Stress Relief

What bank have you deposited your money in? When the news of failing banks first appeared, I wasn’t too concerned. They are far away. No problem for me. But then I saw an article this morning about other banks that were starting to have trouble and, lo and behold, there mine was. No!!! Instant stress. What do we do?

Stress, anxiety and worries are a part of life. It’s not all bad, and can motivate us to make good changes in our lives. However, we know they can actually take over and be detrimental to our health.

I had an anxiety lesson the other day when I was driving my car. I have a hybrid with all those mpg indicators on the dashboard, but as I was going along the road I realized I didn’t need to think about them anymore. I instantly felt more relaxed, and I was amazed. No more fretting about getting one more mile, per gallon of gas. I’m free and it feels great!

There are two main things we can do to decrease our anxiety. First involves our own minds. We need to rearrange the priorities of our lives. Jesus said in Matthew 6:25, “Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?” (NKJV).

Sometimes what we think is most important, plainly shouldn’t be. Isn’t life more than stuff? Jesus pounds home the point by noting that some of the things we are anxious about can’t be changed, anyway. “Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?” (6:27). It makes us look rather foolish, doesn’t it?

The second thing we can do to relieve anxiety is to involve God. Matthew 11:28-30 is well known, but the truth spoken by Jesus here is quite interesting. “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” We see the rest Jesus offers from our worrisome burdens, but it comes from adding more burdens. Say what!

Taking on Jesus’ light burdens helps decrease our own, perhaps most of all, by drawing our attention away from our own selfishness, again to a much higher priority: our relationship to God and His service. Nifty!

Though we might not be able to explain how this exactly happens, we know we can trust God’s almighty power to help us. “Casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you” (1 Peter 5:7). It’s important to remember that God actually wants to help us. “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6-7). Do you want peace of mind?

 Jeff Greene, minister for the South Stokes Church of Christ

Pray for Forgetful Squirrels

Have you been looking out your windows lately? Lots of things are going on as we transition to winter. As I have been told many times over the years by fellow Christians, “Watch out, Jeff, the squirrels are gathering nuts for the winter.”

God has given squirrels amazing talents. I have been observing them checking out some black walnuts I dumped in the yard a few weeks ago. It seems that after just a few sniffs, some they take and others they leave, and there are still a couple laying there. We see the same activity from humans in the produce section of the grocery store. I still can’t figure out what differentiates a good cantaloupe from a bad one, and I used to work in the produce department.

Squirrels are an excellent example of the symbiotic world God created. Like bees spreading pollen, they spread the nuts, and don’t always dig them up, and thus we have more trees. I don’t know how often they forget. I’ve seen them digging through six inches of snow for a buried nut. How’d they know where to dig? If you want more hardwoods, pray for forgetful squirrels.

If you think about it, God created one incredible universe. Psalm 104 elaborates on this in some detail and sums it all up with verse 24a, “O Lord, how manifold are Your works! In wisdom You have made them all” (NKJV).

Not only did our Almighty God make it all, but there is one more important detail brought forth in His Holy Word. “Your righteousness is like the great mountains; Your judgments are a great deep; O Lord, You preserve man and beast” (Ps. 36:6). God keeps all this going. Not only is He the Great Creator, He is also the Great Sustainer of life! Isn’t it amazing that he created squirrels to save up nuts for future use?

We must remember this in those critical times when we get anxious about the future. Did your favorite politicians win? Are the COVID numbers going up? Are you worrying? How much toilet paper is in your closet?

We will be all right. Remember Jesus’ words, “Are not five sparrows sold for two copper coins? And not one of them is forgotten before God. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows” (Luke 12:6-7).

When Jesus addressed these earthly anxieties in the Sermon on the Mount, he emphasized priorities, “Therefore do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you” (Matthew 6:31-33). All I can add is, “Go and do likewise!”

 Jeff Greene, minister for the South Stokes Church of Christ

Stress Relief

Well, how are you holding up, dear reader? When I checked Tuesday morning, there still were no COVID-19 cases in Stokes County, but we all know they’re lurking just across the line in Forsyth and Guilford. Actually, there was not a single case along the northern state border from Ashe County to Person County. And not even one death in our state. Thank you all for being so careful, but we also thank the Lord!

With all that good news, we shouldn’t be feeling any stress, right? On the outside I’m usually a pretty cool, calm and collected guy, but I know when my heart is racing and suddenly my thoughts, instead of being collected, are all willy-nilly. Last week I began to have that out-of-sorts feeling, so I asked myself, “What is the problem, Jeff?”

Do you know what the answer was? It wasn’t worries over the virus, but it is related. Responding with safer habits has caused my daily schedule to change. I went to the nursing home to visit a patient and was turned away. What! I began to notice my reaction to changes in my life about twenty years ago. Those little changes from day to day cause stress in me, and it’s only getting worse.

At first I thought I was unique in this cause of anxiety, but one look at the stock market tells me I’m not. Sure, market watchers must be careful with their investments, but the slightest feeling of uncertainty can cause huge sell-offs. As one financial expert said, the market is more about perception than reality. Toss a little anxiety into the mix and a whole lot of people are going to lose a whole lot of money.

So, what are we to do, who are stressing right now, even if it’s simply over daily schedules? As David expressed in Psalm 142:3a, “When my spirit was overwhelmed within me, then You knew my path” (NKJV). When life becomes this dark tunnel and we can’t see the light of the other side, trust God because He can.

We get all worked up about trivial matters in this life. That’s why Jesus told His disciples, “And do not seek what you should eat or what you should drink, nor have an anxious mind” (Luke 12:29). How is that possible? “Return to your rest, O my soul, for the Lord has dealt bountifully with you” (Ps. 116:7).

The result of that kind of serene thinking is, “The work of righteousness will be peace, and the effect of righteousness, quietness and assurance forever” (Isaiah 32:17). Now that sounds a whole lot better for us. I think I’ll take a nap.

Jeff Greene, minister for the South Stokes Church of Christ. First published in the Stokes News, the local newspaper.