Stressed

I really hate being stressed. I think I handle stress well to a certain point, and once I pass the point I completely melt down – I go from handling everything to feeling like I can’t handle anything. I realize that stress is sometimes a good thing – sometimes it presses me to do the things I really need to do or pushes me in the direction that I need to go, but I still dislike being stressed. I’ve been stressed a lot lately (I’m not going into why here because that’s neither here nor there).  I’m starting to feel like I’m completely underwater, and I must swim to the top of the water and take a deep breath. I need to take time to relax and just breathe.

It is times like these that I realize how much I really need to trust in God. I shouldn’t allow myself to get so down because I have God – the Creator of the Universe and the Almighty and Loving Father to rely on, and yet I do allow myself to become weak in faith. I’m not writing this post to complain, but rather to give myself that reminder that I need: I need to trust in the Lord with all my heart and I need to seek comfort through Him. I ought to be meditating more on His Word and speaking to Him more often through prayer rather than allowing myself to become bogged down.

As a reminder to myself, here are just a few passages from the book of Proverbs.

Proverbs 3:5-6: “Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.”

Proverbs 16:20: “He who heeds the word wisely will find good, and whoever trusts in the LORD, happy is he.”

Proverbs 28:25-26: “He who is of a proud heart stirs up strife, but he who trusts in the LORD will be prospered. He who trusts in his own heart is a fool, but whoever walks wisely will be delivered.”

Proverbs 30:5:” Every word of God is pure; He is a shield to those who put their trust in Him.”

“I do it SELF!”

Ella has always been independent, but in these past couple of weeks she’s started expressing it in a different way. The phrase “I do it self!” has become a regular part of her everyday speech. Whether she is trying to take off her shoes, put food on her fork, put on her panties, get her milk out of the bag, brush her teeth, or read a book she’s determined to do it herself. Although some tasks she is certainly capable of completing, there are others with which she still needs help. I’ll ask her if she needs help, and she’ll promptly respond “I do it SELF!”

Seeing Ella’s attitude reminded me of a mindset that I need to avoid in my own life. I need to be careful that I don’t think that I can do everything by myself. I can’t, and I shouldn’t try to do everything by myself. I need to put my life into God’s hands. I must trust in Him as Proverbs 3:5 states: “Trust in the Lord with all you heart, and lean not on your own understanding.” I must be careful to avoid the self-centered and haughty attitude that says, “I don’t need God.” As Jeremiah 10:23 states: “Oh Lord, I know the way of man is not in himself; It is not in man who walks to direct his own steps.”

Thankfully, after Ella tries to do something a few times, and realizes that she needs help, she’ll request help: “I need help!” Part of the growing up process for her is to learn to trust in her parents, and to learn to ask for help. I need to learn the same thing as a child of God. I need God’s help. I need to rely on Him. I need to realize that I am nothing apart from Him. I cannot do it by myself.