Stressed Out: Unplanned Situations

Your child comes to you to reveal they are going to be a parent (regardless of gender). You get up and go to work to find out it was your last day. You go out to start your car and it doesn’t start. You have a busy day and get a call from a close friend who just lost a spouse and needs to talk.

Just a few examples of unplanned situations. All of which will probably bring about some sort of stress in your life. How do you deal with these situations? Do you stress and try to initially get through it yourself? Do you turn to God initially, eventually, or at all?

Sunday, as we examined our second part of our Stressed Out series, we looked at being stressed in unplanned situations, especially when they can be beyond our control.  Here are some applications to choose from to use this week…

• Reactions are Natural ~ As the concept is to turn to God, it is not out of the question to have an initial reaction before turning to God. Disappointment, frustration, anxiousness, and anger are possible initial reactions we are going to have. However, hopefully, those are short-lived before turning things over to God.
• Stress is Heavy ~ If you saw a 50 lb bag of something sitting in your house, you wouldn’t probably be drawn to pick it up to carry it around for the rest of the day. However, “invisible” weight, like stress, can be just as wearing but we generally elect to carry it around. Why is that? Giving your stresses to God (which may take more than once per stressor) allows Him to carry the load for you. Also, asking for help from fellow Christians.
• Give Regularly ~ Depending on your nature you may have a tendency to give God your situation initially, but then fade out in your giving as the situation unfolds. May we remember to give it to Him more than once. Maybe your situation causes you to confront someone, give that stress to Him as you enter into it, too.

Stresses come all the time. May we learn to lift up the situations to Him!