It seems that in America today; we talk about our stress level like a badge of honor, and we salute those who manage intense stress with apparent grace as battle-tested heroes.
In fact, I’d be willing to bet that over 3/4 of you reading this right now are living in a constant state of elevated stress. I say this knowing that most Grace & Truth readers are Christian authors and speakers, all working to spread the Gospel.
But here’s the thing about battle: it always leads to injury or death.
So why do we live this way, even as we serve Jesus?
When I was in middle school, I clung to two lines from a poem in the movie “Dead Poets Society.”
“Chaos screaming, chaos dreaming,
Gotta be more, gotta do more.”
All my life, I wanted to do more so I could be more, but I ignored the warning that some dreams lead to chaos and screaming. When chronic illness and cognitive damage brought me to the brink, I finally learned to rest in Whose I am rather than what I do.
So now I want to do more and be more for Jesus. I want to reach more women, write and market as much as I can to tell everyone about Him so no one is left behind. But most of all, I want to hear Him say “Well done, good and faithful servant.” So ’round and ’round I go.
“Chaos screaming, chaos dreaming,
Gotta be more, gotta do more.”
Since I started writing for the National Association for Christian Women Entrepreneurs (NACWE), my mindset is shifting. I see us as more than writers and speakers. We’re women in ministry, serving Jesus with the gifts He gave us to lead people to Him.
But why does ministry still feel like chaos if the Master we serve promises peace?
I don’t know about you, but sometimes I take Jesus’ promise of peace as a command to muzzle my chaos until I convince myself I’m at rest. But instead of listening to Hollywood, I need to rehearse Jesus’ promises that His burden is light. So if I feel like screaming, then maybe I’m carrying someone else’s burden.
Life has incredible stresses, but serving the Prince of Peace shouldn't be one of them. Click To TweetI self-inflicted many of my stress-scars just like everyone else, but I learned something from Deborah’s post this week. The scars of stress are a progression that we can choose to stop.
I don’t know what you’re facing today. I’m not denying that life has incredible stresses, but serving the Prince of Peace shouldn’t be one of them. If you feel like screaming at the chaos around you, I hope you’ll visit today’s featured post by Deborah Haddix.
Click Here To Read This Week’s Featured Post
7 Helpful Ways to Cope with Daily Stress
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I have to live in His peace! And I want to abide and live from a place of rest, so I stand with you in agreement, “I finally learned to rest in Whose I am rather than what I do.”
Thank you, Lisa! I find that it takes regular re-commitment, so let’s help keep one another standing on His promises of who we are in Him.