What are you thinking about?
Paul tells us in Philippians:
“Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.”
How much time in our lives is spent thinking of things that are less than this? If you're like most of us, it's a lot of the time. I have had to cut out a number of TV shows lately because their content is just too disturbing. Most of the news falls into that same category. We need to find positive messages for ourselves and our family.
We all, too often, are living stressed out and as a result are at the mercy of stress hormones in our bodies.
“Brief surges of stress hormones are normal and beneficial. They motivate you to do a good job at work, study hard, or pay your bills on time. Those short bursts of adrenaline and cortisol are not the problem with stress. The problem is that for many of us, the stress reactions never stop. Traffic, bills, work, school, family conflict, not enough sleep, health issues, and jam-packed schedules keep us in a constant state of stress. Take note that it isn’t just the bad stuff in life that can cause stress. Even happy events, such as having a baby or getting a promotion, can be major stressors.”
Over the long term though, stress hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline harm the brain.
“Living with stress on a daily basis makes you more likely to have issues with your weight for a number of other reasons. For examples, chronic stress usually goes hand in hand with a lack of sleep. That pumps up cortisol production and throws appetite-control hormones out of balance. That should explain why you feel as if health flies out the window during stressful situations. So it’s no surprise that you overeat, crave sugary treats, and store more fat.”
Oftentimes we can't change the sources of stress in our lives. What we have to do is find a way to change our reaction to those stressors. Once again Paul gives us a guide in the same passage of Philippians:
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
That sounds pretty good doesn't it?
My prayer is that you would turn to Christ with your troubles and fears and let Him do the heavy lifting for a while.
The world is too heavy to all be on your shoulders.
May the peace of God fill your hearts!
-Noel