Pressure is a part of life. In a world that is changing ever faster stress and pressure are a part of every day living. But how do we cope with it? Or more importantly how should we cope with it?
This week we're looking at Luke 4:31-44. Jesus was under pressure. When he was tired the crowds came to be healed. Even when he was alone the people came and sought him out. How did Jesus handle pressure?
1) Even when the pressure was on and the people were crowding round Jesus still had compassion on them. He still saw them as people with needs rather than seeing them as a problem. When the pressure is on it can be very easy to forget that people are people - so we respond with a sharp, critical word, we hurt people's feelings, we think the worst of people rather than the best.
2) With all that was going on Jesus still took time out. In the gospels we find this again and again - being alone to pray, resting, being with his disciples... taking time out. So many of us today try and keep going seven days a week, and even when we have time off we still answer the phone and emails. And so our 'quality time' with God, family, friends... is eroded. We need to take control of our time. If you need to schedule time with God into your diary - do it, a week, a month ahead - whatever it takes. When you're with the family turn the phone off. Get one email address for work and another for home. Make sure you get regular times of rest and refreshment (a minimum of once a week).
3) Jesus also knew what he had been sent to do and he did not allow other things, no matter how good they were, get in the way and be a distraction. So often we're rubbish at saying 'no'. Someone asks us to do something and we say 'of course', until we reach the point where we have so much on that nothing gets done. That means that there are good and worthwhile things that we have to say 'no' to - but if that's not what God has called us to, then that is someone else's task. What has God asked me to do? Am I doing it? Or am I being distracted by other things?
