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The Invisible Epidemic Part 2

Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
James 1:4

If you're stressed, and who isn't these days, you've three options. You can opt to: 1) Explode - by dumping your frustration on those around you! But before you do, listen: "The tongue is 'small' but what enormous damage it can do" (James 3:5) If you keep giving everybody a piece of your mind, you'll have nothing (and nobody) left! Unless you're prepared to handle the fall-out, don't say things you'll regret later. 2) Implode - by internalizing stress instead of dealing with it in healthy ways! When you're a "stuffer" your blood pressure soars and your cortisol levels skyrocket making you a prime candidate for ulcers and heart disease. You literally become a walking time bomb! Internalizing stress is like keeping a skunk in your basement. Don't feed it and encourage it to stay - get rid of it! 3) Flow - by learning to accept what you can't change! Paul said, "I know whom I have believed, and am convinced He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him" (2 Timothy 1:12). Notice the words "entrusted to Him..." That's acceptance in its truest sense. It's also how you experience peace. Learning to "go with the flow" is the only way to live, because it allows God to determine the flow. Paul writes: "rejoice when we run into problems, they are good for us" (Romans 5:3). James adds: "when your endurance is fully developed, you will be strong in character, ready for anything." How you handle stress doesn't just reveal your character, it strengthens it.

Prayer
Heavenly Father, help me to deal with stress and manage it positively in my life! In Your Precious Name I pray, Amen