Strategies, methods, or tools in my toolbox: in this age of worry, stress, and anxiety, I need to have resources to maintain peace in my heart and tranquility in my mind. It is so easy for my mind to be cluttered with the many facets of anxiety offered by today’s society. I need to be wise enough to have a few strategies to fall back upon to combat this clutter.
And if my mind is unsettled, my body can suffer the consequences. One article spoke of different physical maladies that can be a result of unresolved stress. Among them are: insomnia, depression, panic attacks, colds and viruses, diabetes, and heart issues. (Illnesses Caused by Stress/ everydayhealth.com/ 11.15.2017) In addition to maintaining good physical habits like avoiding caffeine, nicotine, and alcohol, being physically active, and creating healthy sleep routines, this article also advocated employing relaxation techniques. This can include prayer, journaling, and talking to someone about those stressors.
About relying on prayer as a strategy to combat stress and maintain peace, one verse in particular seems to simplify this technique. The Apostle Peter penned: “Casting all your care upon Him for He cares for you.” (1Peter 5:7) This method of literally throwing or tossing our burdens and worries is based on the fact that God cares for us more than the burdens we bear. We are His concern. God is bigger, stronger, and smarter than I am. He is completely capable of carrying those loads that are too heavy for me to carry. He can grant me wisdom for solutions. James encourages us to ask God for that needed wisdom.
Peace, that freedom from disturbance, that quietness and calmness, can be regularly obtained and maintained by practicing the strategy of casting my cares upon Him, remembering that He truly cares for me.
