I find it hard to believe that I can fully be trusting in the Lord and stressed out… BUT I believe I can be trusting in the Lord and feeling the stress of life… because I've experienced, especially this past week….
True. I believe that God meets me where I am at. I may feel the "stressors" of life because I am human, but I know that at all times through the day when stress comes my way that I HAVE to call out to HIM and HE is faithful to hear my prayers and walk with me through those "valleys".
False. At least if you take the statement literally. You may certainly experience a great deal of external stress, but if you're really resting in the Lord, you will still have an inner core of peace that literally passes all understanding. Job 1:21b "The Lord gave and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord."
Well, when you say the phrase "stressed out" it implies a definite element of fear. What if the check bounces? What if the bills don't get paid? What if my kids don't love the Lord? What if my marriage will always be two steps below acceptable? All of these questions are grounded in fear. It's a projection of the future that assumes something negative will happen. So in that sense, no. It's not possible to be fearful about the future, and still be trusting in the Lord. The Bible has many passages that back that thought up. There are many verses which command us not to fear, and thousands more which give us every reason to have faith. Just an idea of 'stress' though, as Julie says … that's just feeling the pressures of what it means to walk through life in an imperfect world. That we will feel. "In this world you will have trials, but take courage: I have overcome the world." So we will experience stress … but the phrase "stressed out" assumes that we are letting the stresses dictate to us our perspective of the future, and that is actually looking through fear-tinted glasses.
Mathew 26:37-39 "37He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled. 38Then he said to them, "My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me."
39Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, "My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will."
On the other hand PHilippians 4:6-7 "6Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Thanks, Jonathan, for the prayers! Rest easy, though, I am NOT stressed out. It's actually the totally un-stressed-out-ness that I've been lately that prompted that question!
I find it hard to believe that I can fully be trusting in the Lord and stressed out… BUT I believe I can be trusting in the Lord and feeling the stress of life… because I've experienced, especially this past week….
He meets me in the stress and carries me through.
I guess I didn't answer true or false, did I?
True. I believe that God meets me where I am at. I may feel the "stressors" of life because I am human, but I know that at all times through the day when stress comes my way that I HAVE to call out to HIM and HE is faithful to hear my prayers and walk with me through those "valleys".
I'm curious to see what other answers come in. This question has been rattling around in my head for DAYS, and I don't know why.
I'm going to wait a few days before I type any more, just to see if any more comments come in.
(LOL! My word verification is "copin.")
False. At least if you take the statement literally. You may certainly experience a great deal of external stress, but if you're really resting in the Lord, you will still have an inner core of peace that literally passes all understanding.
Job 1:21b
"The Lord gave and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord."
Well, when you say the phrase "stressed out" it implies a definite element of fear. What if the check bounces? What if the bills don't get paid? What if my kids don't love the Lord? What if my marriage will always be two steps below acceptable? All of these questions are grounded in fear. It's a projection of the future that assumes something negative will happen. So in that sense, no. It's not possible to be fearful about the future, and still be trusting in the Lord. The Bible has many passages that back that thought up. There are many verses which command us not to fear, and thousands more which give us every reason to have faith. Just an idea of 'stress' though, as Julie says … that's just feeling the pressures of what it means to walk through life in an imperfect world. That we will feel. "In this world you will have trials, but take courage: I have overcome the world." So we will experience stress … but the phrase "stressed out" assumes that we are letting the stresses dictate to us our perspective of the future, and that is actually looking through fear-tinted glasses.
Mathew 26:37-39 "37He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled. 38Then he said to them, "My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me."
39Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, "My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will."
On the other hand PHilippians 4:6-7 "6Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Love you I'll be praying for you (:
Thanks, Jonathan, for the prayers! Rest easy, though, I am NOT stressed out. It's actually the totally un-stressed-out-ness that I've been lately that prompted that question!