Need Some Stress Relief?

You’re familiar with the commercial and advertising phrase “GOT MILK?”…an advertising campaign by the milk industry kicked it off back in 1993 in the state of California. Within a few years it had gone national and it contributed to getting people to drink more milk!

I believe we need a campaign today that uses the phrase “GOT STRESS?”…not because you and I need more stress but because you and I HAVE TOO MUCH stress…and we desperately need some relief!

Stress is one of those things all of us deal with…Take Mike Parker for instance, he was recovering from a severe heart attack and his doctor said there should be no excitement of any kind in his life for a couple of months – since this could cause undue stress for him – just keep everything low key.

So when his wife found out they had won the lottery worth 4 million dollars she was afraid to tell him, for fear it might give him another heart attack! After several days of worrying about it, she called their pastor and explained the situation to him and asked for his help since he was good at helping people handle all kinds of things.

About an hour later, the pastor came over and went into the den where Mike was watching TV. They talked for a few minutes, and then very calmly, the pastor leaned over and said, "Mike, I have a problem and I'd like your advice." Mike said, he would do anything he could for his pastor. The pastor took a deep breath and said, "Now, it's a theoretical situation regarding Christian stewardship. I am trying to figure out what a normal person would do if they just came into four million dollars. For instance, what would you do if you had that kind of money?" Well Mike never hesitated at all and said the first thing I would do is give two million dollars to the church. And the pastor had a heart attack!

Stress is something we all face and deal with in our lives. It’s kind of hard to define but basically it’s the word we use when we feel that everything seems to have become too much – we are overloaded and wonder whether we really can cope with the pressures placed upon us.

And there are all kinds of causes of stress in our lives…financial, job and work place, co-workers, family, disease, illness, health issues, covid, education, politics, sports, etc.

So this morning let’s look at SOME RELIEF for stress that we find from Psalm 4. Turn with me to Psalm 4:1-8 …

Psalm 4:1–8 NASB95

Answer me when I call, O God of my righteousness! You have relieved me in my distress; Be gracious to me and hear my prayer. O sons of men, how long will my honor become a reproach? How long will you love what is worthless and aim at deception? Selah. But know that the Lord has set apart the godly man for Himself; The Lord hears when I call to Him. Tremble, and do not sin; Meditate in your heart upon your bed, and be still. Selah. Offer the sacrifices of righteousness, And trust in the Lord. Many are saying, “Who will show us any good?” Lift up the light of Your countenance upon us, O Lord! You have put gladness in my heart, More than when their grain and new wine abound. In peace I will both lie down and sleep, For You alone, O Lord, make me to dwell in safety.

I want you to understand this morning that David was going through a period of great stress in his life when he wrote this psalm and Psalm 3 as well. And here in this psalm I see 4 great stress relievers he reveals. The 1st stress reliever…

1. PRAYER (Vs. 1-3)

- David was going through a time of tremendous stress – either the time when he was having to run from King Saul because he was trying to kill him or the time when he had to flee Jerusalem because his son Absalom had taken the throne causing him to flee in great humiliation from Jerusalem.

- David learned a great lesson and precept = GOD IS THE ONE WHO CAN GIVE YOU RELIEF FROM THE STRESS YOU EXPERIENCE IN YOUR LIFE!

- David learned that prayer is a great stress reliever!

- “Answer me when I call, O God of my righteousness! Thou hast relieved me in my distress.”

- Understand today that prayer can be a great stress reliever for you!

- There’s something about coming before the Lord – the Creator of the Universe and being able to humbly come before Him in this wonderful thing called prayer – which is simply being able to talk with God!

- David boldly prays here: “Answer me when I call O God of my righteousness…be gracious to me and hear my prayer.”

- And in the context of prayer, David found relief from his stress.

- But I want you to notice: he doesn’t say God took away whatever was causing him this stress…but he says God made room for it…gave him relief from the stress of it = made him able to better handle it!

TS – The 2nd stress reliever…

2. TRUST (Vs. 2-5)

- David knew he could trust God! Why?

1) Because he knew he was God’s! God sets apart the Godly man for Himself. This is why David was able to say “The Lord is my Shepherd!” He knew he was God’s no matter what he faced in life – no matter what stress he found himself in or under!

2) He knew the Lord heard him every time he called on Him. He knew God doesn’t forsake His children! So no matter when the stress was he was dealing with…he knew God was there with him!

- What God wanted him to do was to do what was right! (vs. 4-5) Not to give in to sin…but to meditate on the Lord – be still and know that God is God and God is on the throne!

- And do what? Simply TRUST HIM!

TS – The 3rd stress reliever…

3. BLESSING. (Vs. 6-7)

- David understood he was actually a very blessed man! Even though he was under tremendous stress.

- Understand that God is the One who will show you good! God is the One who lifts up the light of His countenance on you!

- I think the NIV and NLT captures the meaning here best:

1) NIV: Many are asking, "Who can show us any good?" Let the light of your face shine upon us, O LORD.

2) NLT: says “Let your face smile on us, LORD.”

- When you’re going through a time of great stress in your life…stop and realize how blessed you really are and that God is the One who blesses you! And that He is smiling on you!

- David says…“You have put more joy and rejoicing in my heart than [they know] when their wheat and new wine have yielded abundantly.”

- Focusing on the blessings of God helps to relieve the stress in your life!

TS – The 4th stress reliever…

4. PEACE (Vs. 8)

- The peace of God! Can you explain it? No, but you sure can experience it! As Phil 4:7 says “it passes all understanding.”

- “In peace I will both lie down and sleep, For Thou alone, O Lord, dost make me to dwell in safety.”

- When you’re surrounded/covered by the peace of God, all the stress in the world can be upon you and it will have no crippling or negative effect.

- Isaiah 26:3 says: “You will keep him in perfect peace, Whosemind is stayed on You, Because he trusts in You.”

- Jesus says in John 14:27: " Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives, do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful.

- Friend, when you experience the peace of God, it diffuses the stress in your life!

- The circumstances – stressors – may still be present but their teeth are gone!

Conclusion

So GOT ANY STRESS today? Need some stress relief today?

1. Focus on prayer!

2. Focus on trust – trusting God!

3. Focus on the blessings of God!

4. Focus on the peace of God that He provides!

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