Things to do...

Most of my stress seems to stem, not from what I am involved with at the present, but what I will be doing six months, to a year, to ten years from now. Rather than focusing my energy and worry on a test next week or on an upcoming assignment, I tend to dwell on needing to get a job when I come back to school in the fall and whether or not I will be able to provide the money for car payments, gas, and sorority dues. I stress over whether or not I will be able to dedicate proper time to my academics, relationships, sorority events, journalistic endeavors, a job, as well as find time to sleep. Obviously I have been an anxious wreck these past few weeks as I contemplate what my sophomore year will entail. The hardest part for me is knowing that there is nothing I can do this very second to prepare for or lighten my upcoming load.

The one thing that keeps me from absolutely drowning in a sea of self-pity is knowing that I have something that not everyone has the privilege of possessing, and that is the Holy Spirit dwelling within my heart. Jeremiah 29:11 reminds Christians that God not only has a plan for our lives but His plan is for us to prosper and to not be harmed.

A second problem with my entire rant of my anxiety causing issues is how many times I said the word “I". Being a Christian means that no longer am I shouldering all of these problems – now I can actually give them to the one who can actually do something to ease my burdens. In my worry I need to think back to Matthew 6:25-27 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?”

I know how easy it is to get in to the "Why me, God?" mindset or to accuse God of allowing more harm than good to be present within your life. This simple and quick reflex can lead to a very unhealthy thought of God and His works within your life. The main thing to keep in mind is knowing that Gods ways are not your ways, so stress may be something you need to endure in order to become all that God wants you to become. Stress can also be Gods way of reminding you that you do need Him in every situation.

Try to keep this in mind as you prepare for a possibly stressful day or task or even in preparation for being around a person who stresses you out - God responds to the cries of His children - maybe not how you want or expect, but He is there and He is constantly working within our lives.