[:en]Psalms 46 is God’s answer for stress. The synonym for stress are: strain, pressure, and tension. It comes from the Latin word “Strictus” meaning “to be drawn tight”. Images of stress include racing heartbeat, rising blood pressure, sweaty palms, burning stomach, and razing edged nerves. It stretches our emotions like a rubber band ready to snap.
Not all stress is bad because we need some to stimulate creativity and growth. But to be stressed out with pressures, schedules, and expectations will grab our life as well as our necks in a pit of snapping alligators.
Here are 3 promises from God who is concerned about the stress in our lives.
- God’s Protection – “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble (v. 1). Therefore we will not fear though the earth give away” (v. 2). After the fall of man, the world is full of disaster and suffering. Forces of nature, tragedy, murder, rape, robbery and drugs have threatened us with terrifying stresses. God does not promise to take us out of the real world, but He promises to provide us a place of defense (a refuge) and the power to fight (an ever-present help and strength). So, when the storm is blowing on us, when the trouble is unbearable, and the battle is fierce, we have a hiding place to run to. He will hide us and help us. He will give us the strength to run the race and reach the goal. Therefore, we do not have to be afraid (v. 2)
- God’s Presence – “The Lord Almighty is with us, the God of Jacob is our fortress” (vs. 7, 11). The songwriter poetically described God as a river V. 4). The river was the lifeblood of Jerusalem when it was under siege by the enemy. Without the water from the river, there would have no survival to speak about. God’s presence is like a river, a powerful moving force of water that we can depend upon. For “God is with her (city of God of God’s child), she will not fall (v. 5) Unnexpected winds of stress threaten to blow us up, but the presence of God keep us standing. Jesus is sailing our boat that won’t sink. And the storm won’t last forever. Jesus is the source of living water flowing out from His throne. The living water for washing is a picture of the Word of God. But the water for drinking is a picture of the spirit of God. If we drink from His hidden river, we have joy of the Lord and His enablement.
- God’s Peace – “Be Still and know that I am God” (v. 10) We are living in a world full of turmoil. TV brings us news of disasters, hostage taking, rape, robberies, revolutions, war, gang violence, forest fire, tornado, storm, earthquake, and flood casualties. Does God care about the problems that we are facing now? Yes, He does. “He makes war cease to the ends of the earth; He breaks the bow and shatters the spear, He burns the shields with fire” (v. 9). But what if He does not directly intervene? God’s word to you is “Be still” meaning “relax” and know that I am God” (v. 10) . The Hebrew “Be Still” here means “Take your hands off”. He is telling us to let Him be God in your life. Let God’s hand do the job. Do not be hands on in manipulating, plotting, scheming or controlling. In other words, do not play God in your life. Let Him truly be God in your life. The creator promise peace to those who are mentally and emotionally overloaded. But He wants us to deal with stress one issue at a time. Jesus said: “Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own” (Mat. 6:34)
When you are having stress, find a quiet place to relax for 5 minutes. Remember Jesus telling you: “Be still and know that I am God”. To relax your muscle and calm your mind, you should channel your stressful energy into doing something for others!
Let us keep these two verses by heart:
- “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear” (v. 1-2)
- “Be still and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth (v. 10)
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