STRESS

I don't know about you, 

but I don't like it when things don't go right.

My plans get messed up, things I try to fix 

don't work right, at my age even my body

does not always work right and people do

dumb stuff.

However, by now I have learned two things.

1. God is going to test all of us.  Are we 

going to remain true to him?

2.  Just like exercise, it might strain or even

hurt.  But it is making us stronger.  So all

these trials and test strengthen us in our

relationship to God, if we will let them.

Consider what Paul and Barnabas was

teaching the various churches.

"They encouraged them to continue in

the faith reminding them that we must

suffer many hardships to enter the 

Kingdom of God.,"

(Acts 14:22 NLT)

Perhaps if things are going too well

we are no longer a threat to Satan.

[That would be scary.].  So, with God's

help instead of letting all this stress and

strain getting me down, I'll follow the

instruction of the apostle James.

"Dear brothers and sister, when

troubles of any kind come your way,

consider it an opportunity for great

joy.  For you know that when your

faith is tested, your endurance has a

chance to grow.  So let it grow, for

when your endurance is fully devel-

oped, you will be perfect and com-

plete, needing nothing."

(James 1:1-4 NLT)