“I’ll never make it!” I thought as I was crossing the terminal at a dead run. The flight left in 15 minutes and there was still about half the airport to cross. My connecting flight had arrived a half hour late and now I was in a panic. “What would I do if I didn’t get on that plane?” All the horrors of rearranging everything came into my mind. I had to be at this meeting, my company was already on the verge of collapse and without this project, I would be bankrupt.
The last year had been a nightmare. Things had started out well enough. Three new job starts and a comfortable amount of money in the bank. But as the year progressed, delays and the inability to collect my monthly payments from contractors had brought the company to a place where I was borrowing just to meet payroll.
The only light that had occurred was the news that a new airport expansion was planned and if I could get the concrete reinforcing contract, maybe the bank would agree to extend the loans I needed to make through the year and still be in business. But everything depended on getting to this meeting to lay my proposal before the general contractor. My life was hanging on my ability to get across the airport in less than 15 minutes.
Have you been there? A moment in your life when you feel that everything you are rests on the results of one event. I’ll bet there are few of you who haven’t been through this at least once
When I look back on my life BC, that is, “Before Christ”, I find that it was one of those moments after another. Businesses that depended on that one thing for salvation. Attending the one event that was so essential missing it could mean the end of life as I knew it. Or even meeting the “right” person that would change my life. I was always looking around the corner trying to find the ultimate answer to my conundrums. But you know what, it never happened.
That is until I met the risen Savior. Jesus changed how I saw my life. Am I going to tell you now that I never have moments, events or people who affect my life good or even bad ways, what we call stress? No, but I do not build them into those life and death moments. Because I realize that He already had the true death and life moment at the cross. When I am open to that it allows me to see them in a better perspective.
I am equipped differently as a follower of Jesus than I was. I have a book that allows me to find that perspective. Verses like this, “When hard pressed, I cried to the Lord, He brought me to a spacious place. The Lord is with me, I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?” (Psalm 118:5-6) And also in the words of Jesus, “Come to me, all of you weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 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. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30) Is that moment I am living in so earth shattering? Or is it something,when I perceive it in the light of the cross, is just a moment that passes and God’s will is done? In Jesus, I know I can survive it.
But what is even better than that is survival of that moment is not the end no matter what. Because the story of Jesus did not end on the cross. He rose from that grave and in that has promised we could have life beyond this stressful planet. If our hope is in that, then those big moments start to seem pretty small.
Here is a promise conveyed through John the evangelist, “I write things to those who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life. This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.” (1 John:13-14) We are promised not only life everlasting but in Jesus we can ask for help in those moments of stress and He will be there.
I made it aboard that flight so long ago and was at the meeting that was meant to change my life. I went away a disappointed man. My company was not awarded the project and within another year it failed. Many more stressful days would come and I had little hope of a better day.
Today, stressful moments still come and most of the time I turned them over in prayer knowing that I have hope no matter what. And even when I slip back into worry, I know a book I can turn to and it never fails. My prayer today, is that you can do the same.
Blessings John
8/4/17
Me stressed out…not anymore
