Few of us can reliably react to stress with trust in God. How do you react when you're well-being is threatened?
When someone gets angry at you are you prone to get angry back (or internalize your anger as depression)?
When you're hit with a big problem in your health or finances do you become scared (or shut down all emotion and get busy)?
When you're anxious, bored, or lonely do you overeat, use alcohol, or engage in another compulsive behavior?
How can you and I learn to become the kind of person who responds to distress by trusting and being secure in God's loving care and offering blessings to other people - even those who have mistreated us?
When a crisis or other problem intrudes whatever is inside us will come out, our inner character will be revealed. (This awareness is a gift because we see what we need to work on with Christ in our spiritual formation.) In the midst of distress is not a good time to learn something new!
Instead we need to be proactive. We need to follow Jesus' often repeated advice and learn to "watch and pray" in anticipation of a coming problem. We should know our biggest vulnerability and liability and go into training with Jesus to learn how to become a different person.
"Training" means studying to learn how to apply Jesus' gospel to our lives. It means doing spiritual exercises/disciplines. It may mean seeking counseling or spiritual mentoring/coaching.
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I agree and the most interesting exercise for me was really looking at some of the prayers I say beginning with The Lord's Prayer.
ReplyDeleteI realized I was taught this was the one you said at bedtime but now I use it at the beginning of the day....as it says, "Give us this day...". For me it is now more of a starting point each day not an ending after the daytime.
So I review my day at bedtime talking to Him about His and my use of the day.
I am just starting but your blog seemed a good adjunct to my thoughts of the last few days.
He is blessing you and your followers
Jan-Michael (Canada)
Thank you Dr.Bill, your topic compells me to do a lot of thinking and it's everything but easy to act i.e. react under times of duress; you offer good advice and hope and I'm grateful to the Lord to have brothers like you...Wilde.
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