ELIMINATING STRESS/STRIFE IN YOUR LIFE
Do you believe that our God is a God of peace? (Rom.16:20;33; II Thess.3:16; Hb.13:20,etc) Do you believe that you can be anxious for nothing, just because the peace of God which surpasses all knowledge will be able to guard you hearts and minds in Christ Jesus? (Phil.4:4-6)
Did you see that, in Phillipians 4, how your heart and mind is the key? A guarded, a protected, a shielded mind is the key, because stress is a mind killer, and although factors outside the body and mind are real stress factors, stress still either starts or stops in our brains. If we are unaware of danger and threats to our well-being, we do not feel stressed internally. The perception of some troublesome, difficult trial or tribulation makes it either an anxiety event, or not. Would you not agree that if we eliminated all anxiety - or tension - in our lives, we would be stress free, at least in our apprehension of it? Someone can suffer incredibly without it being an anxiety producing or mentally stressful event.
For instance, a marathon runner can suffer incredible pains in the last mile of a Olympic race, and the stress factors on their mind and body could be overwhelming as they actually catabolically are consuming their own muscle tissue in the last miles to keep up the unbelievable pace. Yet if they were clearly winning the race, and could see the stadium ahead and knew they were going to gain the gold medal, they would feel exhilarated and excited despite the way their bodies felt. And in finishing, they would not probably view those last miles as particularly stressful, if they had been sure of victory in them.
In the same way, a man who is working long overtime hours, and knows that these hours will not be forever, and will enable him to pay off his debts and take the family away on a very special vacation, will not view those hours the same as someone forced to work them without overtime pay or any vacation possible. The bodies of both men will be undergoing the same “stress”, but the mental apprehension of it will differ remarkably.
One can actually measure chemicals such as cortisol, released within our bodies when under stress, and see the negative effects upon the body. Adrenaline, a very useful chemical when under an emergency, becomes extremely destructive in the long run if not eliminated. Anyone who feels trapped by difficult circumstances and unable to escape or change them will have an excess, chronic adrenaline problem. Their health and mental well-being will suffer.
This is not to say that tension is not real! Anxiety from tension and stress is real. The source of it is so often unrelieved strife. Eliminating strife in the church and in our lives should be a major goal. Unrelieved, chronic strife will destroy productivity in the body of Christ, just as unrelieved stress in the human body can cause depression, immune system impairment and thus more disease, and even mental illness.
Far from being a normal part of a Christian’s life, strife is of the sinful fleshly existence and mindset. It is a sin. We are to behave properly, as In day, putting off the deeds of darkness and putting on the armor of light, the Lord Jesus Christ. This includes, along with carousing and drunkenness and partying, and sexual sins, STRIFE… and jealousy. (Rom. 13:12-14) Strife is a deed of darkness, of the realm of Satan where we dwelt in spirit before being redeemed by Christ’s blood and our faith. Note in Romans 13 that strife is brother to jealousy. They are very closely related in source and in effect.
Thus “strife stress” is not something to be tolerated among us or just stoically endured or managed with man-made psycho-babble techniques. It is to be eliminated as ruthlessly as we hunt down all other unacceptable attitudes and behaviors in our obedience to King Jesus’ total reign in our whole lives.
“Who among us is wise and understanding? Let him show it by his good behavior his deeds in gentleness of wisdom. But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, do not be arrogant and so lie against the truth. (Note jealousy is mentioned, the twin brother of strife.) This “wisdom” is not that which comes from above, but is earthly ,natural, DEMONIC. For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every evil thing. But the (true) wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering without hypocrisy. (Consistent behavior for Christ’s sake, not to impress men or seem to be a good person.) And the seed whose fruit is righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.” (James 3:13-18)
Are you an “anxious Annie”, an anxiety ridden ninny? Why is that? Is it possible that your agenda is still selfish, and that you are operating from jealousy rather than selfish love? Do you not pray!? Do you not believe that God answers prayer? Or are you ashamed to pray, knowing that you are not being pure spirited in your requests? Is there some lack of confidence in God’s great love for you, exasperated by your immature lack of trust in Him and/or your continual fleshly mindset?
Now for some personal evaluation and self-testing: Would most or even one person characterize you as, overall, a peaceful person …or otherwise? How about yourself? Where on a scale of 1-10 would you place yourself, in being anxious? 1 would be nearly never, and 10 would be almost always. How much anxiety or internal stress are you willing to accommodate on a perpetual, or at least, regular basis? If not, would you put the blame on all the stress and stain in your life as an excuse?
Is your life a continual reliving of a hospital emergency room experience? Does your gut keep tightening, and a sinking feeling keep happening as you consider many stress factors around you? You might be tempted to say that you are just a very concerned and busy person trying to make a difference. Good, up to a point. If we don’t feel any concern or sense of working hard against the flow and uphill, when we are spiritually dead! Life should be hard, and not easy. People making a difference will never be drifting in a sensuous fog of ease. That kind of peace is a delusion, a Matrix-type deceit. Being a deceived, sleeping battery source for Satan is not a good option! Being alive means being aware and experiencing many trials and tribulations, yes, but don’t believe that you cannot eliminate strife from your life. You can, and you must, as a diligent disciple of our Lord of Peace. We will work even better and harder and make a real and lasting, and permanent difference, a BIGGER impact, if the joy of the Lord, not our anxious nerves, is the source of our strength. A rejoicing, peace-filled Christian can run longer and push harder than one fueled by fear and tension.
