Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. Romans 12:9–10 (ESV) The wait is over. Ready or not, Christmas is almost here. In many homes, the festivities are planned, the presents are bought and a fantastic holiday is in the works. For them, this is a time of happiness that has been anticipated for weeks. For others, the lead-up to Christmas is stressful and the holiday season is to be endured like a trip to the dentist. Whether you’re anticipating a wonderful holiday or wishing it were over, there’s something you can do right now to make your holidays better than anticipated—and it doesn’t involve another trip …

Take heed to yourselves and be on your guard, lest your hearts be overburdened and depressed (weighed down) with…worldly worries and cares pertaining to [the business of] this life. Luke 21:34 (AMPC) Living in a constant state of stress does damage to our lives (which isn’t news to anyone). Worry and stress took their toll even in Biblical times, overburdening people’s lives until they couldn’t function properly. Jesus taught about this problem. When you read our verse today, it may sound like Jesus is telling you not to get too busy because having too many things to do leads to stress. This can be true; we all have to prioritize and use time management skills to make sure we don’t overdo it. But what Jesus …

For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. 2 Timothy 1:7 (NKJV) I’m so stressed.” It’s difficult to go through a day without hearing this phrase at least once. But is stress supposed to be so commonplace in our lives? Is stress normal? Stress isn’t always a bad thing. When you’re in danger or facing a challenge, you need the physical response that results. Your heart rate increases and adrenaline starts pumping so you’re ready for action. This physical response is exactly what you need when you’re being chased by a bear, but the chronic, low-grade anxiety type of stress doesn’t benefit you at all. You may assume that feeling anxious about …

O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together. Psalm 34:3 (KJV) When I was doing some research to prepare a teaching on the topic of stress, I came across a video from an expert on panic attacks. As he described the symptoms, I could actually feel my physical state change. He explained how one’s heart begins to race and how he begins to feel a sense of impending doom. As he described this, I could feel my own heart rate increase and my breathing become shallow. I was getting anxious just studying anxiety! Focus is powerful because you magnify what you focus on. When you look at an ant through a magnifying glass, it looks like a monster. The ant …

But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. Matthew 6:33 (ESV) How do we balance seeking God first with everything else in life? In the Bible, we can look to King Solomon for an example of life out of balance. Solomon pursued many things, only to discover that they all left him unfulfilled. Every earthly relationship inevitably involved disappointment, and the pursuit of power led to frustration. Pleasures left him empty and trying to control his world and the people in it. Elevating each area over his relationship with God resulted in personal dismay and loss (Ecclesiastes 1:14; 1 Kings 11:3–11). Even though many of these areas do hold importance in our lives, they …