Christians and stress,..

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AmmiAmmiel

Guest
#1
#1
I live with a lot of stress. I've committed many sins to try and relieve myself of it. From Smoking and drinking heavily, to drugs and just plain selfishness,.. I struggle with cigarettes and marijuana. I personally see nothing wrong if I used pot without smoking it since smoking anything is sinful,. But what I know is that I am fully capable of ceasing the use of anything to relieve stress, I just need the right kind of motivation and encouragement. But most of all I just need to get rid if the source of the stress. The only thing that I've found in my mind to quell the desire to use, is companionship with a godly woman or complete solitude. I prefer the companionship because while solitude does help, it's high risk for depression. I understand that the only person who can help me is God Almighty. But what I need to know is how?

The main source of stress I deal with comes from living with my family for so long and the long suffering I go through to wait for the opportunity to leave,..
It's been hard to talk about this kind of stuff with Christians because nobody has ever understood me the way I need to be understood,.. Stress is powerful, but love triumphs over all. I know that only God can love me how I really need to be loved, but is it selfish to want to be loved a certain way?
I struggle with a lot more than I'd like to admit, and it's even more hard when nobody but God truly understands,..
Im here to admit that I need help, do I expect to get it? Honestly no, I don't deserve help. But I know that The Lord hasn't planned for me to suffer forever. I just wait patiently with the hope of being relieved someday.

This is more of a confession than a cry, though I do cry,.. I just want someone else to understand where I'm at.
 
Domenic

Domenic

Banned
#2
Oct 14, 2012
335
4
0
#2
I read everything you wrote about yourself. I felt like I was being tested as I was reading it. Before I say anything worth saying...I have to know I can trust you. You are tricky.
 
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AmmiAmmiel

Guest
#3
#3
Domenic said:
I read everything you wrote about yourself. I felt like I was being tested as I was reading it. Before I say anything worth saying...I have to know I can trust you. You are tricky.
Click to expand...
This is no test from me. This is just a honest confession. If you feel tested, that's not from me,..
 
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AmmiAmmiel

Guest
#5
#5
Yes, but what does me putting myself on paper have to do with testing people? I put all that out there not to test people, but rather myself. I want to see how I deal with the advice from others. This is about something I don't usually seek others advice on. Tell me, why do you feel tested?
 
C

CoolBeans

Guest
#6
#6
AmmiAmmiel said:
I live with a lot of stress. I've committed many sins to try and relieve myself of it. From Smoking and drinking heavily, to drugs and just plain selfishness,.. I struggle with cigarettes and marijuana. I personally see nothing wrong if I used pot without smoking it since smoking anything is sinful,. But what I know is that I am fully capable of ceasing the use of anything to relieve stress, I just need the right kind of motivation and encouragement. But most of all I just need to get rid if the source of the stress. The only thing that I've found in my mind to quell the desire to use, is companionship with a godly woman or complete solitude. I prefer the companionship because while solitude does help, it's high risk for depression. I understand that the only person who can help me is God Almighty. But what I need to know is how?

The main source of stress I deal with comes from living with my family for so long and the long suffering I go through to wait for the opportunity to leave,..
It's been hard to talk about this kind of stuff with Christians because nobody has ever understood me the way I need to be understood,.. Stress is powerful, but love triumphs over all. I know that only God can love me how I really need to be loved, but is it selfish to want to be loved a certain way?
I struggle with a lot more than I'd like to admit, and it's even more hard when nobody but God truly understands,..
Im here to admit that I need help, do I expect to get it? Honestly no, I don't deserve help. But I know that The Lord hasn't planned for me to suffer forever. I just wait patiently with the hope of being relieved someday.

This is more of a confession than a cry, though I do cry,.. I just want someone else to understand where I'm at.
Click to expand...
I know what you mean, I’ve been there and still kind of stuck but aren’t as bad. What helps me most of the time are various meditations. I know meditating is tabooed to most Christians but i encourage you to look some up and see which can help you in your circumstances.

Here also is my list I use to destress (kind of funny in a way)

1. Make cookies and give them out to people. You’ll feel better about yourself for being charitable
2. Where pink. In psychology pink is the color of affection. If you’re craving people to treat you more sensitively then pink is the color of choice
3. CHACOLATE! It has mood enhancing properties (anti-depressants) Dark chocolate is the best
4. Work out. This one can be trick if you’re not in the mood but working out helps uplift your spirits
5. Do a puzzle. This lets your mind focus on other things besides you stress
6. Watch TV. I am shocked at how people fail to see this as good medicine for the soul :p

You can talk to me if you want too
 
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AmmiAmmiel

Guest
#7
#7
I appreciate your consideration Coolbeans, but I can already tell that those methods will not be efficient enough for me. I'm convinced I just need someone to talk to on a regular basis who understands me.
 
Tommy4Christ

Tommy4Christ

Banned
#8
Feb 11, 2012
1,358
8
0
#8
AmmiAmmiel said:
I live with a lot of stress. I've committed many sins to try and relieve myself of it. From Smoking and drinking heavily, to drugs and just plain selfishness,.. I struggle with cigarettes and marijuana. I personally see nothing wrong if I used pot without smoking it since smoking anything is sinful,. But what I know is that I am fully capable of ceasing the use of anything to relieve stress, I just need the right kind of motivation and encouragement. But most of all I just need to get rid if the source of the stress. The only thing that I've found in my mind to quell the desire to use, is companionship with a godly woman or complete solitude. I prefer the companionship because while solitude does help, it's high risk for depression. I understand that the only person who can help me is God Almighty. But what I need to know is how?

