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7 secrets to stay STRESS free February 23, 2007

Posted by Han in : Life's Challenge , trackback

Do you feel like your life and schedule are out of control? You have a lot of works to do in the office; month end performance review is coming; many deadlines to meet! You do not have enough time. You wish there is 25 hours (if better 30 hours) a day. You are always trying to meet the demands of other people.

You salary is unable to cope with your surging expenses; credit card, home loan, car loan, utilities bill, tuition fee, hospital bill and many more. At times, you are trying to borrow from some friends and relatives. You have the habit of buying the latest, the best and the most expensive stuff. You are always comparing your car with your neighbor’s car and your kids with their kids.

Wow! Indeed, this is the life of modern day people; it is pressurizing and stressful. It is difficult to eliminate stress but it is how we can manage it. It is not how much stress we can bear but how we manage it that will make a difference. Jesus Christ experienced enormous stress and pressure in ministry yet it didn’t seem to affect him. He is stable and calm. He knows what to do in different situation and meeting different people. He had the peace of God that surpasses all understanding. That is why he had a successful and fruitful life. What was his secret to stay STRESS free?

A look at his lifestyle reveals 7 secrets of stress free life.

1) Know who we are

I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life. John 8:12

I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. John 14:6

Jesus knew who he was and his assignment in this world. There are a total of 18 times he defended himself publicly. There was no doubt in his mind as to who he was. If we are unsure of who we are; our identity, principles and purpose in life, then we will allow others to pressure us into doing things. Worst still, we will try to be somebody we are not!

2) Please the right person

By myself I can do nothing; I judge only as I hear, and my judgment is just, for I seek not to please myself but him who sent me. John 5:30

This is the golden rule – we cannot please everybody. It will be very tiring if we try to please everyone. Different people have different standards, demands and preferences. How can we meet these requirements? Next, if we can make this person happy, we cannot meet the other. If we can, what about the third person! We have to establish the right principle is to please the right person without fearing others rejecting us. At times there is no one that we can please but only Jesus himself.

3) Set clear goals

I know where I came from and where I am going. John 8:14

Jesus is very clear about his origin, his purpose and where he is going. What about us? If we are unclear about all these, we will be manipulated by people, events and demands. The whole of our lifetime will be meeting the demands of others. How sad! If we have clear goals in our life, then our life will not be life ship tossing to and fro in the ocean without any direction.

4) Focus on one thing at a time

At daybreak Jesus went out to a solitary place. The people were looking for him and when they came to where he was, they tried to keep him from leaving them. But he said, “I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns also, because that is why I was sent. And he kept on preaching in the synagogues of Judea. Luke 4:42-44

We must focus on doing one thing at a time. We can not catch 2 chickens at the same time! We must concentrate on one. Similarly, Jesus is very focus on his ministry. He must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to everyone. Nothing can distract him. What are the things that are distracting us? Remove these distractions and focus on doing the right thing at one time.

5) Do not try to do everything by ourselves

He appointed twelve – designating them apostles – that they might be with him and that he might send them out to preach and to have authority to drive out demons. Mark 3:14

When the entire project is depending only by ourselves then we will feel the pressure. And the load is too great to bear! We need to share the burden with others in our team. Do not take control over everything, fearing that others may be better than us. Delegate the work out to others like Jesus delegating the 12 apostles to preach and to have authority to drive out demons.

6) Develop consistent quiet time with God

Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed. Mark 1:35

One of the best way to deal with stress is to quiet down ourselves. We need to stop all our works and have a good quiet time with God. Pray to him and read the word of God. Spend some time to talk to God about our pressure and problem, evaluate our priorities and discover the principles for successful living through the bible.

7) Relax and enjoy life!

The apostles gathered around Jesus and reported to him all they had done and taught. Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.” Mark 6:30-31

In order to stay stress free, we must relax and enjoy life. Life is not just about working and working. We need to take some time off to relax and enjoy life. Spend more time with our family. Go for a vacation. Play some golf. Go for a movie. Do some shopping or gardening together. Note: Balance is the key. Work must be balanced with some leisure time.

Conclusion

Stress is manageable. Let us work towards a stress free life.

All the Best,
Han