Too Blessed to Be StressedSample

"Killjoy"

Read Philippians 4

Not only does this chapter contain my favorite decom-stress verse (Philippians 4:6-7), it teaches us how to deal with everyday stressors that extinguish our joy. Let’s look at four killjoys in the 4th chapter of Philippians:

Killjoy #1: Conflict (verse 2). The apostle Paul sends a message here to two women who can’t get along. Know any of those? (I’m raising my hand; are you?) Women in Philippi were quite liberated compared to other places at this time in history and were allowed to take part in government and politics. But conflict divides and conquers; Paul cautioned them to make amends, not allow conflict to steal their joy. (Hebrews 12:14)

Killjoy #2: Anxiety (verse 6). We sometimes feel overwhelmed by daily fears and anxieties, but, hey, we can be whelmed without being overwhelmed. Will we choose to serve our crazy, runaway feelings, or the all-powerful One who loves us enough to help us manage them? (1 Peter 5:7)

Killjoy #3: Stinkin’ thinkin’ (verses 8-9). Fear is like static blocking our inner faith voices. All we can pick up are those destructive, toxic voices that cast doubt on Papa God’s truth and suck our joy. Paul gives us a marvelous list here that enables us to change channels and focus on positives instead of negatives. (Psalm 139:23)

Killjoy #4: Fretting (verse 11). I call living in a state of chronic discontentment “wallowing in the joy-sucking dully-funks.” Discontentment is a side effect of feeling our life circumstances are spiraling out of control. Fretting is our feeble effort to maintain control. We think stressing over a problem enough will somehow change its outcome. So we...
F: False sense of
R: Responsibility for
E: Every little
T: Thing

But guess what? Worrying is a waste of time and energy. We’ve never been nor ever will be in control; Papa God is. (Luke 12:25-26)

Additional Elements:
BFF (Blessed Friends Forever) prayer: Emmanuel (God With Us), make me more aware of the killjoys I allow to sabotage my everyday contentment. Amen.

Digging Deeper: Read Psalm 94:19