Pressure, it’s everywhere. It sneaks into every part of our lives. We have pressure in marriage, pressure to keep up and have more, and pressure to give our kids the latest gadgets. We even experience pressure for our time. No doubt about it, life today is stressful! And with stress comes fear. We fear losing it. We fear we won’t be enough for our families. We fear failure. So, we work longer and do more, all in the name of fear. Even though adding more is not the way to handle pressure, we do it anyway. Before we know it our lives can resemble a three ring circus as we try to juggle it all on top of a high wire. One of our greatest fears is having someone discover the truth: We can’t really juggle it all.
Think about your own life for a moment. What stressful circumstances are you facing that seem hopeless? Do you often feel like everything depends on you? Perhaps, you fear that you won’t measure up or you fear what others think of you. Maybe you fear missing out on opportunities so you stretch yourself thin dipping your controlling fingers into every pot. Could it be that discontentment with life is adding undue stress and pressure?
When the pressure is on in my life, it’s a sign that my priorities are out of balance. When this is true, I need to make some adjustments.
As a Christian, my life doesn’t belong to me. I shouldn’t be the one ordering my days. When I do, my life becomes unstable. When this happens, I’ve learned to do a quick review of my life by using this acrostic on priorities in order to re-prioritize my life:
P – Pray. Ask God for wisdom. Ask Him to show you His priorities for this season of your life.
R – Review God’s priorities for your life. Study God’s Word to determine His priorities for you as a woman.
I – Take Inventory Examine the activities that consume your time. Keep a time log for a week. Then ask hard questions. What are my true priorities? Are they the right ones?
O – Order your schedule. Ask, “What is important?” Make the hard choices based on God’s priorities for your life.
R – Resist the “tyranny of the urgent.” Don’t let the urgent keep you from focusing on the truly important.
I – Input from others. Seek input, counsel, and accountability from authorities, your husband, godly friends, and mentors.
T – Take advantage of the time God gives you. Don’t waste time. Do all to the glory of God.
I – Identify time robbers. What saps your energy and robs your time? Activities, attitudes, distractions, interruptions?
E – Experience this season fully. Be all there in this season of life. Weep, rejoice, work hard, and celebrate with all your heart. Don’t waste time living in the past or future.
S – Sabbaths. Take regular time outs to refresh, regain perspective, reflect and evaluate, and reprioritize. Make adjustments accordingly.
I hope taking this assessment helps ease some stress in your life and helps you make time for what’s truly important.
For more practical tips on overcoming pressure, fear, and anxiety in your life, career, finances, and family leave a comment and enter to win my book, An Untroubled Heart.
Christy says
I LOVED your devo today and your blog post. It came at a great time in my life and was perfect for today. I have found that taking a bubble bath allows me to just relax and think about things that normally I don’t take enough time to, one of those being my Savior. I sometimes don’t want to take the time because I feel too busy, but when I do, I feel so much better after! Thanks for this!
Bobbey says
Your Devo and blog spoke directly to me today. I am so annoyed with the people I love most. That line just screamed at me! I need to find some down time each and every day. Thanks for the reminder.
Brenda Asiimwe-Kateera says
I was very inspired by your blog post. It came at the right moment and spoke directly in to my situation. I felt overwhelmed by the many responsibilities I have to do but after reading your blog post, I have been reminded to relax, sort out my priorities and above all, go to God for refreshment and rest. Thanks! May God continually bless you.
Stephanie McC says
Thank you so much for the reminder that only my sweet Lord can provide all my needs. I feel so guilty and the enemy plants seeds of “you are not a good mom” all the time because I try and do so much on my own. I forget that resting, taking time with the Lord and by myself is essential. How can I give anything else when I’m empty?
I love your blogs/devos. Thank you so much!
Mags says
Wise words in your Prov31 devotion today, as well as your blog. Rest is so key to balance for me. Adequate rest that is. Thank you for being a mouthpiece of reminders of the simplest and obtainable aspect.
Karin says
thank you for the encouragement, even as i try to read with kids asking asking asking! i appreciate the reminder to turn to God in the immediate, and the tools to help when i have the time later to reflect and think. today’s devo/blog are ones i will read again and again. thank you!
Handwoven Dreams says
I enjoyed today’s devotional and look forward to doing the assessment you suggest on your blog. Thanks.
carol z says
I don’t know why it is that we beat ourselves up for taking time to rest. God calls us to rest. How can we truly be effective for Him if we are overburdened with life? Monday is my day off and yet I have a list of things to do that is a mile long! However, as I start my day with Him, in His word, I am energized. I can’t start any day without resting in His word first. He is my strength! Thanks so much for your wise words.
