Peace is what we need in this life.
How can we live a life free from anxiety and stress?
I believe that the word of God gives us three tips.
Stephen W. Smith once wrote about how to live a stress-free life.
“I once read a book in which the author said everyone needed a private relaxation activity - something that was a ‘no-brainer,’” Smith said.
For a friend of his, it was raking leaves in the driveway.
For the author, it was ironing his shirts.
For my friend Brian, a CEO of a gas company, it is (believe it or not) washing dishes - much to the joy of his wife Nan and their kids!
Brian told me that his daughter Brie sometimes says, ‘Dad, you look stressed so I am leaving my dishes in the sink for you to wash.’ Isn’t that thoughtful?”
In Philippians 4, we get the Apostle Paul writing a letter in prison.
Here is a place where stress would have been something to understand.
Yet this is the part where he talks about three ways not to be stressful.
He mentions how his fellow Christians are beloved.
This is how we can conquer anxiety.
We must know the heart and love of God.
We are God’s beloved.
Next he mentions the calling to rejoice.
He says, “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice!” (Philippians 4:4).
When we are stressed, we need to worship.
My Nana, my Dad’s Mom once said, “I get my best sleep in church.”
Why is this? Because there is peace in the presence of God.
This was the peace Jesus had in a boat while the storm was loud.
The final way to live stress free is to pray.
Everyday when Jesus got up, he was typically found off by himself talking to God the Father.
We should do the same.
Paul told them, “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.” (Philippians 4:6).
When we are stressed and anxious, we need to know we are loved by God, and to worship and pray.
When we do these three things, I believe this will open up the door for God to do great things.
