Five Ways to Overcome Stress: A Daily DevotionalSample

THAT FIRST STEP

Okay, so as we established yesterday, there are more than enough things in our lives to cause us to stress pretty much 24/7. In fact, a lot of people live like that. 

But what if you could live your life with a quiet confidence that everything’s going to be okay? I’m not talking about some fantasy in a parallel universe. Just a conviction that, however things turn out, it’s going to be just fine. 

Well, you can. Absolutely you can! 

How? Let’s spend some time with Joshua in the Old Testament and find out. 

For forty years or so, Joshua had been playing second fiddle to Moses, leading God’s people through the wilderness. The problem was, right at the crucial point when Israel was about to cross into the Promised Land … right when they had to gear up for battle after battle … Moses died. And Joshua found himself leading more than a million people. 

Was he stressed? Absolutely! Stress with a capital “S”. It was life-and-death stress. But let’s see what God said to Joshua right at this point in his life.

“My servant Moses is dead … Be strong and courageous for you shall put this people into possession of the land that I swore to their ancestors to give them. Only be strong and very courageous, be careful to act in accordance with the Law … do not be frightened or dismayed for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go” (Joshua 1:1-9).

God called Joshua to have confidence – to be strong and courageous. Why? Because this wasn’t just Joshua’s story. This wasn’t just Israel’s story. It was God’s story. It was His plan, and He would see it through. 

And you want to know something else? He has a plan for you. So, be strong and courageous! 

God wants you to put your trust in Him … to develop a quiet confidence in Him to carry you through.

This means you can step out into something with fear, worry and stress in your heart, knowing the emotions of confidence aren’t there. But the act of stepping out, even when you’re afraid, especially when you’re afraid, demonstrates to God that your confidence is in Him.

And at that point, He honours you by replacing your stress with His peace. That’s just how it works. 

So, go on. Step out.

LIFE APPLICATION QUESTIONS 

QUESTION 1 

On the scale between stress and quiet confidence, where are you right now? Stop and think about the things that are influencing you. Is there some small step you can take to move from stress towards confidence today?

QUESTION 2

God called Joshua forward to go and take the Promised Land. Which of God’s promises is He calling you forward into? 

QUESTION 3 

Have you stepped out into those promises yet? How did it feel? Or are you holding back? If so, why?

QUESTION 4

What do you think about the idea that stepping out, regardless of your feelings, is demonstrating your confidence in God, both to Him and to yourself?