SATURDAY – QUESTION & ANSWER  

SATURDAY – QUESTION & ANSWER  

Question #1.  We are feeling a lot of marital stress in our marriage due to our financial situation.  What can we do to reduce this stress?

Answer # 1.  My husband just showed me an article from “The Daily” called “Sinking feeling.”  It is by Ashley Kindergan from 8/13/11.  They did a survey and the question that was asked was the following: In which area are you feeling the most stress as a result of your financial situation?  27 % of the people they asked answer that finances they felt brought the most stress in their marriage.  That is almost 3 out of 10 marriages.  These results are devastating to a family.

I will share some principles from God’s word concerning how to be stress-free and worry free.  I will use a list and comments from an excellent book called “Internal Affairs” by Dr. Larry Hutton.

You can have control of your emotions and have a life with no stress.  Fear will paralyze your faith and worry is derived from fear.  Faith is a reaction from the heart based on something God has said.  Fear or worry is a reaction from the mind or emotions based on something your circumstances (or the devil) has said.  Worrying never brings peace or joy.

Worry does not empty tomorrow’s problems, it just empties today’s strength.

To worry is sin.  Rom.14:23b says, “…whatsoever is not of faith is sin.”  Worry is causing destruction in peoples lives and it is just as wrong to worry as it is to commit adultery or murder.

1Peter 5:6-7 tells us to cast our cares on the LORD because he care for us.  “Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: Casting all your care upon him; for he cares for you.”

Look at what the cares of the world do!  Mark 4:18-19 “…And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.”

If you allow yourself to continually worry, you are no better than a drunk.  Luke 21:34 “And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with…drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unaware.”

In Luke 10:38-42 is the story of Mary and Martha, two sisters.  Martha was worried, Mary sat at Jesus feet and heard the word.  Worry cuts you into billions of pieces.  All the great men of God encouraged themselves in God and in His word.

1.  Humble yourself by casting your cares upon the Lord.

2.  Like Mary, continually stay in God’s word and obey it.

3.  Like David, encourage yourself in the Lord.

4.  As Isaiah said, join yourself to the Lord and exchange your weakness for God’s strength.

5.  Like Jehoshaphat did, seek the Lord and let Him fight your battles for you.

6.  Like Psalms says, give thanks to the Lord and magnify Him instead of your problems.

7.   Like Paul & Silas did, pray and sing praises when things are not going well.

8.  Finally, become spiritually minded and allow righteousness, peace and joy to fill your cup to overflowing.

Doing the above things will cause us to be total overcomers in the realm of our emotions.

NOTE:  Tomorrows post will contain more marital insight to make your marriage a success!