Dawn T says
My goodness! You described the current season of my life! I knew I was not alone… you articulated it so well! Just before reading your devotional and blog post I was looking at our families June calendar (yes, June) thinking how?, when?, no way?, really??!! Time to pray and prioritize…
Julie P says
I was just praying about this last night! I long to give my best to the Lord, to my family, but that is hard when I’ve allowed myself to get stretched too thin. I loved the ‘evaluation’ you outlined, very helpful. Thanks.
A Gifted One says
I don’t normally respond to blogs, but this morning I’ve taken time off from work. I was just speaking with my Father this morning about time, peace, and rest. He has responded to me through todays devo. Somewhere in my walk with Christ “I” gave myself the title “Superwoman.” He is telling me to take the “S” off of my chest. Thank you for the acoustics outline. This is just another example of how He supplies our needs. Praise God for your listening ear as He speaks to you on behalf of His children:)(:
Crystal says
Dear Micca,
I feel those pressures that you identified regularly and sometimes find it difficult to live out my priorities. Thank you for the reminder to keep trying, and let God determine my path.
Dawn Ward says
This is definitely a relevant topic for me right now. Plus, God is really dealing with me about fear in several different areas.
Thank you for addressing all of this, Micca.
Amy Tedrow says
I loved your devotional today. It was really nice to read something and have steps to practically put it in to practice. Thank you.
In Him,
Amy
Vern ~ Inspired says
Thank you for that powerful and wise assessment outline!
Smile says
Thanks for your devotion today. It really makes me think about where I need to set my priorities.
Didn’t know if you needed my email address or not…
Geralynn.Baxter@gmail.com
My Journey to Hope says
I really identified with your devotional today. I’m an at-home mom, too, and I feel the same way, especially right after school lets out. I love my kids and constantly have to make sure I’m showing it, rather than being irritable and grouchy. And it’s hard to take time for ourselves as moms, but necessary. Thanks for a good reminder!
-Michelle
Amy says
I’m definitely sharing this acrostic with my Bible study group!
DOTK says
Micca, Thank you so much for your devotional today and blog! Wow – I needed to hear that. Can hardly wait to steal a few precious minutes to use your acrostic to re-assess… “Search me O Lord…” How I do long for His green pastures and for His restoration. Thanks for reminding me that He’s ready and waiting to lead me there.
Michelle
Lorrie says
I’m going to go back and read the rest of your devo but some folks would LOVE to have children stressing their lives with baseball and dances and such. Be grateful for all those stresses because some folks don’t get the opportunity. They long for children and are barren. They have children they love dearly but disabilities prevent them from activites…I’m sure the rest of the devo speaks to that…but I had to comment when I saw baseball and ballet…some folks would LOVE to have that problem
Tanya. says
What a truthful insight! So often, fear is the impetus behind all of this rushing…and lack of sleep seems to prevent a restful, peaceful state of heart and mind that we need to make wide decisions and set priorities///sometimes it seems to take so much courage to set aside that time before things get too much… Thank-you!
Shaye says
Wonderful. I really needed this today. I too feel like I am needed at once by 5 other people. I find myself gettin more an more annoyed. I admit that I have not yet found a balance, guilt gets the better of me. Thanks so much for your devotion it reminded me that it is not my life and to seek the balance I need from the Lord.
michelle says
Thank you for that. you have no idea what i have been through in the last few years and I can tell you this, I am broken and lost. First off my husband is an alcoholic. He gets very angry, loud and emotionally abusive to me and my 15 year old son. I was raised christian believed in god and worship and as I got older lost more faith. But for the last few years I have went to church searching for what I need to do. I love my husband, but feel I have lost myself and my soul. I Have a very good male friend to whom I turned to for comfort. Nothing has ever happened although we both talked about leaving our spouses to be together but we both believe we must stand by our priorities. i love him more than anyone else but Don not know what to do with that either. I lost my home recently and about to be laid off. If It cant get any worse. Probably yes I sure it can. I am trying to have faith and hope. But when u keep getting knocked down its a little hard. I am at my witts end. I am a diabetic to boot. So yeah, I know about stress and and trying to find time, with a full time job, and nursing school and unstable home life, well I just give up on faith and hope. But thanks for the blog It makes me feel some what happier and how to at least try.
lindas says
Hi,
Just read your “Greener pastures” devo. You are so right! After 2 years of no break from caring for my disabled daughter, I was completely losing it… My husband and I had a long talk, and he helped me realize that if I’m not getting respite, then I am no good to anyone, so I planned a long weekend (this past weekend) away with him, and no kids… I was completely renewed and refreshed. Now I don’t feel guilty for spending the money to get away each year because I know that it is for my own well being and for the well being of my whole family.
Thank you for sharing on this amazing verse…we desperately need to hear this message, so that we can serve others fully.