6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;
7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
Anxiety, worry, fear - they're all part of a family of sins, if you will. They can make us feel stressed, even desperate. Worry can produce physical manifestations and it can short-circuit our walk with Christ. So, we can take the words of the Psalmist to heart: "Whenever I am afraid, I will trust in You. (Psalm 56:3)" When anxiety comes and our hearts are troubled, we can draw closer to God and experience his peace. We can confess our anxiety, so that we can release the antidote.
We can release the grace of God in our lives as we are humble before God. That can relieve the stress we may encounter. 1st Peter 5 says:
(5b) Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for "God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble."
6 Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time,
7 casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.
8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.
Well, perhaps you've seen the happy news - I heard about a survey the other day regarding stress and Alabama. When you Google search those words, the association becomes clear...a new survey conducted by WalletHub shows that, according to a report on the Yellowhammer News website, "Alabama is the most stressed state in the country. According to their findings, Alabamians have, on average, less access to mental health care, lower credit scores, and poor sleep habits."
There were four dimensions of stress measured in each state, as well as D.C., across the nation, and in this survey:
Overall, across America, the survey found that, according to a Fox News report on it:
We recognize that worry is a sin, and Jesus died for it. A CNN article from 2013 quoted from a Barna Group survey: "The survey said that 60% of Americans admitted that they’re tempted to worry too much or procrastinate; 55% said they’re tempted to overeat, and 41% said they’re tempted by sloth, or laziness." The book, Our Favorite Sins, by Todd Hunter, who has been a guest on The Meeting House, was used in correlation to the survey. When we worry or are fearful, we exhibit a lack of trust in God, and He wants to deliver us and show Himself faithful to us. Our fearfulness can disappear in light of His faithfulness.
The Bible provides a strong antidote to anxiety and stress - 1st Peter 5 teaches we can cast your cares on Him. We do that by casting down those mental strongholds that the enemy would try to erect. We counter worry with the truth of the Scriptures. And we bring our anxieties and fears to the foot of the cross.
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We can release the grace of God in our lives as we are humble before God. That can relieve the stress we may encounter. 1st Peter 5 says:
(5b) Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for "God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble."
6 Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time,
7 casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.
8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.
Well, perhaps you've seen the happy news - I heard about a survey the other day regarding stress and Alabama. When you Google search those words, the association becomes clear...a new survey conducted by WalletHub shows that, according to a report on the Yellowhammer News website, "Alabama is the most stressed state in the country. According to their findings, Alabamians have, on average, less access to mental health care, lower credit scores, and poor sleep habits."
There were four dimensions of stress measured in each state, as well as D.C., across the nation, and in this survey:
In the composite, Alabama ranked fifth in work-related stress, second in money-related stress, fifth in family-related stress, and sixth in health and safety stress.Average it all out, and there's your #1 ranking.
Overall, across America, the survey found that, according to a Fox News report on it:
While WalletHub found that Americans today are overall the least stressed they’ve been in a decade, they’re more stressed than they were in 2015. Fear of violence, plus stress over the election outcome, the current political climate, and the uncertain future of the nation all ranked as top stressors in 2016, according to the report.WalletHub also did a stress survey last year, identifying the most- and least-stressed cities across the land. Mobile, Alabama placed 2nd, just behind Detroit. Birmingham was third. The summary article stated:
In the U.S., stress affects more than 100 million Americans, or nearly a third of the population, for whom the leading source of stress continues to be money, followed by work, family and relationships. By one estimate, workplace-related stress alone costs our society more than $300 billion per year.Some takeaways today as we consider this very important topic. For one thing, Jesus spoke clearly to the topic of anxiety. He taught in the Sermon on the Mount to not worry about temporal things of this world, and summed it up by saying to seek first God's kingdom and His righteousness. Philippians tells us to not be anxious, but to present our requests so that we can have peace. In 2 Timothy, we are told that we do not have the spirit of fear, but of power, love, and soundmindedness.
We recognize that worry is a sin, and Jesus died for it. A CNN article from 2013 quoted from a Barna Group survey: "The survey said that 60% of Americans admitted that they’re tempted to worry too much or procrastinate; 55% said they’re tempted to overeat, and 41% said they’re tempted by sloth, or laziness." The book, Our Favorite Sins, by Todd Hunter, who has been a guest on The Meeting House, was used in correlation to the survey. When we worry or are fearful, we exhibit a lack of trust in God, and He wants to deliver us and show Himself faithful to us. Our fearfulness can disappear in light of His faithfulness.
The Bible provides a strong antidote to anxiety and stress - 1st Peter 5 teaches we can cast your cares on Him. We do that by casting down those mental strongholds that the enemy would try to erect. We counter worry with the truth of the Scriptures. And we bring our anxieties and fears to the foot of the cross.
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