IF ONLY

" . . . Oh, that I had the wings of a dove! For then I would fly away, and be at rest." ~ Psalm 55:6 ~


Whether we choose to admit it or not, we’ve all been victims to the world-wide cry of "if only."

If only this could have been . . . if only that would have been; If only he would do . . . if only she wouldn’t do; If only they were . . . if only they weren’t; If only we had this, that, or the other . . .

In a time of great distress, even King David mourned an "If only." In Psalm 55:6 David shares the reason for his if-only cry: So he could "be at rest."

At one time or another, we’ve all been there. Whether individually or collectively, whether in audible words or silent thoughts, we’ve all wished for something or someone to be or not to be. And the bad part about it all is that we allow such situations to steal our peace of mind.

If there is one thing that stress-survivors absolutely cannot afford to do, it is to be passive. We’re totally defeating our purpose when we stand idly and unconcerned in areas that dictate our well being.

Regardless of how large or small the issue may seem, we must safeguard our surroundings. We must be bold—and confident. And we must stand firm on issues that warrant our attentiveness.

No ma’am . . . No sir, no more fretting for us. For we realize we’re fighting a stressful enemy. And we refuse to willfully roll over and surrender our peace, simply because we can’t handle this thing called "stress."

Peace I leave with you . . .

TIT FOR TAT

"Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright: for the end of that man is peace . . ." Psalm 37:37

Our society is bent on swapping evil for evil, blow for blow, an eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth. The bottom line according to the world’s way is, "If you hurt me, I’ll hurt you back."

Strangely enough, a great many people purposely live like this. But one of the saddest things about this type of living is that it never ceases to bring about dissension. For all involved, retaliating with a tit-for-tat attitude is the wrong way to go.

Contrary to much doubt and unbelief, there are significant rewards for doing things the right way—God’s way. God’s Word goes as far as to guarantee peace when we walk upright.

If, as Psalm 37:37 suggests, we observe those who strive for righteousness as set forth by God, it’s evident how the peace of God surrounds their lives.

On the other hand, when we spend time in the presence of people who dwell with that gotta-get-you-back mentality, we’ll certainly see lots of chaos.

Be mindful that verse 37 says to "mark the perfect man . . ." Now that's not the "perpetrating" man. There’s a difference in those who talk righteously and those who indeed walk righteously.

While on this mission to eliminate as much stress as possible, we consider peace as our number one priority. And if that peace is found in the trenches of God’s righteousness, then that’s where we stress-survivors must abide.

Peace I leave with you . . .

HOPSCOTCH

"The Lord shall preserve your going out and your coming in from this time forth, and even forevermore." ~ Psalm 121:8 ~


Remember back in the day when we played that old game called Hopscotch? Oh what fun we had! We must've played that game a thousand times.

First, we used a pointed stick to draw the hopscotch diagram in the dirt: One square box, then two side-by-side; Another square box, another two side-by-side; We repeated that a third time, then added one last box to complete it.

Next, we found a marker—usually a piece of broken glass or a bottle top—and tossed it from box to box, (in sequence, of course) while hopping back and forth with one foot in the single boxes and two feet in the double boxes. If we tossed our marker outside the line or accidentally hopped a foot outside it, we’d loose a turn and have to wait for our time to start over.

While hopscotch was mostly played by energetic young folk, it required a great deal of strategy and skill. And for every ounce of fun we enjoyed, there were times when we became equally frustrated.

Come to think of it, we’re still caught up in that hopscotch shuffle today. Whether we realize it or not, each of our lives demands some sort of strategy and skill to stay afloat. And indeed, fun and frustration continue to swarm around us.

One unforgettable fact of the hopscotch from yesteryear is that no matter how frustrating the game became—or we became—we kept on playing.

Isn’t that so much like our lives today? In order to "play the game" of life, we hop back and forth with our various strategies and skills. We’re sometimes successful . . . and sometimes not. We fall down . . . but we get up.

True, we don’t always hit the mark. And, yes, our feet still get tangled up now and then. We suffer losses. Starting over is often necessary. But regardless of how stressed or how upset we become, we must keep on keeping on. For we've discovered, back in those youthful years, that there are times in life when we don’t always win.

Whether engaged in a fun game of hopscotch or a frustrating game of having-to-cope-with-life, keep hopping.


Peace I leave with you . . .

UNDER THE CIRCUMSTANCES

"These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world." ~ John 16.33 ~


Ever feel like the troubles of the world are piling up on you? Like you’re about to suffocate underneath the pressures of so many problems?

What do we do when we feel like everything from everybody and everywhere continues to press us down? Who do we call? Who do we turn to?

We call on Jesus. We turn to Him and believe in His words. And, come what may, we cling to our faith in Him.

In John 16:33, Jesus says in Him we can have peace. That’s good news—especially when struggling day after day with one circumstance after the other.

