Thursday, February 21, 2013

Releasing the Pressure Valve

On just about any type of system that is under pressure there is a pressure relief valve. These valves are engineered so that when the pressure in the system gets to the point of hurting the system it will open and relieve that pressure. I think people are much the same way. We live in systems that are under pressure all the time. We have work deadlines, school deadlines, pressure to perform well as a parent, and or spouse. There is pressure in friendships and relationships. All of which can build up in a person until he or she is ready to just explode. It is at these times in your life you need a relief valve. Some way to relieve the stress and pressure in your life or you will explode and destroy the very system you've been trying to build.

When I first moved to Atlanta I was under tons of pressure from the day we pulled up in my mother's driveway. I have to find a job. Where are we going to live? How long will we be living with my parents? And I won't even get into the "what if" scenarios that were going through my head. When I did find the job that God wanted me to have it even got worse. My nature is to prove myself and there is much to do all the time. So I know a little something about stressful situations.

I would like to offer a few tips on dealing with the pressure and see if I can't install a relief valve or two.

  1. Know your limitations. Relief valves are always put in understand what the limitations of the system are. Most of the time we get into pressure situations because we have gotten in over our heads and we have past our true limitations or at least our comfort levels. Don't do more than what God is asking you to do no matter who else is asking. It is completely acceptable to say, "I don't know that." or "I'm not very good at this or that." When you are honest with yourself it allows others to be honest with you and not put undo pressure because you said you could handle it.
  2. Live within your means. The biggest pressure that people get under is finacial pressure. Finacial pressure is the leading cause of divorce and even causes some to commit suicide. Pressure is always caused by outside sources. For example, you would never have finacial pressure if the bill collectors never called, but they do and they will. So, by living within your means you don't need to worry about the bills.
  3. Trust in The Lord. When you are accomplishing the will of The Lord, He has promised that he will provide all that you need to finish the task at hand. God never promised that he would fund or support all the other stuff we have going on in our lives. Focus on the Kingdom of God and some of the other pressures will simply go away. Even in Church we have to be careful about the "Martha syndrome." Thinking that business is godliness. I believe it is just the opposite busyness has always been a strategy of the devil to keep you from doing the most important things in life. The Lord instructs us to "cast our cares upon him, because he cares for us." This is a huge blessing that most of us don't take advantage of until we have exploded on someone or something.

If you will practice these three simple things it will relieve much of the stress in your life and bring your system back down to the proper pressure levels.

 

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