WHEN UNDER STRESS, WHERE DO YOU GO?

As I continue in my prayer and praise to God, I declared, "I am too blessed to be stressed." I wonder though how many followers of Christ truly declare such, and not only declare but believe that we are indeed too blessed to be stressed? Dr. Shelley E. Taylor, Distinguished Professor, Department of Psychology at UCLA, in Chapter Six of Health Psychology, 6th Edition (2009) indicated that stress is a negative emotional experience accompanied by predictable biochemical changes, physiological changes, cognitive changes, and behavioral changes that are directed either toward altering the stressful event or accommodating to its effects. Stressors, indicated Dr. Taylor, are stressful events such as noise, crowding, bad relationships, job interviews, commuting to work. She said that each of these might be stressful to some people but not to others and how the event is perceived substantially determines whether it is a stressor. Well, at the women's conference, "Too Blessed To Be Stressed" at Keas Tabernacle CME Church of Mt. Sterling, Kentucky, I told the women that we all experience stress at some time or the other in our lives. However, as God's women, we must know what to do and where to go when we are under stress. We cannot let the stressors of life get us in a rut. So, what do God's women do and where do they go when under stress?

1) GOD'S WOMEN GO TO GOD IN PRAYER. We should pray each and every day. When under stress, prayer is what we need to do. Psalm 121:1-8, "I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth. He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber. Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep. The Lord is thy keeper: the Lord is thy shade upon thy right hand. The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night. The Lord shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul. The Lord shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore." (KJV) Paul in Philippians 4:6-7 assures us that when we pray the peace of God which passeth all understanding will keep our hearts and minds on Christ Jesus. "Be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." (KJV) 2) GOD'S WOMEN ARE PRAYER PARTNERS. A prayer partner prays for her partner and petitions God on her partner's behalf. A prayer partner keeps us encouraged in this walk. Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 tells us, "Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour. For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up. Again, if two lie together, then they have heat: but how can one be warm alone? And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken." (KJV) 3) GOD'S WOMEN GO TO THEIR HUSBANDS. When under stress, the husband being in charge of the household must know about the things affecting his wife and mother of his children because what affects the wife, affects the children and the entire household. A God's woman must be best friend with her husband. He is the one that should know every problem, every ache, and every pain that she is experiencing. Instead of calling a girlfriend who has no idea of taking care of a household, or a girlfriend who is not walking in the path of the Lord, a God's woman should know that her husband is her protector and her encourager. 1 Peter 3, "Likewise, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; that, if any obey not the word, they also may without the word be won by the conversation of the wives." (KJV) 4) GOD'S WOMEN GO TO THIER CLERGY. A God's woman must have that relationship with the clergy of her church to know that she can speak to him/her in confidence; get encouragement from the clergy and that the clergy prays for her and her family. A God's woman must know that she can go for pastoral counseling without feeling ashamed or degraded. James 5:14-16, "Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him. Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much." (KJV) Oh what a friend we have in Jesus, all our sins and grief to bear. We just have to take everything to God in prayer because we are too blessed to be stressed.

Blessed, Therese from Belize