THE MANY SOURCES OF STRESS
Some stress is unavoidable. There is stress because of impending and immediate danger. There is stress because of sickness and death. You can't do anything about those stresses. Just know that God will be there to carry you through the deepest valleys.
But most stress is caused by not trusting God. Simply stated, the areas you are stressing are the areas where you aren’t trusting. You think it depends on you and it doesn't.
Other stress is created by attempting to do the things God has indeed called you to do, but you step out to do them without first filling up with Him. That will always cause stress. God tells you to do things that can only be done through His infilling and empowering.
Many times, stress is caused because you wasted the time God gave you for His assignments and filled that time up with insignificant and unimportant things. The time was there. You used it for trivial things.
Much stress is created by attempting to do the things God does intend for you to do. But He intends for you to do them in the future, and you have gotten ahead of His timing. God intends it, but it is not yet time. There are other things He needs to do in you first or for you to prepare the way. If you get ahead of God, there will be stress, and there won't be time or resources.
Much stress is created when you fall into the trap of thinking that being a servant means doing anything anyone asks you to do. That doesn't make you a servant; it makes you a sitting duck. A request from someone else should never be an automatic yes. Each request is something you need to take to God in prayer. "The need is not the call." But be careful...sometimes it is. Every request stands alone. Each one must be prayed over. Taking on tasks not intended for you will not put the wind of service in your sails. It will sink your ship. On the other hand, there is no more stress than the stress of being bound up tight in selfishness. That's why you are "uptight!" Serving others can be the most releasing and freeing thing you possibly could do.
All lights are not green lights. Some are. Some aren't. Some are green, some are red, some are yellow. If you want to experience stress just go for a drive and speed through all the yellow and red lights as if they are all green. Now THAT will cause you stress. I can guarantee it.
What is eating at you right now? Look through the above paragraphs. Identify it. Do something about it. You don't have to live with it. The good Shepherd leads you beside green meadows and still waters. You are following someone else to other places.
