Want to stay afloat and be truly successful even when under pressure? Then read and abide by this.
Man pursues success all his life. It is the only thing the world recognises. In the course of the pursuit of success, some make it but many drown. Even those who make it, eventually succumb to weariness and get burnt out. Some may seem victorious, successful, happy and contended in the eyes of this world till the end, but only when you dig into their lives, will you see the amount of heartaches, uncertainties and fear of the unknown they held in their hearts when they breathed their last. That shows that they have been hiding behind the mask of worldly success.
Work pressure and workload is endless and will pile up endlessly. Whether you are a CEO of a company or a table cleaner in a restaurant, it is the same. This pressure is caused by the need to earn and survive. Over the course of time this need to survive evolves into the need to be and become someone of status in this world. That need in turn evolves into the need to please people in order to be liked and to be popular, the need to acquire material goods and stay on top of the ladder and the economic status. This is a never ending cycle of human beings.
The only way to climb up and sit on top of it all and manage it with ease, is with Jesus. Without Christ Jesus everyone who claims to know it all and be it all and have it all, will crash land and be buried under the mountain load of the pile of stressful situations and work.
Relaxation is pursed by everyone under pressure and also by those not under it. It is good. But again without Jesus, it will lead and lure you into the endless pursuit of the pleasures of the world and of the flesh.
To my Christian brothers and sisters I plead:-
Never let your hearts grow cold to the matters of God and your soul.
Do not let the fire of the Holy Spirit which ignited your hearts once with passionate love for Jesus wane off or die.
The world and its endless pleasures and our endless life's pursuits scream out for our attention daily. Once we enter that forest of no return alone, we are bound to be lost in it, unless we enter in with Jesus. He, our Saviour, is the only One, Who will lead us and help us pursue and achieve true success and what is best for our eternal gain. He will help us, who are in this world but "are not of the world" (Jn 17:16) come out unscathed. Jesus prayed for us to Father God, asking Him to protect us in Jn 17:15,16. He still stands before Father God as our only mediator.
When you wake up, run to Him. Surrender yourself and every member of your family to Him. Fill your mind with Scripture verses. They are food for our souls. Just as you yearn to eat delicious and healthy food for your body, learn to savour the energising and life giving Word of God daily. Meditate on God's Word daily. Throughout the day as you pursue your daily duties and relaxations bring Jesus with you. Acknowledge His presence and include Him in every plan of yours. Ask Him if what you are doing and planning is pleasing in Father God's sight! Never plan or do anything which is opposed to God's desire, although it may seem wonderful to you. At the end of each day, take time to reflect on all that has happened and see if you have offended God in anyway by doing something against His will or by not doing something which He desired. Repent and ask the Holy Spirit for help to not repeat, whatever displeased Father God, the following day. Make this routine a daily affair.
If you are too busy and do not have the time for whatever I mentioned above, then my dear, you are in the danger zone. The pressures of this world are ever so subtle. They will lure you in with their tantalizing methods and suffocate you once you are submerged. Ego, arrogance, greed, jealousy, self-sufficiency, self-righteousness, fear of men, fear of losing, fear of the unknown, fear of everything (except fear of God which is the only good fear), stress, confusion, anger, bitterness, hatred, depression, suicidal tendencies, are just some of the many fruits of, the venturing out on your own in this world.
The only hand that will pull you out completely from this cesspool, is the hand of Jesus. Yes, many other hands will want to pull you out; worldly motivations and worldly counseling. Albeit, these will bring you on a winding path and confuse you even more and lead you back to where you were. Learn to recognise the Hand of Jesus. To do that, you need to really 'Know' Jesus.
There are numerous motivational books and counselors in this world. All these take some of the biblical principles, insert some worldly principles and twist it to seem to help you. You may be amazed to see that what these counselors tell you seem to be biblically sound. You may notice that some methods vary but they seem sound. Only in the end you will find out that you are where you began and need to go back to them again for counseling. That will become a scary nightmare for you if you are not rooted in Christ Jesus and His teachings.
Many counselors themselves need counseling. Many of them have lost their bearings along the way. Many have gone through the worst nightmares, gone through divorces and lost their families. Why? Through the course of counseling others, they themselves need someone higher, more knowledgeable and powerful than them to hold their hand and help them maneuver through the maze, unscathed. That Someone is Jesus and many do not know that or very sadly do not accept that Truth!
What does this show? There is no better way than God's own Way; Jesus, the Bible, God's Word and it's timeless methods to 'be in this world but not be of this world'!
Ask the Holy Spirit to rekindle the fire in your heart to pursue Jesus passionately if you have lost it. Feed on His Word and meditate on it, chew it, ruminate it, drink of it's fresh essence, let it nourish your body, soul and spirit.
Psalm 55:22 NIV
Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken.
Isaiah 41:10,13 NIV
So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. [13] For I am the Lord your God who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you.
Matthew 11:28-30 NIV
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. [29] Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. [30] For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
As you do this, know that I have prayed for God's mercy and grace upon you dear reader. Please stay obedient to God's Word and be rooted in Christ Jesus and empowered by the Holy Spirit Who is our personal Counselor.
Love you much
Mrs Mary Augustine
5th July 2021
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