Pastor, have you ever felt like you had the “weight of the world” on you?

 

Your responsibilities outnumber the hours in your day. Your paycheck won’t stretch to cover all of your bills. Everyone in your life wants a little piece of you—and you have nothing left to give anyone.

 

You’re not alone. Most people in ministry have felt that at times. 

 

The truth is, only one person has ever had “the weight of the world” on his shoulders. It’s exactly what Jesus came to do: to carry the weight of the world.

 

The Bible says of Jesus, “He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world” (1 John 2:2 NIV).

 

Nobody carried greater stress in life than Jesus. He not only carried the sin of the world on himself while on the cross, but he also faced constant demands during his life. People frequently wanted to see him and be healed by him. He had no privacy. Other people tried to trap him, and they sought to kill him.

 

But Jesus knew how to handle stress. He had an incredibly attractive balance to his life. He handled pressure with peace.

That’s what we all want to demonstrate.

 

Jesus knew the secrets of stress management:

 

1. Identification: Jesus knew who he was.

2. Motivation: Jesus knew what he was living for.

3. Vocation: Jesus understood his calling.

4. Concentration: Jesus knew what mattered most.

5. Meditation: Jesus listened to God.

6. Collaboration: Jesus had a small group.

7. Recreation: Jesus took time to recharge.

 

These seven principles can define our lives and ministries as well. Over the next seven weeks, we’ll look at each of these principles and how we can incorporate them into our lives and our ministries.

 

If you make these principles a part of your life, your stress level will go down. 

So don’t miss this Monday Encouragement devotional series!