Calm Down and Cheer Up!

[Guest guest]

by Joyce Meyer

Today it seems as if everyone is under stress. It has become a normal part of

everyday life-and as long as we can keep that stress within reasonable limits,

there's no problem. But when we allow it to exceed its reasonable limit, trouble

begins.

For example, a chair is built to sit on. It is designed and constructed to bear

a certain amount of weight. If it is used properly, it should last a very long

time. But if it is overloaded beyond its capacity, it will begin to wear out and

can eventually break down completely under the strain.

In the same way, you and I were designed and created to bear a certain amount of

physical, mental, and emotional strain day after day. However, problems arise

when we allow ourselves to come under more weight than we are capable of

supporting.

A word we don't hear very much about today is prudence. Prudence means " careful

management: ECONOMY. " In the Bible, prudence or prudent means " being good

stewards or managers of the gifts God has given us to use. " Those gifts include

time, energy, strength, and health & -even material possessions. They include our

bodies as well as our minds and spirits.

Just as each one of us has been given a different set of gifts, each of us has

been given different levels of ability to manage those gifts. Some of us are

better able to manage our gifts than others.

Each of us needs to know our limits-we need to know how much we are able to

handle. We need to be able to recognize when we are reaching " full capacity " or

" overload. " Instead of pushing ourselves into overload just to please others or

to satisfy our own desires to reach our personal goals, we need to listen to God

and obey what He is telling us to do. We must follow His wisdom if we really

want to enjoy blessed lives.

Did you know that anything could cause stress? And what causes you stress may

not bother anyone else. What bothers you today may not give you any problems

tomorrow. Stressors can be big things or little things. For example, going to

the grocery store and becoming upset by high prices may be a stressor for you.

Then the process of paying for your groceries (especially if money is tight) may

become a stressor. The checker in your lane runs out of change in the register

and has to shut down temporarily. You switch to a new lane and learn you have

selected five items that don't have the prices on them. The checker has to call

for a price check on each one while you wait, and the line behind you grows.

These small, seemingly innocent circumstances pile up until you feel that you

may explode from the pressure.

Nobody can remove all the things-big and little-that cause stress in our lives.

For that reason, each of us must be prudent to identify and recognize the

stressors that affect us most and learn how to respond to them with the right

action. We must recognize our limits and learn to say No! to ourselves and other

people.

If the stressors are not managed properly, one by one, they can mount up to

bring us to the breaking point. Because we may not be able to eliminate or

reduce many of the stressors in our lives, we must concentrate on reducing their

effects on us. When we can't control all of our circumstances, we must adapt or

adjust our attitude so we don't let them pressure us.

It seems that the very atmosphere of the world today is charged with stress and

pressure. But the good news is that we don't have to operate in the world's

system, reacting like people in the world who have no hope for peace in their

lives. The world responds to difficulties by becoming upset and stressed, but

our attitude and approach should be entirely different.

We need to have a change of attitude. I have noticed that the right attitude and

approach to a situation can completely turn a situation around. Instead of

stressing out and getting tense, I calm down by taking a deep breath and trying

to get some perspective on the situation. I know that if I approach a

circumstance already stressed out, I am setting myself up for misery before I

begin. Instead, I just refuse to allow the circumstances to dictate to me how

I'm going to feel. I may not be able to control the situation, but I can control

how I respond to the situation. I take an offensive approach and decide

beforehand what my attitude will be. That way, I'm in control. I have opened the

door for God to work supernaturally and help me.

You, too, can choose to calm down and cheer up. Try it-you'll like it!

Susie

***I have a right to my own thoughts, feelings, values and beliefs***