Overcoming challenges and stress

  • Published
  • By Chaplain (Maj.) Olga Westfall
  • 94th Airlift Wing Chaplain Office
DOBBINS AIR RESERVE BASE, Ga. --  Not long ago, I was going through a challenging time in my life. As I was reading Psalms 46, I was reminded of God's omnipotent presence and mighty power. It seemed like it was at the right time when I needed to hear that!

With all the worries that we often face, it's often hard to remember that in times of crisis and stress, God is our on-call advisor whom we can consult anytime. Prayer keeps us connected to God, His wisdom and His will. Also His Scriptures give us direction, comfort and assurance. If we trust in God, whom can we be afraid of?

Psalms 46:1-3 reads, "God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth gives way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging."

It almost sounds as if the psalmist was familiar with the headlines in our news, doesn't it? Worrisome things are happening in our world today. During the past 20 years, earthquakes and tsunamis have increased at a phenomenal rate. And what about the hurricanes that lash our coasts, the tornadoes that sweep across our states, the blizzards that paralyze our cities, the drought that shrivels up and cracks our farm land, or the floods that wash away our bridges and homes? We question, "What is happening in our world today, and how should we react to all this?"

The Psalmist says, "I will not be afraid. My Lord is still in command of the winds, the waves, the sea, and all of the elements of nature. Therefore I will not fear. God is my refuge & my strength."

Psalms 46:10-11 reads, "Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth. The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress." The psalmist is saying, "In the midst of it all I have decided that I will no longer let my life be filled with stress and anxiety because God is my refuge and my strength."

I wonder if we have forgotten how to relax? How long has it been since you sat down with your family and ate a meal together, and then after the meal just talked, visited and had fun? How long has it been since you took a long walk in the evening, and watched the sun set? Or read a whole chapter of a book without interruption? How long has it been since you just laid back, relaxed and got away from it all? Have you taken off your wristwatch, turned off your cellular phones, computers, tablets, blackberries or pagers and just did what you wanted to do without any interruption?

Three words can summarize how most of us spend our lives: hurrying, worrying, and scurrying.

It's time for us to take the Psalmist to heart, to "Be still, and know that I am God." God is always near and available to us. We may be put on hold while on the telephone, at a red light or at a bank, but God never puts us on hold. He is always available and anxious to hear us whenever we want to speak to Him.

Some of our problems may be superficial, but others are deep, and God can help us. So talk to Him! Then listen to Him through His Word and learn from Him! God's power is greater than winds, storms, earthquakes, volcanoes or anything else in this world. There is no greater power.

God's power is sufficient to win the victory over all the problems that come our way. God's help works even when we can't help ourselves. Have you felt weak lately? Have you felt like there are so many stressors and demands that you're about ready to explode?

God's help is available. All you have to do is reach out for it, and grab hold.

The Chaplain is available for pastoral counseling during Unit Training Assembly weekends and can be reached at (678) 655-4956.