Introduction
Every new
car is nice and beautiful. But the longer you use it you will begin to observe
its wear and tear. [1]
Its silent engine will start producing sounds. Some bolts will be loosened,
rubbers will burst, oils will spill, belts will have cuts, wires will
disconnect. Its outer beauty will deteriorate. The paint will gradually fade,
and scratch will become visible. When time such as this comes, the owner begins
thinking of either repair or disposing it to acquire a new one.
Wear and
tear does only happen to cars, but it also does to humans like us. Many experts
say that one of the major causes for the rapid increase of wear and tear among
us and early experience of it is STRESS. “We generally use the word "stress" when we feel
that everything seems to have become too much - we are overloaded and wonder
whether we really can cope with the pressures placed upon us.”[2] Can we relate? Many of us if not are
experiencing this because every day we face “hassles, deadlines, frustrations
and demands.”[3]
What happen to a person who is experiencing stress? It has various effects in
almost all parts of our being.
|
Stress Warning Signs and Symptoms
|
|
|
COGNITIVE SYPMTOMS
|
EMOTIONAL SYMPTOMS
|
|
· Memory
problems
· Inability to
concentrate
· Poor judgment
· Seeing only
the negative
· Anxious or
racing thoughts
· Constant
worrying
|
· Moodiness
· Irritability
or short temper
· Agitation,
inability to relax
· Feeling
overwhelmed
· Sense of
loneliness and isolation
· Depression or
general unhappiness
|
|
PHYSICAL SYMPTOMS
|
BEHAVIORAL SYMPTOMS
|
|
· Aches and
pains
· Diarrhea or
constipation
· Nausea,
dizziness
· Chest pain,
rapid heartbeat
· Loss of sex
drive
· Frequent colds
|
· Eating more or
less
· Sleeping too
much or too little
· Isolating
yourself from others
· Procrastinating
or neglecting responsibilities
· Using alcohol,
cigarettes, or drugs to relax
· Nervous habits
(e.g. nail biting, pacing)
|
Explanation
If you see
one of those symptoms in your own life, God is offering something to you today
from the book called Lamentations.
The writer
of Lamentation is the prophet Jeremiah, who is called “The Weeping Prophet.” He
prophesied in Jerusalem, giving warnings about God’s coming judgment because of
Israel’s sins. Jeremiah is one of the most stressed prophets of God. Here are
some significant reasons...
A. He was
called to his office as a prophet at a very young age-when he was a youth (Jeremiah
1:6).
B. Many people
were hostile to him and placed him under restraint (Jeremiah 36:5)
C. He
prophesied but nobody listened.
D. He
experienced the judgment along with the unrepentant Israel (Jeremiah 37:4-5)
E. He was
imprisoned because of His negative prophecy (37:15-38)
With these
experiences, Jeremiah is a stressed prophet indeed! No wonder he was a “weeping
prophet.” He wept not only when he appealed for God’s mercy and grace in behalf
of Israel, but he wept out of his unpleasing condition. Nevertheless, despite
his situation Jeremiah wrote something that will turn the tide upside-down
saying, “The Lord’s lovingkindness indeed never cease, for His compassions
never fail. They are new every moring; great is Your faithfulness” (Lamentations
3:22-23, NASB). This hope that gave him the strength to go on is rooted on the
covenantal love of God, which is based on the very character of the Lord
Himself. Gods love is not dependent on the surrounding condition, but He is
love and He loves all the time. When the prophet mentioned the “Great Love” (lovingkindness)
of Yahweh he was reminded of the love of God that became the foundation of
creating, calling and building His children. Now it is the same “Great Love”
that will purify them and rebuild them as a nation.
The context
of Jeremiah depicts a picture of a declining nation due to its wickedness and
unrepentant heart. All that human eyes can see is the approaching destruction
as a judgment to their evil deeds; however, Jeremiah sees something beautiful
beyond the judgment-it is the lovingkindness of God that brings hope in the
future. There is hope to those that God loves.
Application
God’s love is brand-new every morning. Barker and Kohlenberger said “The very fact of awakening to a new day is in itself a renewal of God’s mercy. Humankind has passed safely through the night, a foreshadowing of death.”[1] When we look back on the night that has just passed it will tell us of God’s wonderful MERCY; and when we look forward to face the day, it will tell us of God’s marvelous GRACE. We may be stress of many things in life but rest assured God offers us His fresh lovingkindness every day. Thus out of our tiresome, troublesome or disturbing condition, the message of Jeremiah is that the lovingkindness of God should strengthen us as it will give us hope to move on. In a very practical sense this will compel the believers to commune with God on a daily basis, thanking Him for His protection and goodness in the past, and drawing strength from His lovingkindness to face all the stress in life while bearing the hope which is rooted on the very character of the Lord-His Lovingkindness.
God’s love is brand-new every morning. Barker and Kohlenberger said “The very fact of awakening to a new day is in itself a renewal of God’s mercy. Humankind has passed safely through the night, a foreshadowing of death.”[1] When we look back on the night that has just passed it will tell us of God’s wonderful MERCY; and when we look forward to face the day, it will tell us of God’s marvelous GRACE. We may be stress of many things in life but rest assured God offers us His fresh lovingkindness every day. Thus out of our tiresome, troublesome or disturbing condition, the message of Jeremiah is that the lovingkindness of God should strengthen us as it will give us hope to move on. In a very practical sense this will compel the believers to commune with God on a daily basis, thanking Him for His protection and goodness in the past, and drawing strength from His lovingkindness to face all the stress in life while bearing the hope which is rooted on the very character of the Lord-His Lovingkindness.
Sources
Barker, Kenneth
L. and John R. Kohlenberger. The Expositor’s Bible Commentary. Abridged Ddition.
Old Testament. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan, 1994.
Help Guide:
A Trusted Non-Profit Resource, “Stress, Symptoms, Signs, and Causes,” http://www.helpguide.org /articles/stress/stress-symptoms-causes-and-effects.htm
(accessed 28 January 2015).
Medical News
Today, “What is
Stress, How to Deal with Stress?” http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/
articles/145855.php (accessed 28 January 2015).
Psychology
Dictionary: World’s Most Comprehensive Online Psychology Dictionary, http:// psychologydictionary.org/wear-and-tear-theory-of-aging/,
accessed 28 January 2015).
Blog Spot. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wwPjzVjpWrg/T6mVpt1Z97I/AAAAAAAADlM/
iRTXRbuP5Bs/s1600/Coloring+Page+Praying+3.jpg (accessed 29 January 2015).
|
|
 |
[1] Kenneth L. Barker and John R. Kohlenberger, The
Expositor’s Bible Commentary, abridged edition, Old Testament (Grand
Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan, 1994), 1268.
[1] Wear and tear is a Theory of aging
describing the “Weakening and, ultimately, the demise of organs, cells and
tissues” (Psychology Dictionary: World’s Most Comprehensive Online Psychology
Dictionary, http:// psychologydictionary.org/wear-and-tear-theory-of-aging/,
accessed 28 January 2015).
[2] Medical News Today, “What is Stress,
How to Deal with Stress?” http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/ articles/145855.php
(accessed 28 January 2015).
[3] Help Guide: A Trusted Non-Profit
Resource, “Stress, Symptoms, Signs, and Causes,” http://www.helpguide.org /articles/stress/stress-symptoms-causes-and-effects.htm
(accessed 28 January 2015).
No comments:
Post a Comment