If we are to survive the stresses of being bogged down with burdens, then we need a savior. We need Jesus!

Life is hard. And, at times, it gets even harder. Jesus is the one-and-only Savior, and He can lift us up from under any circumstances. He has the power to deliver us from the wiles of this world.

Jesus warned us that in this world we'd have problems, "But be of good cheer." He said He’s overcome the world. And if we’re connected as closely to Jesus as we’d like to believe, then we, too, can and will overcome.

Whenever we discover that we’re drowning in a sea of troubles, Jesus can fix it. To reiterate the melodious words of the late gospel singer Frank Williams, "If Jesus can’t fix it, nobody can."

No matter what the case may be, Jesus can deliver us from under any circumstance.


Peace I leave with you . . .

PEACEMAKERS

"Blessed are the peacemakers . . ." ~ Matthew 5:9 ~


What's the first thing that comes to mind for "peacemakers?" Someone who is kind? Gentle? Sweet-tempered? Agreeable? Good-natured? What about an advocate of good will?

The Bible affirms blessings for the peacemakers who strive to keep peace. But for the sake of us stress-survivors, let's consider the peacemakers who seek to make peace.

It's no secret that we're living in an era where peace is not exactly plentiful. People are guilty of snatching peace whenever and wherever it can be found. And some are sad and stressed out for a total lack of it.

We all can agree that periodically we yearn for peace--not necessarily an undisturbed atmosphere--but an inner tranquillity that soothes the heart, mind, and soul. A peace that produces those long-awaited "Aaaahs."

Living in a stressful world with stressful people, we must learn to be peacemakers in our own lives and initiate peace. In other words, we must make peace.

How do we do that? First and foremost, to make peace we must make time for prayer. Those who regularly engage in prayer know its stress-busting power. Those who are skeptical of it should try prayer and see the peace it gives.

Next, to make peace, we must make priorities. Placing everything in proper perspective is essential to making the best of our time and our affairs.

Above all, we must make up our minds not to worry or fret. Sure, there are constant issues in our lives, but we must make certain not to allow them to camouflage the beauty that surrounds us.

Peacemakers have the awesome task to personally and professionally make peace.


Peace I leave with you . . .

LITTLE THINGS

"For who has despised the day of small things . . ." ~Zechariah 4:10 ~

One of the root causes of tension and stress in our lives is our disregard for little things. Many stress-survivors have found truth in the old adage, “Little things mean a lot.”

Let’s see . . . When was the last time you took a day to rest, relax, or engage in a favorite activity? How long has it been since you sat with family or friends and enjoyed hours of fellowship and fun?

For ages, people have encouraged one another to take time to smell the roses. Whether people literally beheld the fragrance of roses didn’t really matter. The point intended was that we take time to savor the little things in life--things that keep the heart happy and hopeful.

Bravo to the handful of folk who seek to indulge in small things to de-stress the mind. Those who often gather to share a pot of coffee or sip a cup of tea can testify how refreshing it is. Those who set aside time for group get-togethers and outings will readily recommend that others join in.

Perhaps it’s time for more of us to consider some little things.

Things that will put a smile on an unhappy face.

Things that will make a sad person laugh out loud.

Things that will put the sparkle back into stressed eyes.

Things that will lighten the burden of a heavy heart.

Go ahead. Play your favorite games. Put together a thousand piece jigsaw puzzle. Go out to see a movie and enjoy hot-buttered popcorn. Take a walk in the park with a friend and giggle all the way. Soak by candlelight in a tub filled with scented bubbles. Curl up in bed with a good book and read all night long. Call an old friend and reminisce over old times.

Call it crazy, corny, boring, old-fashioned, or whatever . . . but never under-estimate the value of little things.


Peace I leave with you . . .

ASAP

“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made know to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” ~~Philippians 4:6~~

Ever been caught up in a situation where you wanted something and you wanted it right away? Do the notable words "as soon as possible" seem to ring any bells in your life?

It's amazing how, in a twinkling of an eye, something or someone crosses our path and outright fascinates us . . . and Wow! There're no ifs or ands or buts about it, we want it and we want it ASAP!

And when we don’t immediately get what we want, we yield to stress. In some cases, we can't eat, can't sleep, can't concentrate. While overly-anxious, we subject ourselves to a host of unhealthy worries and stress.

What is it that causes our hearts and minds to become so anxious and yearn so strongly for mortals and materialistics? Why do we allow the things of this world to consume us to the point that we loose sight of all logical, not to mention godly, reasoning?

In the book of Philippians, God’s Word outlines exactly what we should do. In making our request known to God by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, we are assured "peace." Peace beyond anything we could ever imagine.

Instead of being anxious, be prayerful. And expect the peace of God . . . ASAP.


Peace I leave with you . . .