Panic!!! Frustration! Stress!!! That was my initial response when the main office computer crashed this week. I had been so excited about all the electronic advancements that had happened; updating software, and getting things in order. Then the crash. I felt helpless, worried, and started to think how in the world will this be put right? It reminded me of the time I lost all my data from my home computer, including pictures of the boys and how powerless I felt. Kathy and I took a deep breath, realizing we had backed up the important stuff not long ago. Sandy Petznick was in the office and called her tech guy and we are well on the way to solving the problem.
We all know that stressful situations do not always resolve that quickly. You lose a job, you get sick, a relationship ends, your child is having issues, the family moves and each of those things can be very stressful. Mostly because it is novel, unexpected, creates a loss of control, or threatens our ego. We feel stressed when we don’t feel capable to respond. How we think about stress has changed over time. Before the 1960’s, stress was a mechanical term used to describe pressure on metal, not emotional strain. Then psychology created those stress scales awarding points to stressful events, ranking life events from 1-100. Now it is believed that how we think about or interpret situations greatly influences our sense of stress. If we see computers crashing as part of life and we have a way to resolve the situation then that is perceived as less stressful than if we think the computer crashing is the end of the world, making us feel powerless. The reason dealing with stress is so important is because stress has been shown to affect our health and emotional well-being.
An article in Medical News Today states, “It is important to learn that what matters more than the event itself is usually our thoughts about the event when we are trying to manage stress. How you see that stressful event will be the largest single factor that impacts on your physical and mental health. Your interpretation of events and challenges in life may decide whether they are invigorating or harmful for you” (6 August 2015). That is why some people have no problem giving a speech while for someone else it is a life threatening prospect. Stress can be based on the story we tell ourselves. Please note I am not saying if you get stressed it is your fault, or you did something wrong. Many events are stressful, but how we interpret events can shift the level of stress we experience.
A good friend of mine has been retired for 5 years. She told me just the other day, how excited she is with all the possibilities she has at this stage of her life; travel and exploring. But another time she told me she gets overwhelmed with what she will do with the rest of her life? The only thing that is different is how she chooses to look at her retirement, how she tells her story.
Let’s take Joshua’s situation. He took the mantle from Moses after Moses led them out of Egypt, Joshua led the people in the battle to defeat the Amorites for the land of Canaan, and now is the culmination of wilderness journey. STRESSFUL!! They moved, were lost, family members died, they wondered if God had forsaken them and this went on for 40 years- prolonged stress.
Now Joshua is asking the Israelites to choose which God they will follow. He gives them three choices, following the ancient gods from beyond the river, the gods of the local culture- meaning the gods of the Amorites, or the one true God. The ancient gods might be likened to the ways of religion and culture in times gone by. We might long for a simpler time, the time of the ancient gods, sort of like “Leave it to Beaver” when everything had its place. Or we might want to follow the gods of the current culture, like the Amorites, where we get caught up in the trends of fashion, the pull of consumerism, the fiercely independent nature of America, all counter to the ways of God. It is hard to stand your ground in faith when society keeps tempting you to go in another direction.
When we are stressed we tend to circle the wagons, want fight or flight, yet boldly claiming God as our God standing on the shoulders of the first commandment, remembering all the things God has done for you- opens you up to ask for help, to be moved to pray, to invite God into this difficult situation. So the next time you feel stressed you might declare, “As for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.” With that declaration you are grafted into God’s story, in to the family of Christ, and your story changes and you are blessed, God blesses you, even when you are feeling stressed.
The idea for this sermon came from the quote, “I am too blessed to be stressed” which was likened to Paul saying “put on your whole armor of God” (Feasting on the Word, B3, p.376). I don’t necessarily believe that statement, but it got me thinking about feeling blessed or stressed. Paul used military language to describe the armor of God writing to a minority people; the minority Christians in the Roman Empire. Christianity was illegal, Roman soldiers were everywhere, yet he was encouraging them in their faith. They most likely faced daily harassment and discrimination because of their trust in Christ and so the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the shield of faith and the helmet of salvation were used as ways of defending and protecting oneself from the stress of persecution. The only weapon given in the armor of God is the sword, the Word of God, which can be used to share the gospel message. I certainly do not want a military model for our faith, but rather to walk in the shoes of the gospel of peace.
If I were a diehard Giants fan, I would certainly purchase and faithfully wear Giants jersey 28 for Buster Posey. I saw him at the Pebble Beach ProAm this year and thought he was great!!! Wearing a sports jersey shows your loyalty to the team and player. Since we are not surrounded by Roman soldiers I think this might be a modern way of describing the “armor of God.” With your jersey on, you can stand firm in your support no matter how many opposing team fans you face. Wearing team colors shields you from other influences. I would guess Jesus would play for the Angels wearing 1 for God’s only Son, or the number three for the trinity. All kidding aside do you wear your faith as proudly as you might wear a sports jersey? Now Paul writes of evil, suggesting a cosmic battle, I would rather see this as negative influence, even stresses in your life. So how does your faith guard you against such things? Does your faith guard you against the threats and stresses of your day?
So when you are feeling stressed, Pray! Paul writes, “Pray in the Spirit at all times in every prayer and supplication.” He asks for prayer even as he is suffering in chains, a stressful time certainly, yet he is confident in the Lord and the strength of his power. Because isn’t that what we need most when we are stressed: a power greater than ourselves to help us through, to make the unknown, knowable, and our loss of control something we turn over in faith to God. The best way I know to do that is to be like the Israelites and count your blessings.
~ Freedom from Israel
~ Great Signs such as the Pillars of Fire
~ God’s Protection in their journey, offering manna
~ Victory over the Amorites
~ New home in Caanan, land of milk and honey
So, when you’re feeling stressed, count your blessings. Recall the ways God has helped you in the past and trust that your powerful and amazing God is holding you now.
You have a choice: will you be stressed or blessed? I pray you answer, “As for me and my household, we will serve the Lord…for he is our GOD!” Amen.
