need people to validate himself. He was secure in his own skin. If we don’t know who we regarding our identity others will determine it for us.
Our culture, our parents, our significant relationships and our peers can mold us into something we were never meant to be. What a drag it is being what others expect us to be. We all have strengths and weaknesses, but we don’t have to worry about what we’re not. Be who God made you to be. If you do you’ll reduce your stress. Don’t waste your time and energy by comparing yourself with others, be yourself. Don’t allow circumstances to tell you who you are. God doesn’t make clones.
The second principle is Knowing Who to Please.
Trying to please everyone or a lot of people causes stress. While trying to please one group you distance yourself from another. You can be a zero or a hero depending on who you please. In political or philosophical issues you can’t please everyone. Jesus didn’t please the general population. He lived for an audience of ONE. He said, “I always do what pleases the Father”(John 8:38).
Let’s face it we will inevitably disappoint someone. It’s crazy to think I must be liked by everybody to be happy. It’s not true. It’s a myth. Focus on pleasing God. If you do what He wants it will always be right no matter what anybody else thinks, plus you only have to please one person. Just be sure it’s God.
Jesus was not concerned about pleasing others to be liked for fear of rejection or approval, he knew who He was, and He was not a people pleaser. The apostle Paul said, “If I seek to please man I no longer please God.”Galatians 1:10 Whoa! Whose approval are you depending upon for your happiness? Think about that? You don’t need it and may not ever get it! Be freed up, quit living for someone else’s approval.
Many blame others for their stress, saying, “I got to…I must…everyone is expecting me to…I have to…” No you don’t, who says? No one is putting a gun to your head, don’t be victim. Nobody is pressuring you without your permission. They can’t. Two people with the same circumstances can have two very different responses because they have a choice just like you. Who are you going to please, God or everybody else?
Join us for the continuation of ‘The Truth About Stress’ from the ‘new’ blog series called ‘Myths That Can Drive Us Crazy.’ Please share your comments with others. They would appreciate it.
With Hope,
Mark
mark@startingoverworkshops.com
