Tuesday, September 24, 2013

CHAOS!


Matthew 11:28
Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.

We all go through times of confusion and upheaval in our lives.  While these experiences are inevitable, certainly, they are not ones we enjoy.

Maybe, it's a loss of a job or too much on your plate at work which sends you into a tailspin.  Perhaps, you're having issues with your spouse, significant other, or your child.  Or, you've lost a loved one, and the demands of life as you grieve are just too much.

Everything around you is CHAOS - Can't Handle Any Overwhelming Stress!

And, sometimes, our stresses can affect us not just mentally, but physically, too.  These physical manifestations can take any number of forms.  Can imitate serious health problems even when there are none.

In his book, Crazy Love, Christian author and pastor, Francis Chan, describes such an ordeal:

I had never experienced heart problems until a couple of years ago when I began to have heart palpitations.  Over time they became more frequent, and this worried me.

I finally told my wife.  In case something happened to me, I didn't want it to come as a complete shock.  She suggested I go to the doctor, but I resisted because I'm stubborn and that's what I do.

You see, when I was honest I knew what the problem was.  I was immersed in and overcome by stress.  It was the Christmas season, and I had to take care of and think about a lot of things.

But, on Christmas Eve the issue intensified so much that I told my wife I would go to the emergency room after the church service.  During the service, however, I surrendered all of my worries and stress to God.  My symptoms slowly went away, and I never went to the doctor.

Now, I'm not suggesting to you, nor do I think Pastor Chan is, that you ignore serious health issues if you are suffering from them.  By all means, see a doctor!  But, before you do, place all your worries and stress in the hands of the Great Physician.

Pastor Emily recently shared with me how she now defines CHAOS when everything seems to be in crisis and out of control.  Wow!  Did this ever speak to my heart!

CHAOS - Christ Has An Obvious Solution

Yes.  He.  Does.

I think we would all do well to remember that . . . 

~

How do you handle stress in your life?

Will you pray with me?
We are so thankful, Father, than when we are weary and burdened, or just plain stressed out, that we can know Your peace, Your comfort, Your rest.  May we always seek You first in times of trouble, knowing You will carry us through.  Amen.

You can order Francis' book, Crazy Love, here.

11 comments:

  1. Matthew 11:28 is one of my favorite verses, Martha. It is such a comfort and a relief to know that we always have Jesus to lean on whenever we are overwhelmed by the stresses of this life.

    Thank you for sharing Pastor Chan's story. His was a testament of how Jesus will truly take care of us should we give Him our full trust and surrender to Him the things that we cannot control. God bless <3 :-)

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    1. Thanks so much for visiting, Irene!
      Yes, I thought Pastor Chan's testimony was amazing. It was in the reading of this that God gave me the idea for this post.
      And, the verse? One of my absolute favorites, too. To know we can call on the Lord and that He is there to refresh us when we are weary is such a relief!
      May we all surrender to His will!
      Love and blessings!

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  2. This is such a valuable reflection Martha. I often find myself in the same situation as Pastor Chan ~ I just need to relax because I've been taking in more than I could really handle in a day. I love how chaos could be switch into something more positive :D

    I pray with you, may we learn to rest in the Lord ~ our peace and real comfort [echo]. May we learn to trust Him and take only what we truly need so that we may not be overwhelmed and stressed. Amen.

    Lots of love dear friend!

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    1. Oh, yes, Melissa, I loved how Pastor Emily completely turned the word "chaos" on it's head! We need to remember that however stressed we feel day to day, nothing can compare to the stress and anxiety our Lord went through when He faced the cross.
      May we all rest in Him, our Savior and Lord.
      Much love and many blessings!

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  3. Hi Martha,I love that scripture.
    Funny you should bring up heart palps. I've been having them for about a year now...irregular and fast heart rate. I'm on meds but they really don't work. I give Christ my worries every minute of every day. I know that I am in His care and all will be resolved in due season. That's all I have! LOL! Love you Martha!

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    1. Oh, Leah, I'm so sad to find out you've been going through this. I know you give it all over to the Lord, my dear, and I'm sorry that the meds aren't working. That these symptoms are continuing . . . Know I will keep you in my prayers!
      Love you so much!!!

      Yes, He will resolve all in His time, but I will pray for you, dear friend.

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  4. Ah!! Stress is something I could really do away with off late Martha and my recent reports clubbed with your this post surely proves to be a reminder :)

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    1. May all stress leave and begone, dear Me! There is a time and a season for every purpose under Heaven. Even when we are caught up in stress, God reminds us again and again to simply return to Him in faith, knowing He will resolve all of our hurts and worries in the long run.
      Love and blessings for stress-relief lifted to you!

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  5. Thanks Martha for this great reminder!

    Blessings!

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    1. Thank you so much for visiting here, Kim!
      We all need this reminder that God is with us always, no matter what might be going on in our lives.
      Blessings right back!

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  6. Enjoyed this post, Martha. Sometimes it's our heaviest burdens which we don't share with God. Prayer and reflection are always helpful during stressful times so God understands our concerns and take on the issue. We often forget to bring God in to our most intimate and challenging life moments. Let's bring God in first, in between and last :)

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