FIVE WAYS TO DEAL WITH TENSION
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No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon. Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature? And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
Introduction:
Tension, worry, nervousness, anxiety, stress, strain, pressure, apprehension, conflict, ill feeling, hostility, opposition, dread these are words that describe the life of one that is allowing the circumstances of life to control them.
In the world of constant action and always on the go it is easy to get to the place of becoming frustrated and allowing tension to develop in our lives. This causes many personal problems and it will affect our relationships with those around us.
The Bible is full of all that we need to live this life and to enjoy it to the fullest.
I. Concentrate on relaxing influences-Philippians 4:8
I. Concentrate on relaxing influences-Philippians 4:8
Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.
Note- we live in a world full of noise, sometimes we just need to stop and smell the roses.
A. Enjoy the creation of God
A. Enjoy the creation of God
- look over God’s creation and praise Him for it
- look over God’s creation and praise Him for it
B. Listen to music that honors God and soothes the soul
B. Listen to music that honors God and soothes the soul
C. Meditate on the promises of God
C. Meditate on the promises of God
Know therefore that the Lord thy God, he is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations;
He hath remembered his covenant for ever, The word which he commanded to a thousand generations.
If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself.
My covenant will I not break, Nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips.
D. Pray and fellowship with God-talk to Him out loud. Sing to God, read a hymn to God.
D. Pray and fellowship with God-talk to Him out loud. Sing to God, read a hymn to God.
II. Cultivate a sense of humor- Proverbs 17:22
II. Cultivate a sense of humor- Proverbs 17:22
A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: But a broken spirit drieth the bones.
A. Don’t take yourself too seriously. See the humorous side of life.
A. Don’t take yourself too seriously. See the humorous side of life.
B. Learn to laugh at yourself and your blunders. Everybody makes them
B. Learn to laugh at yourself and your blunders. Everybody makes them
C. Laugh at situations and circumstances and with people. Far too often we laugh at people and with the situation.
C. Laugh at situations and circumstances and with people. Far too often we laugh at people and with the situation.
III. Control your ambitions-Matthew 6:33
III. Control your ambitions-Matthew 6:33
But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
A. Pace yourself; know your limitations
A. Pace yourself; know your limitations
B. Learn to be yourself, to do what God wants, no more and no less
B. Learn to be yourself, to do what God wants, no more and no less
If you are not yourself then who are you trying to be and then who is going to be you?
If you are not yourself then who are you trying to be and then who is going to be you?
C. Ambition if not controlled can lead to unhappiness and strain
C. Ambition if not controlled can lead to unhappiness and strain
D. Be content
D. Be content
Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.
And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.
But godliness with contentment is great gain.
IV. Cooperate with your predestination- Romans 8:28-29
IV. Cooperate with your predestination- Romans 8:28-29
And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.
A. Accept situations that you cannot change
A. Accept situations that you cannot change
B. Jesus lived a relaxed life. Can you imagine Jesus being stressed?
B. Jesus lived a relaxed life. Can you imagine Jesus being stressed?
C. He did not fret about difficult situations but turned the impossible into opportunities to glorify the Father
C. He did not fret about difficult situations but turned the impossible into opportunities to glorify the Father
V. Consistently trust in the Lord-Psalms 62:8
V. Consistently trust in the Lord-Psalms 62:8
Trust in him at all times; ye people, Pour out your heart before him: God is a refuge for us. Selah.
A. Be aware that God is with you always.
A. Be aware that God is with you always.
B. Practice the presence of God
B. Practice the presence of God
C. Remember as a Christian that you are linked to the Omnipotent hand, the Omnipresent heart of God, and the Omniscient mind of God.
C. Remember as a Christian that you are linked to the Omnipotent hand, the Omnipresent heart of God, and the Omniscient mind of God.
D. You are not meeting life’s demands alone
D. You are not meeting life’s demands alone
E. Yield yourself to His will and His way.
E. Yield yourself to His will and His way.
F. Let Him do His work through you.
F. Let Him do His work through you.
For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.
Conclusion:
Conclusion:
We need to get out from under the circumstances and stand firmly on the promises of God.
We need to get out from under the circumstances and stand firmly on the promises of God.
We need to:
We need to:
Concentrate on relaxing influences
Concentrate on relaxing influences
Cultivate a sense of humor
Cultivate a sense of humor
Control our ambitions
Control our ambitions
Cooperate with our predestination
Cooperate with our predestination
Consistently trust in the Lord
Consistently trust in the Lord