Reset the Stress Meter
Translated by:Henry Tung
About ten years ago, I was working as a workplace safety administrator in a private firm.□ To meet government requirements, I often attended classes explaining newly found illnesses in the workplace.□ At the time, the idea of career-related impairment caused by repetitive actions from work was just starting to get recognized.□ The theory is that some actions we do at work on a daily basis seem to be normal.□ However, doing the same thing over a long period of time can be detrimental to our health.□
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Repeated actions can be harmful
In the workplace repetitive actions can do us harm.□ At home, the same thing can easily happen to the stay-at-home moms.□ Their daily household chores are no different from the experiences at work.□ When I read the section of the book talking about the systematic management of stress, I realized the stress we buildup over time can drain us mentally and emotionally.□ This is something we cannot afford to ignore.
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Where exactly do these stresses come from that causes us harm?□ Well, they are the everyday stuff you and I go through -- being late for work, overcooking the breakfast, getting your hand caught in the elevator door.□ These miscues shouldn’t bother you individually.□ However, as these misfortunes repeat themselves, day after day and week after week, you can find yourself in a very precarious position.□ The stresses slowly buildup inside and do not go away.□ One day just when it is least expected, a minor incident can detonate what the accumulated pie of stress and blow everything out of proportion.
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Some people can’t figure out why couples who appear to be happily married for decades suddenly break up.□ This may also be caused by what we have just talked about.□ The accumulation of the little things can become a time bomb waiting to explode.□ As we can see, the stress we buildup over time is something we must pay close attention to.
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What can be done about stress build-up?
Stress cannot be avoided altogether.□ The best defense is to reset your stress meter daily.□ By doing so, you leave behind the misfortunes from yesterday and as a result, nothing builds up inside.□ For example, what if you have terrific plans for□ your day. Unfortunately, you got sick and everything you planned went down the drain.□ If you let this bother you, then you may lose sleep and ruin your day tomorrow.□ Then a snowball effect can take over and the repercussions can be devastating.
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Instead, if you reset your stress meter and leave these things behind, then you may get a nice night of sleep.□ Being sick wasn’t your fault anyways so why make a deal out of it? Tomorrow is another day and you can start fresh.□ Finish what you need to do then and you’ll have no stress under your belt whatsoever.
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In Matthew 6:34 under the New Testament, Jesus said “Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself.□ Each day has enough trouble of its own.”□ This really is the solution for us to avoid accumulating stress.□ In addition, apostle Paul said in Ephesians 4:26 to not let the sun go down while you are still angry.□ Again, he reminded us to reset our stress meter daily, so that we can really release the pressure and enjoy ourselves.□ I encourage you□ to really implement this concept.□ One day’s burden is one day’s burden.□ There is no need to take on tomorrow’s load today, and even less need to carry on yesterday’s old baggage.□ Just reset your stress meter daily and you’ll be glad you did.
Dear friends, God does love you, very, very much, but there are things that have happened that are not going to be okay. So many among us are grieving for lost loved ones, or anxious for sons and daughters sent off to war, or fighting private battles against illness or betrayal or finances. The days can get very bleak and the nights offer no relief. Still, God is in control so even in the middle of all of this there is a reason to hope. There is a reason to believe that there will come a day when the ache hurts a little less than it does today.
Why do bad things happen? I can't answer that, but I know this -- God is very real. He loves us very much and the events that break our hearts break his heart. When God created the world it was perfect and beautiful. He created man and woman and gave them free will. Our choices brought sin into the world. The perfect world he created was ruined, but God didn't abandon us to our choices. He sent redemption in the form of his Son. He sent a savior to bring us hope.
There is reason to hope, even now. The Bible tells us that God promises he will never leave us (Heb 13:5). He can make something beautiful out of ugly circumstances. He can bring good out of what others meant for evil (Gen 50:20). He still offers hope and peace to each of us today.
You can know peace tonight.
There is a line in an old hymn that says "Let there be peace in the world and let it begin with me." Whether that means peace on a worldwide scale or peace in your own hear, it can begin with you right now. John 3:16 tells us that God loves the world so much that He sent Jesus, His only Son, to die for us so that everyone who believes in Him can have everlasting life.
You can receive Christ right now by faith through prayer. Praying is simply talking to God. God knows your heart and is not so concerned with your words as He is with the attitude of your heart. Here's a suggested prayer:
Lord, I need you now more than ever. I want your peace of mind. In the midst of my broken heart and my pain, I turn to you. Jesus, I ask you to forgive my sins and to give me your peace and comfort. I open the door of my life and put my trust in you.
If you sincerely expressed that prayer to God, you can know that you have a personal relationship with Him. He will be your comfort in these troubled times. God promises us "peace that passes understanding" in other words peace in a world that doesn't make sense. You can know peace even while the world is in turmoil. God does not change. Ever.
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~Mr. Lee Liang-Da is currently a professional business management trainer. He is a certified worker counselor and national human resource agent. He is also the director of www.seewant.org