Jingle bell's stress bells are ringing!

Yes, it’s that time of year... struggling to make ends meet financially? Finding it hard to make time available for quality family time? Head in the gutter over studying? Stressed? Lacking motivation or the happiness in life? Well Christmas is just around the corner... with that season greetings and jingle bells ringing. For some Christmas maybe far fetched... before then there are other things or duties to tend to:  Work, uni, school, church, and other tasks that occupy your time. What may seem as obvious sources of stress can be seen as a blessing in our lives...

 For instance we need money for general expenses which in modern times can be challenging for parents and those with these duties and can take a toll mentally and physically. We’ve been encouraged to seek and set out to be successful in our studies.  Younger children in primary and secondary education are setting out to pursue the same trend in being successful. For those sporting fanatics world cup is drawing to its end with the number one ranked team ‘All Blacks’ set to take on ‘ the French’ a repeat of the 1987 world cup. Sporting individuals: preseason and trials are just around the corner for many sporting teams and codes. Conditioning your body and being match fit maybe a major priority in mind. People with church positions maybe hoping for time to come a little bit faster...These are all reasons that can contribute to stress and a sense of failure may kick in, feelings of being inadequate or hard done by cause you feel you could’ve done better.

This time for me is quiet challenging, for a uni student this time matters with major exams in sight. I know for others this time maybe challenging for you as well.  In saying this when we are feeling stressed, lacking motivation or direction for our lives it’s a wise decision to seek help... it is times like this we ought to seek God! Sometimes we only come to him when things are going wrong lesson learned a life with Christ is not all smooth sailing, because the flesh is weak but the spirit is willing. There are storms, but in these storms God seeks to know where our hearts are. Even when things seem perfect and fine is there thanksgiving, more importantly is it channelled back to him? “if you aren’t struggling there’s something wrong” sometimes to struggle is not a bad thing there is a refining process in progress... one preacher said “we are always going to God saying what big problems we have in life. How about we try going to our problems and say how big and great our God is and how he is able!” if he created the universe and everything in it, every being. Surely this places a positive prospective on the problems we seemingly label “big” are they? our problems are not ours so give it to God. When we are going through  a storm God is always there but we are sometimes fiapoko and try in our own might to row to safety not knowing God was asking for the paddle to row and steer  us through the storm.

Christmas is around the corner, a lot maybe happening in your life we live in a time that screams out BUSY! BUSY! BUSY!!!... But don’t let our busy lives be a reason that we are choosing our careers and education over quality time with family friends and loved ones. But ultimately don't let it be the reason you don’t join in the greatest party ever planned, that’s just around the corner as well and when he comes we can fist pump and there will be no more hardships, no more exams no more early mornings for work or any else that may be deemed as important but stressful  in life just eternity with him. Take time to seek him and all the cares of this world seem conquerable, Because he lives! He is our father in heaven but he is the best’s friend you could always depend on. Exams are my biggest concerns at the moment but by asking him to walk with me during this hectic time i can succeed! “ i can you can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” dedicate our job to him, dedicate our studies to him dedicate whatever we do to him and life will be worth living.

Proverbs 3:5,6 “Trust in the lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding in all your ways acknowledge him and he shall direct your paths

#StayintheBeam