Not long ago, I was invited to a table talk where this very topic was discussed. ‘Blessed and not stressed ‘.

In today’s society,  stress has become the new normal, an acceptable way of life, and people are finding all sorts of ways to cope with it. Well, I have come with a new offering,  YOU DO NOT HAVE TO LIVE A LIFE OF STRESS!

Does that mean you can avoid pressures? Maybe not, at least not in the world you and I live in today. Pressure and stress ful situations will come at you at some point or another, but how you handle them is what determines if you live a stress free life or a stress full live.

What does it mean to be blessed?
Another word for blessing is benediction. A pronouncement of good over someone or something. It means to speak well of…
When God created humans  in the beginning,  He blessed them( Genesis 1:28 ). God spoke good things over us, and that is who we are. You are not blessed because you have a big house and a big car,  You are blessed because you are made in the image and likeness of God.

You are blessed because Jesus took every curse when He died on the cross and, in exchange, offered blessing to everyone who would accept what He has done.
Now, for you to live that blessed life, you have to first know what the blessed life is, and we have a manual that shows and tells us, and it is called the bible.

I mentioned earlier about having pressures and pressures come to everyone. What the bible does is show you how to manage that pressure. Look at the book of Psalm, for instance:

“Happy are those who reject the advice of evil people,who do not follow the example of sinners or join those who have no use for God.
[2] Instead, they find joy in obeying the Law of the LORD, and they study it day and night.
[3] They are like trees that grow beside a stream, that bear fruit at the right time, and whose leaves do not dry up. They succeed in everything they do.”

Psalm 1:1-3 GNT

This passage gives you guidance on living a blessed and happy life ( which some think is impossible) .

These are tried and tested methods, and these are just three verses in one chapter of a book!
Imagine what reading and implementing the rest of the book will do for you. It will give you wisdom on how to handle difficult situations, direction when you are confused, hope when you are down, and courage when you feel like giving up.

What are some of the reasons people live stressed lives ?

1) Looking through the wrong lens: If you live your life looking through someone else’s vision,  you will live a very frustrated and stressful life. People misunderstand what it means to be blessed, and so they attribute it to having material things. There are people who consider others blessed because they go on holidays, drive nice cars, and stay on top of the latest fashion and gadgets.  So when they see their neighbours, colleagues, or friends in these situations,  they automatically consider themselves less than they actually are. They are seeing themselves from the lens of the other people and not really seeing themselves for who they are and how they can advance without external pressure.

2) Unrealistic expectations: The passage above says in verse 3 :They are like trees that grow beside a stream that bear fruit at the right time: Are you expecting fruits without due process?  There is due process for everything, and if you ignore that, you will live a very stressful life.
Have you started a business and after a year expected the same return as a similar business down the road which have been for 10 years?
Do you put in so little and expect so much ? Do you put in so much but don’t give it enough time? Things like that will stress you out. You need to remember that patience is a virtue and learn to manage your expectations.

3) Life on the fence: This is one of the reasons,  some people lead stressful lives. They are neither here nor there, and as a result,  they don’t get results. Make up your mind today, where are you at. What do you want to do, and how do you intend on getting there? Remember,  if you stand for nothing, you will fall for anything, and what a sorry life that will be.

4) Lack of rest. How  can one talk about stress and not mention rest. If you wait until you are tired before taking a rest,  it is already too late. Your body was designed to function at full capacity with rest included.  Rest is not an afterthought of God for humanity, God instituted rest as part of daily living. There are people who service their cars not because there is a malfunction but  because the service date is due( those cars typically last longer), how much more the human body and mind. Give yourself a break. Take a walk, get fresh air. Plan a stop and rest time for yourself. Don’t be forced by your body  to rest. Give your mind and body attention before they forcefully demand it off you!

Remember, you are blessed, so you can live without stress!

Every blessing

Kingdom