Are you stressed? Distracted? Pulled in too many directions? If so, you will not be able to achieve at your best.
People do well with “some” stress. They say a little stress is good for you. I remember making my best charcoal drawing while furious about something I’ve long since forgotten. And I put aside some heavy sress while I cranked out a story about a paper airplane in the Astrodome. But when life is REALLY hard, when you are OVERWHELMED, you will not be able to achieve.
The Bible shows this in the stories of David and Solomon. David may be Israel’s greatest king, but it was his son Solomon who built Israel’s greatest temple. Why? Because David’s life and reign were marked by war. And nothing demands a king’s full attention the way wars do.
Solomon said: “You know my father David was not able to build a temple for the name of Yahweh his God. This was because of the warfare all around him until the Lord put his enemies under his feet. The Lord my God has now given me rest all around; there is no enemy or crisis. So I plan to build a temple for the name of Yahweh my God.” 1 Kings 5:3-5.
David, a man of war, deeply and desperately wanted to build the temple. But God gave that task to his son, a man of peace.
Do you have great goals? More importantly, have you let stress and crises stop you from achieving those goals? Solomon knew that crises could get in the way of building the greatest temple ever, to honor the greatest God ever. But God gave Solomon peace on all sides.
Pray. Dear God, give me PEACE. Help me rest in You, and leave my struggles with You. Give me the right goals—Your goals—and grant me the peace I need so I can achieve those goals. I give you my worries, fears, anxiety, my anger, my doubts, and my crises. I know that You are on Your throne. I trust You. I rest in You. I love You. Give me no goals and no dreams except Your goals and dreams for me. Use me to glorify You. I am Yours, God.
ΑΩ