Several years ago I had a stress attack that left me with a brain that I'd thought would never think again. Stress can have a negative impact on our lives and yet, stress is what gets us up every morning to go to work, to look after our family and to care for ourselves.
Stress is caused by the imbalance of overwork and little relaxation. I was too busy wanting to be super mum that I forgot about my own needs. I was running my own business, my home, and I was homeschooling. My husband got ill and needed surgery. His business also needed someone to run it. You guessed it, more responsibility for me. I had little in reserve to cope with this added stress. Something had to give, unfortunately it was me. I ended up in hospital for three days and it took two years to get back on my feet.
My stress was the bad kind of stress. I allowed it to pile up on top of me, ignoring the headaches and sleepless nights, saying I could do anything. I was pushing myself to an early grave and I didn't know it. I had no choice but to slow down.
I came across a Bible verse: Matthew 6:34 - "Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."
I meditated on this verse for several months and the truth set in. I wanted complete control of my life so much I worried incessantly about situations that weren't under my control. As soon as I stopped worrying about these situations my stress levels dropped dramatically. My life turned for the better and I started planning for God's purpose for my life instead of mine. I planned my goals and schedules, but I lived my days in the present, hour by hour, working toward my goals. My mind became clearer because it wasn't cluttered by worry that robbed me of energy and life.
If you're a worrier, I encourage you to start meditating on Matthew 6:34. Worrying about tomorrow is time wasted because God has a purpose for your life. Put God in your plans, cease worrying, and your tomorrows will start to have a new sense of purpose and wonder you'd never thought possible because God is for you, not against you.