Too Blessed to be Stressed

You know those memes, bumper stickers, t-shirts, etc. that say "too blessed to be stressed"?

Well, I hate them.

...and yet at the same time, they're not so bad.

I mean, think about it.  Where do we get to thinking that because we have blessings, we don't have stress?  I mean, come on!  Even the best vacation requires a lot of planning and attention to small details so that you can ensure your luggage doesn't end up in another location and you actually arrive at the right hotel.

What exactly is stress?  It's emotional strain that stems from demanding circumstances.  Basically, it could be anything.  It could even be something that you don't realize is happening to you.  I was diagnosed with panic attacks a few years ago.  I didn't even realize that I was under stress.  Boy, did my body know all to well!  It was then that I actually started to take a look at my life.  I saw where I had come from, what I was doing, and where I was going.  I realized that I really did have a lot on my plate!  It wasn't until I was made aware of what was going on, that I could properly deal.

Some stress is self-made.  Some stress is not.  But what about the blessings?  Do they counter the stress?  Well, maybe...

What is a blessing?  A blessing is God's providence.  He provides our needs (not us).  He sees to it that things happen, according to His plan, for our good.  That doesn't mean that we'll never face trials or feel pain.  Sometimes, we need those things.  They help to shape and grow us closer to Him.  Think about it.  If everything you did went right, would you learn anything?  I don't think so.  It's interesting how we learn when we make mistakes.  We tend to pay more attention to details when we risk getting hurt or screwing up a project big time.