Tension can be felt in a room of people with unresolved “issues”. Problems that are not settled create strife. “Strife producers” are caused by people who cannot or do not confront sin in their lives because of spiritual immaturity and ignorance. Even good brothers and sisters in Christ can have strife between them. Just think, of having your names mentioned in a public letter from the great apostle Paul. (By the way, this is in the same letter and chapter or section that Paul tells them not to be anxious for anything.)
“I urge Eudia and I urge Synteche to live in harmony in the Lord.” (Phil.4:2) These are good woman, true fellow saints, who have shared in Paul’s struggle in the cause of the gospel – evangelistic and hard-working women, who definitely have their names in the book of life.
Then there is the classic and famous story of Paul and Barnabas’ argument over John Mark in Acts 16;36-41. Luke, called it a “sharp disagreement.” Sounds like tensions arose over this issue. But they found a solution, and kept serving Christ. Paul later loved and respected John Mark, saying that he was useful and an encouragement to him, a fellow worker. (II Tim.4:11;Col.4:10; Philemon 1:24) Note that Mark also didn’t hold any ill feelings toward Paul, but later on became a trusted and loyal fellow-worker.
How did Barnabas and Paul fight or ague without creating permanent problems or strife? Undoubtedly, although there was really a sharp disagreement, they still loved and respected each other. I doubt they attacked each other’s motives or credibility. Rather, they were polite while contending the issue as at hand – the suitability of Mark for that particular task, the missionary journey into incredibly dangerous territory.
Brothers, unresolved conflicts, or improperly resolved conflicts create unrelieved stress and tension among us, the church of the firstborn. It limits our productivity and pursuit of perfection in Christ’s love and grace. It brings discredit to the bride and body of Christ, and keeps us from discipling the lost and winning them for Christ. We must learn to solve tension causing sources of strife and stress in our lives.
Here’s how: First, you must believe in God’s matchless grace and power to bring perfect peace to every problem. There must be no doubts or hesitating. Remember, fear and doubt is the mind killer. We can do this because of incredible powerful Holy Spirit that God put in each one of us. Any unresolved stress is a sign of weak faith and fleshly mindedness.
What about when there is someone in the church who is a hypocrite, pretender, a constant strife producer? Well, at some point, in since our God is not a God of disorder or confusion, but of peace, then the church must deal with such men or women. Discipline, that can include, when necessary, disfellowship, must be applied. God commands us to do so. Although we must be very patient and persevering in our efforts to bring people to repentance and internal change by their own faith, even God’s patience has its limits!
- “Reject a factious man after a first and second warning, knowing that such a man is perverted and is sinning, being self-condemned.” (Tit.3:10-11)
Like removing a splinter, sometimes the only way to reduce and eliminate tension produced by unrelieved stress and strife within the church is to surgically remove it. By the way, a factious man is one who causes divisions and dissensions within the body. He or she constantly causes discontent and doubts about the church leaders and fellow brothers, and is the cause of denominationalism and splinter cults. This is almost always due to greed, jealously and selfish personal agendas that distract and destroy the main focus of the church, and destroy the teamwork in evangelism and discipleship.
- “Now I urge you, brethren, keep you eye on those who cause dissensions and hindrances (occasions for stumbling) contrary to the teaching which you learned, and turn away from them. For such men are slaves, not of our Lord Jesus Christ, but of their own appetites; and by their smooth and flattering speech they deceive the hearts of the unsuspecting.” (Rom.16:17-18)
Just be careful, zealous ones, that you don’t push the leaders to prematurely push out those you don’t like or who you might want eliminated in order to eliminate strife! That attitude in itself can produce strife and division. Every attempt to reconcile and bring to repentance must first be exhausted.
With much gentleness and Godlike patience, we must strive to bring to reconciliation those who are falling away or are trapped in sin or deceived by the deceitfulness of sin or by smooth talking liars.
Nevertheless, action can and must be taken to eliminate perpetual, unrepentant strife producers in the church. And so we will, with God’s help.
What about handling stress and stains that cannot immediately be removed? This is where the God of peace can shield our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. We are commanded and encouraged to not be fault finders or focused on everything that is wrong with our brothers, but to overlook much immaturity and lack of spiritual understanding. Read and study carefully Romans 12- 15:7. As much as possible, we should be at peace with others, not judge others opinions harshly, and the strong in faith must bear with the weak until they can grow up. In working so hard to get along and be at real peace with others, we show that we truly are brothers of Christ and sons of God. Let us not judge and condemn each other, but rather determine this – not to put on obstacle or stumbling block in a brother’s way. We live for the Lord, and we die for the Lord, and each of us will have to give an account of himself to the Master on judgment day. Drop your personal, selfish agendas, and seek in all things to only please God and be at peace with each other in order to save the lost and give maximum glory to the God of all peace. AMEN!