STRESS…it seems to roll around this time every year for some of us. It comes from all directions and sources. It could be your job, your family, your team, your school…Maybe you’re one of those people who live in a constant state of emotional duress. Or perhaps you’re one of the calm, cool, collected people who never seem to let the pressure of the day’s deadlines get to you. Which of the following describes how you handle the stresses of life?
*The Steamin’ Teapot–you handle the heat, but only for a little while, then you blow your cool, spewing the heat out on those around you. After Mt. Vesuvius has blown, you settle down a bit.
*The Seether–closely related to the Steamin’ Teapot, the pressure is bottled up, somehow kept just below the surface. Tight lipped, narrowed eyes, clenched jaws & fists…
*The Stuffer–Everything gets shoved down deep inside the pit inside. Emotions are a negative thing, so you try to keep the surface calm. But that pit eventually fills up…
*The Surfer–no matter how big the boil under your board, you stay on top of the pile, riding the waves created by the turbulence. You glide over the stress, and even manage to find a little joy along the way. You know that the bigger the trouble, the bigger the wave…
That’s only the beginning of the list, I’ll bet. How do you handle stress? What other descriptors can you come up with?
And are you satisfied with how you handle the day’s dilemmas? How would you like to change?
Jesus said that we would have trouble in this world–it’s unavoidable. But there’s also the promise that troubles and trials tech us to persevere, to endure, and that leads to the building of character. And character produces hope in us.
I don’t know about you, but I’m holding on to hope!
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