Mark 4:18-19 (MSG), "The seed cast in the weeds represents the ones who hear the kingdom news, but are overwhelmed with worries about all the things they have to do and all the things they want to get. The stress strangles what they heard, and nothing comes of it."
Stress isn't always bad. In small doses, it can help you perform under pressure and motivate you to do your best. But when you're constantly running in emergency mode, your mind and body pay the price.
Long-term exposure to stress can lead to serious health problems. Chronic stress disrupts nearly every system in your body. It can raise blood pressure, suppress the immune system, increase the risk of heart attack and stroke, contribute to infertility, and speed up the aging process. Long-term stress can even rewire the brain, leaving you more vulnerable to anxiety and depression.
Just as high-level stress can cause physical problems, it can effect is spiritually also. We become so preoccupied with the stressful situation that we forget to turn to the One who can help us get a handle on chronic stress. That stress then strangles the Word we have heard that could help us.
Are you feeling a little overwhelmed with stress? Stop. Take a deep breath. And, PRAY! God is just a prayer away. And, His Word has all the encouragement and instruction we need for any situation we face.
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