Be still, and know that I am God...
Psalm 46:10
During the past couple of Bible studies, the Lord has me teaching about stress...
Psalm 46:10
During the past couple of Bible studies, the Lord has me teaching about stress...
What it is, and how it affects us. Also, how we, as Christians who are incarcerated, are dealing with it?
I told the men, "For many of us, our lives are filled with stress." They agreed. So we spent time sharing about the different types of stress we encounter on a daily basis. We looked at what some of these might be, and we saw that for most of us, they were the same or similar. While other types of stresses were unique. But either way, they all place pressures upon us that are real.
"There's so much going on in the world now. We're all under pressure," I said. "It's easy to feel overwhelmed at times," and they concurred. Between the levels of noise in the housing areas and the constant commotion of prison life, as well as the pressures created by the disorganized gangs who try to control the phones, the weights in the yards, and the food in the messhall, we encounter stress.
"So, how do we as Christians deal with this?" I asked. The responses were many and varied. "We need to pray more," several of the men said. While others added, "We need to read our bibles more." "We need to keep going to church." "We need to have the fruits of the Holy Spirit." "We should share our faith more."
All good suggestions, I said. But as we began to look at various Scriptures, what we came to realize is that most of all, we need to know that God is always in control. "Be still," God's word declares. "Trust in me with all your heart," His word advises. So on we went looking up one bible passage after another, the men taking turns to read them out loud.
We then read about the peace the Lord Jesus promised to His followers when we looked at John 14:27. "Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." While some other Scriptures we also looked at were John 16:33, Philippians 4:4-8, 1 Peter 5:7, and more.
I then closed the class by reading one of my favorite Scriptures. "You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you!" (Isaiah 26:3 NLT).
I hope to continue, on the topic of overcoming stress, in next Wednesday's class, as well.
D.B.
I told the men, "For many of us, our lives are filled with stress." They agreed. So we spent time sharing about the different types of stress we encounter on a daily basis. We looked at what some of these might be, and we saw that for most of us, they were the same or similar. While other types of stresses were unique. But either way, they all place pressures upon us that are real.
"There's so much going on in the world now. We're all under pressure," I said. "It's easy to feel overwhelmed at times," and they concurred. Between the levels of noise in the housing areas and the constant commotion of prison life, as well as the pressures created by the disorganized gangs who try to control the phones, the weights in the yards, and the food in the messhall, we encounter stress.
"So, how do we as Christians deal with this?" I asked. The responses were many and varied. "We need to pray more," several of the men said. While others added, "We need to read our bibles more." "We need to keep going to church." "We need to have the fruits of the Holy Spirit." "We should share our faith more."
All good suggestions, I said. But as we began to look at various Scriptures, what we came to realize is that most of all, we need to know that God is always in control. "Be still," God's word declares. "Trust in me with all your heart," His word advises. So on we went looking up one bible passage after another, the men taking turns to read them out loud.
We then read about the peace the Lord Jesus promised to His followers when we looked at John 14:27. "Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." While some other Scriptures we also looked at were John 16:33, Philippians 4:4-8, 1 Peter 5:7, and more.
I then closed the class by reading one of my favorite Scriptures. "You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you!" (Isaiah 26:3 NLT).
I hope to continue, on the topic of overcoming stress, in next Wednesday's class, as well.
D.B.
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