The Stress Detox DevotionalSample

SURE AND FEARLESS

Have you ever considered that when trouble invades your personal space and makes you uncomfortable, the Lord squeezes in even closer? Let’s think about that for a moment because it’s a profound concept that brings hope to a weary heart. The psalmist is reminding us that in those times when life feels unbearable, you should press into God. When the bad news comes, He is right there waiting to help. When your to-do list looks overwhelming and you feel unable to make it through the day, He’s there to give you strength. When you’re feeling attacked from all sides as you stand up for the right thing, God will shelter you. When you fear retribution or condemnation for speaking truth, He will give you confidence to stand your ground. When your relationships feel unstable or unpredictable, God will assure you of His faithfulness. And when you don’t feel brave enough to face that situation, the Lord will make you courageous. God is always for you. The truth is that oppression, fear, and insecurity breed stress, and they are nothing new. They make us worry because they are out of our sphere of control. We feel powerless against them because we can’t manipulate the outcomes, and we eventually begin predicting horrible and hopeless endings to the situations we’re facing. In the end, we can’t seem to shake the feeling that we have failed someone or something. This is why today’s passage of scripture is important to cling to. It’s a powerful reminder as to why we must invite the Lord into our anxious moments and worrisome seasons. Adding God into the equation gives you everything you need to defeat the enemy of stress. His presence is literally able to fire the stress from bossing you around and make it lose its death grip on your day. The Lord is your shelter and strength, and He is always closer than the trouble you’re facing. So, friend, when you feel stress begin to press in on you, let your faith be where the rubber meets the road. Don’t waste your time freaking out or hiding from it. Instead, cry out to the Lord immediately. He will help you be confident and brave. You will find strength to refuse to allow those fears to own you or your day. You will find the courage to command the flood of anxious thoughts to leave. You’ll muster the faith to ask the Lord to replenish your peace. You will be sure and fearless. Remember that while we will all feel the pangs of anxiety from time to time, we also get to choose what to do with them.

Ask Yourself This. . .

Do I honestly believe God wants me to figure things out on my own? Why?

What needs to change so I can be sure and fearless in troubled times?