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Make sure to check out the main article in this Stress-Busting Series, “From Stress To Submission.”
Intro
Stress tends to get the best of us, right? Even if we don’t want to, we can’t help worrying because we have so many responsibilities and concerns. Sometimes it’s hard to find our breath.
Stress can hit us from all angles and out of nowhere, especially on a Monday morning! It’s important in times of stress and worry to stop and take a moment to just breath.
So I invite you to slow down and bring your stress before the Lord with this devotional and worship song. Please take a moment to listen to this worship song to prepare your heart for the devotional below.
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Devotion
Shhh.
Stop.
Breathe.
Seriously, go ahead… take a deep breath right now.
What is bothering you? What is troubling your heart?
Take a deep breath while thinking about your concern(s) and then release your breath, as you think about God and all that He is capable of doing.
How do you feel? Any better? You probably do, or at least your load lightened a little bit.
Now imagine doing that over and over, every time you feel stressed. Do you think it would change anything?
Turning to God always changes us. But we have to approach Him in order for that to happen. Receiving God and His Fruit (Gal 5:22-23) is what sustains us and gives us the ability to release our stress.
A great Scripture verse to help you hand your stress over to God is Psalm 55:22.
Psalm 55:22
Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you;
he will never let the righteous be shaken.
Casting your cares on the Lord looks a lot like the exercise we practiced a moment ago, or at least it is one way to actively pursue releasing stress to God. There are many ways, but I find that this practice to be a good one for recentering yourself and remembering God is with you and is bigger than the things that stress you.
Your assignment this week is to keep trying this exercise every time you feel stressed.
Below are some additional resources, reflection questions, Scripture, and a prayer. We like to give you things to take, not just food for thought. We want to help you put principles into action.
Prayer
Lord,
Become bigger in my life, please. I get so consumed with problems that I forget that You are bigger than anything I could face or fear. Help me to trust that You always have me surrounded by your love and seek to bring me closer to You. Help me to stay on this topic of stress all week, so I can dig deeper into what You are trying to teach me. Lord, I need You more than I can realize. Help me see that Your way is the path to freedom and fulfillment. Open my eyes to your goodness, Lord. Amen.
Reflection Questions
What is stressing you right now? Try to list all the pressure you face.
Is stress something that you deal with well?
What are some healthy ways to manage pressure you face?
What do you think it says about your relationship with God when you carry stress?
Scripture
Take these verses and allow God the room to speak to you through them. Return to these scriptures periodically, if not daily, and see what God shows you through His word.
Psalm 55:22
Psalm 94:19
Psalm 118:9
Psalm 119:143
Galatians 2:20
Ephesians 4:20-24
Philippians 4:6-7
Additional Resources
“From Stress To Submission,” In this article, I give some practical steps to help you release your problems over to God and let go of that stress!
30 Prayers For Anxiety, 30 great prayers to help you breathe a little easier!
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If this devotional helped you, would you please share it via social media or email? In doing so, you can help us make a more significant impact for the Kingdom of Heaven. Thank you so much! ~Alexis and Aaron
