FBC Women’s Ministries

What are some things that make you feel pressured? Maybe your answers include bosses, jobs, children, deadlines, special events, and trying to keep the house clean. When you think about the pressures you face, what are some emotions that might go along with the pressure? Perhaps there is resentment towards the one who gave you the deadline. Maybe there is frustration, anger, and anxiety.

Where is the cause of pressure? Why is it that we really feel pressured? What is the underlying cause? We have probably already figured out that when we feel pressured, it’s not because the trash is not out or the house is not immaculate. There is an underlying cause. I would like to share an example of this truth from my own life.
My husband and I have been married for 10 months. So, this Christmas was our first Christmas together. We were going to have my whole family over. So, I wanted to have the house look great, smell and look like Christmas. I started thoroughly cleaning a few days before they came. However, one thing I have realized since I have been married is that just because I clean, does not mean that it is going to stay that way due to the fact that there are other people living with me!

The day before my family came it seemed that everything went wrong- It was not a fun day of counseling, the house was again messy and to top things off- we decided to put up our new light fixtures in the kitchen, allowing there to be tools, boxes, and trash everywhere.

I lost it. I told Scott that I was done for the day. I was so upset and I started crying and my bewildered husband tried to comfort me. It did not work. In my mind it was hopeless. There was no way the house was going to be cleaned in time. Our house was not going to be the Martha Stewart home I was hoping for. Christmas was ruined and I didn’t even want my family to come anymore. All this over a clean house? What was really going on?
In this case, pride. The counseling beforehand made me feel like I was being rejected. I was hurt. Then since I couldn’t control that situation, I could at least control the house. That proved to be out of my hands as well.

Being disappointed at a counseling situation is not wrong and wanting a clean house is not wrong. Crying is not wrong. However, having a bad attitude and focusing on untruthful thoughts is wrong and that is when I get into trouble.
How could this have been different? What could I have done differently?

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplicaiton, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy- meditate on these things.

Philippians 4:6-8 says that for everyone who has a personal saving relationship with Christ, we do not need to be anxious for anything. Why is that? The answer to that question is that God is in control and He will not give us anything to hard for us to handle. We may feel it is too hard, but it is not.

We also see in these verses that God tells us to ask Him for help and to give Him thanks. When our thoughts are lined up in this way, the responsibilities have not disappeared, but we now have strength to get the things done that we need to.
This could be an example of what could have happened. I could have prayed something like this, “Lord, I am tired, my day has not gone the way that I wanted, but I give my thoughts to you. I ask you for help to get things done and to keep a hold of the thoughts that go through my head. Thank you for your help, for an opportunity to counsel others, for my family and for my loving husband.”

If thoughts come up again that are not true. For example; Christmas is ruined, or it will never get done, give those thoughts to the Lord, ask for help, and thank Him for other things.

Most of the time that we are feeling pressured and anxious, it is because we are not thinking correctly, and that in turn messes with our emotions and then we believe what we feel rather than what is true.
God does not promise us a trial free world, but He does promise us help in thinking and acting in a godly way when the pressures mount.