.What Would Jesus Do... About Stress?

Proverbs 3:5-6

Many of us run our lives like a machine. We push ourselves, fill our calendars with busyness, use words like "must," "ought to," "have to" and "should." We go and go and go until finally we have a stress overload. Then we crash. That crash can have devastating effects on our physical, emotional and spiritual health. We live out the truth of an ancient Greek motto: "You will break the bow if you always keep it bent."

What would Jesus do about stress? How did He handle the awesome pressures faced throughout His personal ministry? What would He say to His followers today who find themselves over-committed and under-rested?

We get some insight into Jesus' thinking on stress - management in Luke 10:38-42. (Read)

It seems as though Jesus was passing through the "certain village." While in this small city, He stopped by the home of a two sisters named Martha and Mary. This verse suggests that it was an unannounced visit. "Martha welcomed Him into her house."

Martha's sister, Mary was so excited with Jesus' arrival in their home, so fascinated that she "sat at Jesus feet."
Mary realized the awesome privilege of receiving the Messiah, the Son of God. She was simply content to sit by His "feet" and listen to His every "word."

Can you picture her there? She's drinking in everything He says. Martha saw Jesus' visit altogether differently. Verse 40 says she was "distracted with much serving."

Don't be too hard on Martha. She wanted to make a good impression. She acted just like many of us would. She wanted Jesus to be impressed with her hospitality. She was rushing about in a frenzy. She was chopping the salad, stirring the vegetables, checking the bread... Martha became stressed-out by the situation. She reached her boiling point and then boiled over.

She said to Jesus, "Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her to help me." Isn't it interesting when we are stressing and overdoing it, we want others to join us!

Note three assumptions from Martha:

* She assumed Jesus didn't notice her efforts. Of course Jesus noticed. He knows about all the work we do for Him.

* She assumed Mary was responsible for her stress: A common trait of stressed-out people is that they always have someone or something to blame for their stress.

* She assumed Jesus wanted Mary to do what she was doing. It never entered her mind that Mary was already doing what she should be doing.

It was wonderful that Martha wanted to serve Jesus to the best of her ability. We place greater priority on our service to Jesus than on Jesus Himself. We lose our focus!

Jesus says, "Martha, Martha." Can't you just hear him?! "You are worried and troubled about many things." You are pulled in different directions. Too many things are calling to be done! Jesus said, "Mary has chosen that good part [sitting at His feet, listening to His word, fellowshipping with Him]

"I will not be take that away from her." Had Martha been more concerned with Jesus and less concerned with impressing Him, she would not have been stressed.

How did Jesus handle stress in His own life? He healed thousands, YET there were more to heal. There is always MORE! He taught thousands, YET there were more to teach. As His life was coming to an end; listen to John 17:4. "I have brought you glory on earth by completing the work you gave me to do." "I have FINISHED THE WORK You have given Me to do."

Jesus was free of stress because He did what was most important for Him. Of course, He didn't do everything.

Let's look at requirements for a stress-free life.

Proverbs 3:5-6 (NIV) "Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; {6} in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight."

1. Handling Stress Requires Fully Trusting God (v.5)

What Does It Mean to "Trust In the Lord with All Your Heart?" The idea behind the word for "trust" is to "take refuge" or "have confidence." To "trust" the Lord is to lie down at His feet and give Him all the concerns and cares that frustrate us. He asks us to do just that.

1 Peter 5:7 (NIV)
Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.

Illustration:
When John Paton was translating the Bible for a South Seas island tribe, he discovered that they had no word for trust or faith. One day a native who had been running hard came into the missionary's house, flopped himself in a large chair and said, "It's good to rest my whole weight on this chair." "That's it," said Paton. "I'll translate faith as 'resting one's whole weight on God.'"

How Can We "Trust In the Lord with All our Heart?" What is it that causes you the most stress? What is it that worries you the most?

"Heart," doesn't refer to the blood pump in our bodies. He's using the "heart" as a metaphor of the inner person. The heart is the center of who we are, our emotions, intellect and minds. We are not just to say we "trust in the Lord" or act as though we "trust in the Lord."

We are to be genuine in that "trust." We must do it "with all our heart." Do you believe God is omnipotent, all-powerful? Do you believe He loves you passionately? Do you believe that He will cause all things to work together for good in your life?

If so, "trust" Him! Give Him "all your heart." Give Him those things that worry you most. If you trust the Lord with all your heart, you relinquish ownership of those problems. You must deal with them but you no longer worry. You are no longer stressed over them.

2. Handling Stress Requires not Leaning on Our own Understanding (v.5b).

What is Leaning on our Own Understanding? "Lean" comes from a Hebrew word that is defined as "to support oneself, as though leaning for assistance." It is the idea of putting your weight on a crutch. "Understanding" of course, refers to our human understanding, reasoning or perspective. To "lean... on your own understanding" then means to rely on your own limited viewpoint.

To trust in your own reasoning.

Examples of Leaning on Your Own Understanding.
* A man expects to be promoted in his company but instead is laid off. He's frantic with worry because he doesn't know how he will pay his bills.

* A woman goes in for a routine doctor's appointment but learns there is a cancerous lump in her breast. She's certain her life is over.

Leaning on Your Own Understanding is the Opposite of Trust. This phrase is a COMMAND: "Lean NOT on your own understanding." To do so is to disobey God.

You cannot trust in the Lord if you are leaning on your own understanding. If we want to reduce or eliminate stress from our lives, we must throw away the "crutch".

3. Handling Stress Requires Acknowledging God in Everything (v.6a).

What Does it Mean to Acknowledge the Lord? The word "acknowledge" basically means "recognize." To "acknowledge" the Lord is to recognize His work. It is to remember that He is ever present, continually loving, caring and providing for His own.

In the midst of our struggles, trial and turmoil, we trust in the Lord. We do so by acknowledging His work in our lives. We are to Acknowledge Him in All Our Ways.
When Solomon said "all our ways" he meant in everything. Every time we tend to lean on our own understanding, we must stop and recognize God's work in our lives.

When we are lonely, we must remember; Heb.13:5 " I will never leave you nor forsake you."

When we are worried, we must remember: Matthew 6:33 "But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you."

When we are in need, we must remember: Phil.4:19 "And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus."

When we need strength, we must remember: Phil.4:13 "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."

When we are weak, we must remember: 2 Cor.12:9 "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness."

When we feel like failures, we must remember Phil.1:6 "He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.

Acknowledging the Lord is an Act of Worship. When we stop leaning on our own; We begin to worship Him. Have you ever come to church feeling miserable and left feeling great? Of course! Why? Because somewhere in the worship your perspective changed. God intersected your life at your point of need and you acknowledged Him.

That's why church is vital to our lives. If you don't come, you don't worship. The bottom line is: Church Relives Stress!

4. Handling Stress Results in Straight Paths (v.5a)

What Does It Mean that the Lord will Direct Our Paths?

The most literal translation is to make them straight. Our Part is Trust! God's Part is Straight Paths. If you put your eyes on the Lord and not on your problems, He will make your path straight! If we will trust Him, not lean on our understanding but acknowledge Him, He make your paths straight. Does God promise that our lives will be easy? No. Does He promise no problems? No. He promises straight paths.

Hebrews 12:1-2 (NIV) "let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. {2} Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith,... "

TRUST IN THE LORD!

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