stress | Thoughts About God

When We Feel Burned Out

Devotionals — Sun, 05 Jun 2022 08:01:08 +0000

What emotions come to mind when you hear the words burden and burnout? These terms make us sigh, don’t they? In this fast-paced, overworked world, most of us have felt the tiring numbness of carrying too much on our shoulders, in our schedules, and on our minds.

Here are three ways a Christian should respond to these feelings:

Surrender to Christ

Jesus said to come to Him. There’s peaceful rest in surrendering our load to the Lord. His hands are large enough to hold anything and everything we need Him to handle. If we try to control and manage everything, we will wear ourselves out and eventually start dropping it all.

Depend on Christ

Jesus invites us to take His yoke and let Him bear our burdens. Although at first we may readily relinquish our concerns to the Lord, after a while we may try to take our burden back in an attempt to fix things ourselves. But by doing this, we interfere with the solution God wants to bring, and we end up wearing ourselves out once again.

The truth is that only God has both the power and perspective to bring all matters to their proper conclusion
(Romans 8:28).

Trust Christ

The Savior encourages us to learn from Him. As we fill our minds with the truth of His words, our trust in Him grows. His yoke will become easy, and we’ll see it as the safest and happiest place to be. When we know we never have to carry burdens alone, they get lighter.

What do you have to lose by coming to Jesus, taking His yoke, and learning from Him? Nothing but your burdens of exhaustion, stress, and anxiety.

By Dr. Charles Stanley
Used by Permission

A Prayer to Invite Christ Into Your Life

Here is a sample prayer that you can pray to invite Christ Jesus into your life and begin to give Him your burdens.

God, I believe that You created me to know You. Thank You for sending Your Son Jesus as a sacrifice to pay the penalty that I deserve. I believe that His death and resurrection has restored me to You. Please forgive me for everything that has offended You. Take first place in my life and help me become the person that You created me to be.

Does this prayer express the desire of your heart? You can pray it right now, and Jesus Christ will come into your life, just as He promised.

What is Following You?

Thoughts_About_God — Thu, 18 Nov 2021 09:03:37 +0000

In Psalm 23 He invites us to pitch our tent and camp on the fact that He is our Good Shepherd.

What eats at the heels of your life as you walk?

Worry? Stress? Fear? God promises Goodness and Mercy will follow you as you follow Him.

“Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” Psalm 23:6

Stop for a moment and try to identify what it is that is on your heels as you go through your day. Do you feel pressured by time? Does thankfulness leave it’s trail behind you as you go? Or Is fear of tomorrow or regret of yesterday chasing after you?

God knows we tend to live with things at our heels. In Psalm 23 He invites us to pitch our tent and camp on the fact that He is our Good Shepherd. When we choose daily to follow Him He leads us in quiet places and gives rest and strength to our souls. Oh, the stuff of life may clamor and swirl yet He offers peace as we focus on Him.

He knows the valleys and the shadows that will “dog” us as we walk yet He calls us to walk calmly, confidently and fearlessly with Him. HE will nurture us even when we walk in unfriendly territory.

Your cup can run over today with joy and thankfulness, no matter what else is happening. It’s possible because the Good Shepherd leads you and He will make sure goodness and mercy follow you as you follow Him.

Thank you Lord that You are my Good Shepherd. May my focus today be on You first and the peace and confidence and fearlessness that You help me to walk in. Thank you for Your promise that goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life. Give me an undivided heart to follow hard after You. In Jesus’ name I pray, amen.

I suggest you print off Psalm 23 and carefully read through it every day this week in both the morning and the evening. It will impact your life!

By Gail Rodgers
Used by Permission

Devoured

Thoughts_About_God — Sat, 13 Aug 2016 08:01:56 +0000

Worry consumed her. The kids, the bills. There was talk of layoffs at work. Her stomach churned and the ache across her shoulders never seemed to go away. She knew she should trust the Lord with the challenges that shadowed her life right now, but it was so hard. So overwhelming. It was just devouring her.

Whenever we find ourselves eaten up with worry, fear, anxiety; or devoured by the pressures of the day, God tells us to take note. Being consumed is a red flag and God gives us directions for just such times.

“Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith.” 1 Peter 5:7

There is an enemy of our souls and his goal is to devour us. God tells us to be alert. Take note when you are being consumed by something. Scripture tells us the enemy of our soul comes to kill, steal and destroy and we are to be watchful. Being consumed by fear, worry, gossip, a particular temptation or the pressures of the day will, at best, steal from you and rob you of peace in your soul and joy in the moment. At worst it can destroy health and relationships and your fellowship with the God who wants to help you.

So what do you do when you realize something is just eating you up? You resist as the scripture says. How do you resist? You begin to see worry as a call to prayer, inviting God into your circumstance to direct you and give you wisdom. You resist worry through prayer. (Philippians 4:6) You resist fear through Scripture, knowing God has said that He has not given us the spirit of fear. (2 Timothy 1:7) You stand firm in your faith knowing that the consuming downward spiral you find yourself in is not your Heavenly Father’s plan for you.

Lean hard on God. Know He cares about you and throw all your anxiety on Him. Pour out your worries, fears, concerns and burdens in verbal or written prayer to God. Release them from your heart. Believe the promises of God as you stand firm in your faith.

The next time you find yourself being eaten up with a problem or a challenge, be alert and run immediately to God. Throw your cares into His lap and stand firm in the promises of your faith. He will carry you. He will enable you to face the challenge without being consumed by it. Pay attention to what’s eating you!

By Gail Rodgers

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