Busy, but not stressed

Some weeks you open up your planner and look at your to-do list and instantly all the happiness, laughter and smiles are wiped off your face, because a wave of stress, feelings of being overwhelmed and anxious immediately seem to take over your heart and attitude. It happens so quickly that sometimes we don’t even notice it.


This week I remembered about a paper that I forgotten was due the next day, my capstone abstract is due, I have to work extra hours at my job I have a midterm, another paper, literature review and I’ll stop boring you with my to-do list now, because it’s long and boring and everyone else has their own problems, to-do lists and stressors.

When I first realized all of this my natural tendency was to immediately become stressed out. And sometimes it can seem as if we don’t have any other choice but to be stressed when life gets crazy and the to-do list seems overwhelming, however that’s a lie. A busy life does not have to be equated with a stressed out heart. Instead “Stress is not identical with the pressures of life. Nor are the pressures of life the cause of stress.” Stress is the mental and emotional tension that is generated from our unbiblical responses to pressure and a lack of trust in God.

So instead of responding to these situation with my eyes focused on my own strength and my to-do list this week I make the choice to respond with my eyes focused on savior the sufficiency of his grace and power and how he will use all the situations in my life including the hard ones refine me and help me to grow.

So this week I want to be intentional about my attitude
Instead of complaining about my busy week I choose to have a thankful heart and spend the week looking for all the things I can be grateful for.
Instead of being stressed I choose to remind myself of the truth of God’s word.
Instead of feeling anxious about completing my to-do list I will choose to trust God and his grace and power.
Instead of allowing my heart to be overwhelmed with the crazy busyness of life I will allow my heart to be overwhelmed by God’s unending amazing grace.
Instead of choosing a grumbling attitude I will choose to allow the joy of the Lord to be my strength.
Instead of allowing my heart to be self-focused I will choose to love and serve others.

In order to have these heart changes and focus on God even in the midst of this I need to fight the temptation to give into stress and a complaining attitude through prayer and meditating on God’s word. I would encourage you to find your triggers for stress and temptations to become overwhelmed and anxious.  Enter into those with prayer and dive into God’s word to find some verses that you can keep on hand to remind yourself of truth during the times when it is easiest to forget it.
Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light. (Matt. 11:29–30 NLT)

Lord, you've promised if I ask, not only will you take my burdens upon you, but you will teach me how to find rest for my soul. My soul craves that right now— yet everywhere I turn I find something else to worry about. Lord, show me your ways. Fill my soul with your gentleness today.
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