Trading Pressure for Peace - Your Nightly Prayer - January 21st
Trading Pressure for Peace
Your Nightly Prayer
by Candice Lucey
TONIGHT'S SCRIPTURE
"Come to me all you who are weary, and I will give you peace." - Matthew 11:28
SOMETHING TO PONDER
My friend lamented one afternoon that too many troubling events had piled up on him over the last few months. “I used to be a boxer,” he said, “but now, after two heart attacks, I don’t have the energy. I really want a valve for all of this stress; it would feel good to hit something.” He looked exhausted and was battling depression. I asked him, “Have you tried prayer?” He chuckled nervously and ignored my question. The strain of so much tribulation, most of it outside his control, was making him weary, but he wanted a temporary outlet, not an eternal and ever-present Savior. In spite of the stress and pressure he felt, he still was not ready to turn to the Lord.
When pressure builds up, even believers search for temporary outlets. Instead of making us feel better, they add to our confusion and distress. For instance, there are rage rooms where a person can pay to throw plates and break things. Ed Welch wrote: “In a world where we are gods, anger makes perfect sense. [...] But in the real world, where [...] the Creator chose the path of a servant in order to rescue, comfort, and encourage, our anger is ugly and perverse.” Under stress, we become pressure cookers of panic or fury, releasing the steam by hitting, yelling, drinking, eating, sleeping, or overworking to escape, perhaps with the help of pills or caffeine. Our response to the strain can distort our view of God and of our purpose, which is to glorify him in the midst of trials, and even exacerbate those trials. Paul encouraged us to choose a better way, where “we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.” (Romans 5:3-5).
My friend does not know Jesus and the hope he provides; the ways God will use our pain to sanctify us and bring glory to himself. Yet this message is for me too: I fill up with righteous indignation or with unnecessary anxiety. However, when I give my anger and worry to the Lord, prayerfully waiting for his response, HE fills the space with joy. Even if I am repenting over a sinful behavior or thought that led me here, I find relief; the Lord will not burden me with shame. Instead, as Welch says, he provides rescue, comfort, and encouragement. The problems might still be there, but our perspective changes, and the pressure lightens. We realize for the first time (or remember for the hundredth time) that God knows, God cares, and He has already overcome. Even as he disciplines me, the Father supplies peace in place of pressure.
YOUR NIGHTLY PRAYER
Father, you are holy and worthy. You are our rock and salvation. There is nowhere else to go, and thank you for this. Chaos is quelled when we remember to come to you first and last and always. You are so patient with us, thank you. I confess that I forget you are Sovereign, and I try to be in control, and then I get anxious or frustrated. I hurt myself and others; I sin against you: the pressure threatens to consume me. Father, forgive me. Forgive us when we do these things. Cause Your Holy Spirit to stir inside of us to confess, repent, and receive Your grace. Lord, help us to be better ambassadors of this peace by living like we know it is true: you are faithful to care for us. You have already won the battle over our biggest enemy. What else should we be afraid of?
THREE THINGS TO MEDITATE UPON
1. Stress and pressure are normal. Jesus warned us there would be trials (John 16:33). The Bible is full of people and situations that affirm this. So do not be surprised by the “fiery trials” when they happen (1 Peter 4:12).
2 . Ask yourself: Is this pressure a matter of distorted perspective or priorities? The “why” of your anger is a clue. Maybe the pain of enduring treatment for a disease is less problematic to you than the damage it does to your pride as loved ones fuss over you. Perhaps your plans for the summer had to be interrupted because of a major financial hiccup or medical procedure, and you are angry at losing out on the vacation you had planned. Meanwhile, the Lord wants to use your downtime for his purposes.
3. Sometimes, pressure comes from circumstances outside of our control. It is natural to feel angry and frightened when you get a diagnosis or a final notice. Bring those feelings to the Lord and ask him to help you in a way that will glorify him and bring you peace. That does not mean pretending everything is okay; on the other hand, lashing out and being miserable to those who try to help you is a sinful reaction, creating pain for them and more pain for yourself. Acknowledging negative feelings is healthy; soaking in them is not. With the help of the Holy Spirit, you can face trials honestly, and it is faith in the middle of an honest battle that is the greater testimony than an unrealistic insistence that everything is okay.
Reflect on tonight’s prayer and share how God met you there. Join the Your Nightly Prayer discussion on the Crosswalk Forum.
Photo Credit: ©Unsplash/Elisa Ventur
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