Friday, March 16, 2012

Stress

I was going to write about how I met my Glen today. But it has been such an unusual week, the Lord has laid words on my heart that I must share.
Have you ever thought about how many things have the potential to stress you out in just a day?  (Am I late, what will he say, are the kids ok, is there going to be a bad storm, will I get finished in time) to name a few. Do you allow it or do you trust God to take care of it. In one of my devotionals the writer said "Stress equals responsibility without ability."  I thought that was a great definition.  I know so many people who stress about things they can not control.  They are full of "what if's and what then's"
This week I was at work and a sweet women came in and we got to talking about where we lived on the mountain.  She was all stressed about the new coal mine that is going in on the mountain.  She seemed rather put out with me because I wasn't stressed about it.  I see the coal mine as job opportunities for people who are suffering without employment.  Will the coal trucks traveling up and down the mountain be a nuisance?  Probably, but no more then the log trucks we have now and we are all managing to get where we need to be regardless.  I told her not to stress about it, that it wasn't good for her.  She acted as if this mine was an attack on her and informed me she was not going to be a doormat!  So I prayed for peace for her in my heart as she walked out the door.
I rarely stress, but here is what can send me in a tailspin.  When someone passes on that have touched my life in someway and I question if I had witnessed enough to them.  Did I share enough of what God can do in their life.  I have stressed over this ever sense I lost my friend Gary.  Gary knew me all through the teen years and early twenties when I rode the wrong side of that fence.  Even though I tried to share with him about eternal salvation, the fact we didn't get to see each other or communicate much, it may not have been enough.
This week a young man went out into eternity that I had the pleasure of mentoring for several months three years ago. I was devastated and the first thing in my head was "Did I do or say enough?" or "Did I plant enough of a seed?"  I began to stress.   Then a good friend came to see me.  She knew I was struggling and she asked me two questions. "Did you love them?"  "Yes".  "Did you tell them the truth?" "Yes".  Then you did  what you were meant to do.
My devotional said IF I "WILL" BE GLAD ONE DAY, I "SHOULD" BE GLAD TODAY.  IF I "WILL" REJOICE, I "SHOULD" REJOICE. THE SMALL PICTURE MAY BE BLEAK BUT THE BIG PICTURE IS NOT.  So I am glad that I met him and I rejoice in the opportunity I had to spend time with him and I mourn the loss of him along with his family and the rest of this community.
So this is what I take away from this.  Share God's love and His eternal salvation to everyone you can.  If something tragic happens in their life ask yourself if you loved them and did you tell them the truth.  And worry for nothing.  Walk the walk, how you live is so important.  Remember to be glad, rejoice and let God be in control because He is anyway.  TRUST!!!!   I love you all. 

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