5-3-21 Health Seekers: The Opposite of Relaxation

Hi Friends,

     Last week, I shared with you three of the most important spiritual things we can do to have a life filled to the overflow with relaxation. Today let’s talk about what stress really is, how it is supposed to help us and how it can lead to the very opposite of the relaxation we desire. Listen to God’s Word: 

“I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” Jn 16:33 NIV

     The reality is life can be very hard…but without God it is impossible! As Jesus says in the verse above, because He has already gained the victory for us, we can choose to have peace in Him, no matter what stressors are running wild. Since The Downfall, this life has always had stress, but God can use even this for good because stress actually helps us survive in this troubled world. God knew humans would choose to lean on our own understanding, instead of just trusting Him, so He knew we would need help with stressful situations. Stress is that sense of death and all of the symptoms that accompany it, like anxiety, depression, frustration, confusion, rage, bitterness… fill in the blank with whatever negative reaction you have when things don’t quite go your way. But all this is meant to help us. It is meant to bring us running into God’s waiting and open arms, so that we may find relief in Him. Stress doesn’t have to be a bad thing. We can find relaxation even in the midst of stress.

     Good stress. We all need acute stress, those little events of short-lived stress, not the chronic, on-going stress we too often experience. This good stress can keep us from living a life of boredom, because it keeps us alert, sharpening our mental health and priming our brain for improved performance. This good stress is meant to help us adapt to situations around us, like helping us move fast if we are being attacked, and so, saving our lives. This good stress can even help us grow physically, stronger and taller. Let me give you an example from my daughter, Beckie’s life: there was a time during her trials when Beckie was not able to be vertical. She was either lying down or in a wheelchair only. After about a year like this, I noticed that her clothing and shoe size were staying the same, that she was not growing. I wasn’t sure why, but I just kept that in the back of my mind. Then, by God’s Grace, we were able to get a machine the would help her stand upright. It is called a Stander for obvious reasons, and we would lay her on it, strap her in, then slowly crank her into the vertical position. After doing this for several months, I noticed that her clothes and shoes were too small on her. You see, the good stress of gravity, the pull on her bones and muscles, caused her to grow. I do hope you see the spiritual lesson here, my Friends. God never meant stress to harm us…it is supposed to mature us, growing us to be more and more like Jesus. When you sense any stress pulling you down, reach up to Jesus instead and allow Him to mature you through the trial. No, stress is not our problem. It is what we DO with the stress that makes a complete difference to the quality of our lives. 

     Bad stress. Too much stress, that lasts way too long, has a negative impact on every part of our lives, including our physical health. For instance, not managing the unwanted pressures from life can lead to an increase in our blood glucose levels, making it more challenging to manage diabetes. And we all know how this bad stress can elevate our blood pressure, but it can lower our immunity too, which increases our susceptibility to catch an infection. And it also causes us muscle tension and headaches, on top of our heartaches! Not to get too nerdy here, but when our sympathetic nervous system, that’s our “fight or flight” reactions, are activated for too long, it can also take longer for us to relax, if we do at all. We must learn ways to initiate our parasympathetic nervous system instead, that’s our “rest and digest” responses. Reacting versus responding. That plays a HUGE part in learning to stay in a state of relaxation, no matter what’s going on. We will talk more about this next week.

     Stress is not our enemy…unless we do not control ourselves in the midst of stress. Relaxation begins with connecting with God, but it must continue as we actually follow Jesus, believing what He said about giving us rest because He already overcame the world. The more I trust what God has said, the more I can enjoy a full life of relaxation. Do you want that too? Then won’t you join me?

      Until we meet again, keep lifting your eyes to God, He’s closer than you think.

<>< Peace, Diane