Matthew 6:25-27
"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink, or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air, they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying ad a single hour to your life
?
I have read this verse many times and thought of it often when I am stressed. But even though I know it, human nature being what it is, I find myself often stressed anyway and usually about things I have absolutely no control over. So how do I get passed those "stress filled" moments? For me, it is a battle that never seems to be easy.
I'm reminded of the stress I was under a few years ago when narrating an audio book I was under contract to finish in a 3 week deadline. The audio book company specifications only allowed for about five mistakes per chapter. These mistakes included mouth noise, clicks and room noise not just mistakes in reading. I was working early mornings, then my normal work day, then on through the night to get it done. At one point the publisher said, there are too many mistakes we may have to reconsider and give the project to someone else. This meant not only losing the job but having to pay a penalty as well. I was so stressed out and in tears as I cried out to God for help.
The stress did not go away immediately but God did give me a plan to complete the project. I spoke with the company and told them I have a proof reader working with me now to help me complete the project, and I promised them that I would complete the project on time and under their specifications. So I hired a professional proof reader (Debbie) and she sat with me and listened to and read through the entire book with me chapter by chapter. On several occasions I literally went without sleep and recorded all night long in order to get the project done in time. Which I did and was eventually paid for.
Was it easy... no. Did the stress dissipate with Debbie's help... some, but not completely. So what's my point? Well, sometimes you just have to ride through the storm and work through the tough stuff. Joshua 1:9 says "I command you, be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go. I clung to that scripture knowing that God was going to get me through this stressful time and He did.
God used that experience to teach me a lot about trusting Him and a lot about this business and how you plan to work a project like this which has helped me in other areas as well.
So the next time your stress, though you may not feel it, just give it to God and trust Him to get you through it. You may not understand why you had to go through the trial at the moment but in time you'll realize that in all things, God works for the good of those who love Him (Rom 8:28).
So face your problems head on and remember to be bold and strong for the Lord your God is with you!
