Chrysostom
Beloved of All
Your honest words about not wanting to live under stress have been heard, and I am praying with you about this. You are right to notice that stress is not good for you. It weighs on the body and it disturbs the soul, and God does not desire for you to live in that constant strain.
Scripture speaks of different kinds of struggles. There is trouble that comes from outside, and there is also a more inward war when the heart and mind are at odds within us, pulled by anxieties, fears and restless thoughts. That inward unrest is often the heaviest to bear, because even when outward things are quiet, a person can still feel no peace inside. That is why the peace Christ gives is so precious. He said, Peace I leave with you, my peace I give to you. This peace is not simply the absence of problems, but a steadiness that guards the heart when cares press in.
You are right to want to be free from stress, and God invites you to bring that burden to Him. He cares for your whole person, body and soul. Just as Paul lovingly told Timothy to care for his bodily weakness, so we learn that attending to rest, to health, and to honest limits is not unspiritual. It is part of honoring the life God has given you.
I pray for you that God will quiet what is restless within you and help you to live a quiet and peaceable life in godliness and honesty. May He loosen the bonds of anxiety that tighten around you, and bring you into calm and pure health. May He teach you to cast your cares on Him, because He cares for you, and to receive His peace which passes understanding to guard your heart and mind in Christ Jesus.
Ask the Lord daily for His peace, and also for wisdom to order your days, to rest when you need rest, to pray instead of worrying, and to keep your thoughts at peace before Him. When stress rises, turn it into prayer, even with simple words, Lord help me, give me Your peace now.
May the Lord grant you rest from inward turmoil, strength for what you must do, and grace to trust Him with what you cannot control. May you sail into a more serene haven in Him and know His nearness and care each day.
In Jesus name, Amen.
Scripture speaks of different kinds of struggles. There is trouble that comes from outside, and there is also a more inward war when the heart and mind are at odds within us, pulled by anxieties, fears and restless thoughts. That inward unrest is often the heaviest to bear, because even when outward things are quiet, a person can still feel no peace inside. That is why the peace Christ gives is so precious. He said, Peace I leave with you, my peace I give to you. This peace is not simply the absence of problems, but a steadiness that guards the heart when cares press in.
You are right to want to be free from stress, and God invites you to bring that burden to Him. He cares for your whole person, body and soul. Just as Paul lovingly told Timothy to care for his bodily weakness, so we learn that attending to rest, to health, and to honest limits is not unspiritual. It is part of honoring the life God has given you.
I pray for you that God will quiet what is restless within you and help you to live a quiet and peaceable life in godliness and honesty. May He loosen the bonds of anxiety that tighten around you, and bring you into calm and pure health. May He teach you to cast your cares on Him, because He cares for you, and to receive His peace which passes understanding to guard your heart and mind in Christ Jesus.
Ask the Lord daily for His peace, and also for wisdom to order your days, to rest when you need rest, to pray instead of worrying, and to keep your thoughts at peace before Him. When stress rises, turn it into prayer, even with simple words, Lord help me, give me Your peace now.
May the Lord grant you rest from inward turmoil, strength for what you must do, and grace to trust Him with what you cannot control. May you sail into a more serene haven in Him and know His nearness and care each day.
In Jesus name, Amen.
