My friend Lauren, is one of these friendships for me. We met at a bible study that I taught one summer and over the years she has become one of my best friends. I don't know that we have ever lived in the same city, except for summers. When I moved home from college, she left for college! We keep in touch through email, phone calls, text messages but one of my favorite parts about our friendships is the times when one of us is in town and we get to talk for a couple of hours. We almost always try to block out a lunch or dinner that we can catch up on all the good stuff.
A couple of months ago we got together for dinner at Panera. If you ask anyone about Lauren they will talk about her passion and love for God. She is so completely animated when she talks about what He is doing in her life. I love this!
We got settled, prayed over our food, talked about life, family, our walks with God, laughed at crazy stories, all the usual things. Eventually I asked her how college was going and if it was stressing her out. She said almost in a whisper "oh I don't say that word anymore." I was confused. There was a pause, and I whispered back, "what word?" Lauren mouthed the word "stress". She said with every bit of conviction she had, "it's almost like a curse word to me now, God is teaching me to watch my words and that is a word that I have decided not to say anymore."
Wow! I sat back in the booth and laughed a little. I automatically loved this thought and I got the biggest kick over it. This is why this girl is one of my best friends, I learn from her! Here I was sitting across the table from her, probably in one of my "worn down, pulled tight in my schedule, this is just one of those seasons I am going to have get through" days, and it dawned on me, the little words that I have been speaking just might have an impact on my life. And though I don't curse, if stress was a cuss word, I had more than likely been cussing up a storm.
I decided to implement adding the word stress to my "cuss word list" effective immediately! :) I love a little challenge. So to be honest about my bad choice in words, I threw the words anxious and overwhelmed onto the cuss word list just for fun.
It was kind of hilarious at first how many times throughout the week I caught myself wanting to say these three little words. But it showed me just how often I was confessing this state of mind and being over my life. Confessing out loud for myself to hear and believe "I AM stressed! I AM anxious! I AM overwhelmed!" And I am not talking about crying out to God in my quiet time or asking him for solutions. I am talking about just saying it and believing it and in return, living it!
The best part of this challenge was the outcome that it produced. Instead of saying these things out loud, I closed my mouth and prayed. I was exchanging my "stress" for peace and a closer relationship with God. Instead of saying "I am just so anxious about this paper" without giving a thought to God. I quietly prayed within myself "Lord you know my heart and anxiety help me to have a calmness and peace about getting this done." Over and over, prayer by prayer, my level of anxiety and stress reduced and instead of confessing stress I was confessing FAITH. After praying I would have the FAITH to say out loud "the Lord is going to help me get through this day, accomplish this task, talk to the person..." or whatever the situation was, God was now IN it, instead of stress!
Watching our words can be especially hard, but being aware of our words and their impact can be something that spurs us forward in our walk with God. I always knew to pray about my problems or burdens but that day I learned that by controlling my words, I could use my stress and anxiety to push me closer to God, not further away!
Below is one of the verses I decided to memorize during this time period:
Philippians 4:6-7To be honest, this is still something that I am working toward and that challenges me. I can't tell you how many times I have stopped talking mid-sentence! I still get stressed, I still find myself anxious and at times I am definitely overwhelmed! The difference is now I go to the Lord with these feelings and thoughts, and give Him the time to replace my stress or anxiety with a peace that is more than I could ever accomplish on my own.
Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Be blessed today!
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