Its the days when you walk in from a seemingly long morning, lots of things to do, not nearly enough time. You want comfort food. You walk to the freezer, grab one of your favorite pizzas to pop in and realize its “gluten free.” Its noon. The day already feels like it’s been 10 times longer than it should’ve and you want to cry. You put the pizza in anyways and pray to God it somehow tastes better than it sounds, but secretly wonder if this is some kind of joke. Because what’s funnier than a gluten free pizza? When all you wanted was doughy fat pizza with cheese stuffed in it.

The days where you want to scream but can’t because nothing comes out. You want to cry but you’re incapable of tears. The days where they end so quickly in work related things, but drag on so long when you should be doing work. Those days? Yeah they suck.

Stress is something everyone deals with. At one point in your life, you will feel stressed out about something, or multiple things. Stress, while it is just an emotion, encompasses your whole body. It takes your energy, your time, your thoughts, your tasks and essentially your personality captive. Stress is a thief. In the midst of stress, we feel various other emotions, vulnerability, rage, and sometimes sadness for no apparent reason. I’ve never been one to cry at much. I don’t cry in sappy love stories, I don’t tear up at weddings, its not because I’m heartless, it’s merely because happiness is not an emotion I generally generate tears in. But stress, I generate tears in stress. Multiple, salty, wet, ones- you-can’t-get-out-of-your-mouth, tears. We all deal with stress differently. There’s an actual scientific chemical that stress produces in your body causing it to be actually harmful to you. However if I tried to name it off to you I would butcher it and that would stress the scientists off… Bottom line? Stress itself is STRESSFUL.

Sometimes we need to stop and think. We need to detach ourselves from the world. Which is why I decided to do a fast. I heard God speak many different things during this week that I should give up. He likes to remove distractions that take away from my time with him. Rightfully so. It amazes me, I mean not really because he’s God, that he knows me so well. He cares enough to know me so well. First thing he urged me to get rid of was Netflix. I have a strange obsession with Grey’s Anatomy. This is my second time watching it all the way through. So I went a week without McDreamy. It made sense because I watched Netflix at any given free time. In the Library when I was done with homework, In the bathtub with my laptop pulled next to it (but far enough away it wouldn’t get wet), at night before I went to bed. You get the idea. Next was Social Media. That one however was not as hard as I had thought. I think we are more subconsciously addicted than we think. Often times I would open my phone and my finger would go straight to where Instagram used to be. (Jesus Juke: my bible app is now in place of the Instagram app) I wouldn’t even be thinking “wow I wonder what’s happening on Insta.” It would just happen. Once you train yourself that you don’t have to know what everyone of your followers are doing every second of the day, you’re really ok.

Next was shopping. Ouch, this one hurts. Essentially because when I am STRESSED, I shop. I don’t know where exactly the money comes from, but I always buy something when I am stressed. Just simply going into TJ Maxx releases stress and generates happiness. I feel relieved just walking in there. Its a problem, I’m aware. Yesterday, I actually had to take a different route home to avoid distractions of shopping.

Are we so caught up in our own problems that we forget that the Father waits for us to lay them at his feet?

I link stress and fasting because these are all the things I go to, to “wind down.” 3 different things that are not Christ. Netflix relaxes me, but does it reassure me? Social media actually stresses me out MORE if we’re being honest. Shopping is something that is fulfilling for a moment but then it goes away. (With my money I might add.) None of these things truly satisfy. Worship music fulfills, it reassures. Being in HIS presence allows us to completely relax. Stress is not a driving factor in our life. Stress does not control who we are or how we react. The Father is the answer to stress. He provides, he heals, he even cares when we’re complaining about gluten free pizza! We forget sometimes the peace that surpasses all understanding, that comes from the Lord. In the midst of stress, we need peace, strength, and fulfillment. What is it that is keeping you from gaining those? He’s there, open armed ready to take us in. Lay the stress at His feet. Lay the work, the pain, the confusion, the consumption and just be. Psalm 46:10 “be still and know I AM GOD.” Sit still, stop moving, stop looking for answers on your own. Quit trying to meet deadlines on your own. Know that HE is God. With HIM ALL things are possible. Without Him? We’re a Mess of Stress.