I've Got The Whole World In My Hands......

     Doesn't quite sound right, does it? It certainly doesn't feel right--to have the whole world in my hands, I mean.

     God doesn't give us more than we can handle, but it is possible for us to take on more than we can handle.

     Somehow, I nosedived from trusting God and resting securely in His promises, to a bundle of frayed nerves. Though never managed perfectly, and sometimes not even well, stress has not wrestled me to the ground.

     Until last week....when I actually thought I would have a stress induced implosion. My muscles were tighter than Aunt Bee's pantyhose, my breathing shallow and labored. I woke up having a panic attack, and could not reclaim my calm. Embarrassed, I tried everything in my power to relax. For days I prayed, read verses and books, took hot baths......all in vain. Coffee was out as I tossed things from my diet that could rev up the anxiety already engulfing my being.

     The stress became impossible to hide, as people one by one asked if I was okay. I would reply, "I think so," but as the days passed, it was evident that I was not okay. My husband and others around me saw it coming. They saw the tension in my demeanor, and urged me to take some time to rest. Pressing on about my business as though everything was fine was one of my biggest mistakes.

     Life keeps coming. It never slows down to let you catch up. The days don't stand still to allow time to grieve loss or heal from trauma. Sometimes it seems like a wave of trial washes over you and you don't have time to stand up again before the next wave hits. During these times of intense stress, it is vital to take the time to grieve and heal. Daily tasks will wait.

    Rest, before the stresses of life do you in. You are no good to anybody if you aren't healthy yourself. I learned that the hard way.

     "Superficial problems call for superficial solutions. But real life isn't like that; its headaches and stresses go deeper, right down to the bone. They touch the nerve areas of our security. But God says He is a present help in trouble. Go ahead, read Psalm 46. See God's strength through times of stress."

Stuart Briscoe, What Works When Life Doesn't