My Musings in the Morning
(‘musing’ = a period of reflection or thought)
“My heart
was hot within me, while I was musing, the fire burned: then I spoke with my
tongue:” Psalm 39:3
What to DO when you’re STRESSED OUT?
Stress is part of our everyday life and a certain level of it is beneficial to our health. However, the concern comes when stress turns into anxiety or depression. Ever wonder how the rest of America is feeling these days as a result of the Coronavirus pandemic? The below survey results come from a couple of national surveys:
- 55% of Americans say COVID-19 is impacting their mental health
- 34% increase in anti-anxiety prescriptions from mid-February to mid-March
- 24% of Americans indicate COVID-19 has resulted in increased family conflict
- 52% of Americans report concern about job security and 45% a reduction in income
- 33% of respondents indicated frequent feelings of isolation
64% of respondents report a loss of sleep due to worry - 20% of respondents admitted increases in alcohol consumption
- 50% of respondents reported new musculoskeletal concerns
Let’s see what God’s Word tells us about this matter. The writer of Psalm 119 took the extra trouble of reading and meditating on God’s Word both day and night when he was stressed out. We read in Psalms 119:92, 103: “Unless Your law had been my delight, I would then have perished in my affliction. How sweet are Your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!”
This is what he also writes in this regard: “Oh, how I love Your law! It is my meditation all the day” (v. 97). “My eyes are awake through the night watches, that I may meditate on Your word” (v. 148). Not only was the psalmist reading and meditating on God’s Word, but as a righteous man, he was also delighting in this activity: “But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law, he meditates day and night” (Ps. 1:2).
Any person who meditates on God’s Word day and night, and carefully follows God’s directions will be truly successful and prosperous in life (see Josh. 1:8). Taking this a step further, any person who fears God and delights in His commandments will be blessed in the sight of God as well (Ps. 112:1).
As the
psalmist prayerfully meditated on God’s Word, he started to really enjoy his
experience as he found God’s Word sweeter than honey in taste (v. 103; Ps.
81:16; Deut. 32:13). In fact, God’s Word provided all the ingredients that the
psalmist needed to thrive spiritually. This can be our experience as well as we
take time to savor the richness of God’s Word and chew on it prayerfully as God
begins to transmit His thoughts to us (Isa. 55:8). This way we can taste and
see that the Lord is good (Ps. 34:8). In this regard, there are nine additional
benefits that we can experience in delighting in God’s Word:
- Delighting in God’s Word will bring spiritual fruitfulness in our lives (Ps. 1:1-3).
- Delighting in God’s Word will give us a deep desire to do God’s will (Ps. 40:8).
- Delighting in God’s Word will keep anxiety from building up in our minds (Ps. 94:19).
- Delighting in God’s Word will help us when we are depressed (Ps. 119:24-25).
- Delighting in God’s Word will enable us to obey God until the end (vv. 33-35).
- Delighting in God’s Word will provide in us a love to meditate the scriptures (vv. 47-48).
- Delighting in God’s Word will give us more wisdom and understanding (vv. 98-100).
- Delighting in God’s Word will help to restrain us from engaging in evil activities (v. 101).
- Delighting in God’s Word will sustain us in times of trial (v. 143).
Let us take time to savor the richness and sweetness of God’s Word every day. This may be the best thing that we can do when we are stressed out. When we do that, we can join with prophet Jeremiah who made this statement to God: “Your words were found, and I ate them, and Your word was to me the joy and rejoicing of my heart” (Jer. 15:16).
Source: Dr. Shibu Cherian
http://unitedintheword.blogspot.com/
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