The main source of stress I deal with comes from living with my family for so long and the long suffering I go through to wait for the opportunity to leave,..
It's been hard to talk about this kind of stuff with Christians because nobody has ever understood me the way I need to be understood,.. Stress is powerful, but love triumphs over all. I know that only God can love me how I really need to be loved, but is it selfish to want to be loved a certain way?
I struggle with a lot more than I'd like to admit, and it's even more hard when nobody but God truly understands,..
Im here to admit that I need help, do I expect to get it? Honestly no, I don't deserve help. But I know that The Lord hasn't planned for me to suffer forever. I just wait patiently with the hope of being relieved someday.

This is more of a confession than a cry, though I do cry,.. I just want someone else to understand where I'm at.
Click to expand...
I know my message to you will be harsh, and a bitter pill to swallow, you are crying out for help with your addictions, and depression, but refuse to admit you are in great bondage to sin, and are not a Christian if you are still in bondages to these sins you listed, and seek relief from your stress through them.

You have never come to Jesus Christ on His terms, through repentance and faith proven by deeds, and are a slave to your flesh!

There are no magical answers here for you to follow, you can pray, fast, seek council, etc,, but you must first and formost, repent, and crucify your flesh with Christ, or else you will stay in your lukewarm condition, in bondage to sin, and be a slave to whom you obey, making excuses why you can use pot, get drunk, smoke, etc,,

Stress comes from an unsettled soul, in bondage as I have mentioned to the temptations of the devil and the world, you have no peace because you seek peace from sinful things, that are only tempoary, and harden your heart furthur from God and His great freeing power, over, sin, temptation and the devil!

You need to do this first:

Jas 1:21 Therefore putting aside all filthiness and overflowing of evil, receive in meekness the implanted Word, which is able to save your souls.
Jas 1:22 But become doers of the Word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.

The peace of God eludes you because you are serving your flesh to find comfort and peace, and you must do this as commanded, then seek the great mercy of God, you can stop your sin against God, you have free will and ability to do so, He wont do it for you, but gives you all the strength and power to repent on the scale of the city of Nineveh!

Act 3:19 Therefore repent and convert so that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord.

God is patient and longsuffering, waiting for you to repent, and seek His mercy, you do your part and He will do His, to give you power to walk the narrow road with His son Jesus Christ who came to set you free, as you touch His blood through repentance and a working faith through love, Jesus isnt a sin substitute, but came to ransom you from the bondages of sin, through the privledge and process of repentance! He was a spotless sin offering!

Heb 9:14 how much more shall the blood of Christ (who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God) purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?
But if you choose to follow your flesh, and ignore the truth that transforms, you will reap what you sow!
Gal 6:7 Do not be deceived, God is not mocked. For whatever a man sows, that he also will reap.
Gal 6:8 For he sowing to his flesh will reap corruption(DEATH) from the flesh. But he sowing to the Spirit will reap life everlasting from the Spirit.

 
Tommy4Christ

Tommy4Christ

Banned
#9
Feb 11, 2012
1,358
8
0
#9
CoolBeans said:
I know what you mean, I’ve been there and still kind of stuck but aren’t as bad. What helps me most of the time are various meditations. I know meditating is tabooed to most Christians but i encourage you to look some up and see which can help you in your circumstances.

Here also is my list I use to destress (kind of funny in a way)

1. Make cookies and give them out to people. You’ll feel better about yourself for being charitable
2. Where pink. In psychology pink is the color of affection. If you’re craving people to treat you more sensitively then pink is the color of choice
3. CHACOLATE! It has mood enhancing properties (anti-depressants) Dark chocolate is the best
4. Work out. This one can be trick if you’re not in the mood but working out helps uplift your spirits
5. Do a puzzle. This lets your mind focus on other things besides you stress
6. Watch TV. I am shocked at how people fail to see this as good medicine for the soul :p

You can talk to me if you want too
Click to expand...
You have to be kidding!!!!

Meditation and baking cookies, while he is still carnal sold under sin?????????????

He needs repentance! Not worldly pastimes, that just put a small bandage on a huge cancer!!

If perhaps God will give them repentance!

2Ti 2:25 In meekness instructing those who oppose, if perhaps God will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth,
2Ti 2:26 and that they awake out of the snare of the Devil, having been taken captive by him, so as to do the will of that one.
Today the numbers of those who oppose the truth that transforms is staggering! They argue in favor of sin and disobedience every chance they can get claiming it’s not of works, you can’t judge, we are not perfect, and we stumble and struggle with sin every day!
And they mean sins such as addictions to smoking, drinking, fornication, cussing, or just a great love OF the world and being proud of being OF the world and OF the apostate worldly church at the same time!
Instructing them in the way to righteousness is a very daunting mission I am afraid due to the fact that most are under the strong delusion, where their beloved preacher instills in their hearts every Sunday, the saved IN sin message, deeming them saved, washed, and sanctified, while they still wallow in their vile addictions, and complacency!
But perhaps a few seeking souls will come to real repentance, stop sinning because they have the ability to do so, and hope and pray the Lord will relent, and turn them on to His great truth, that can take them from the darkness to the light, free once and for all from the bondages of sin, and the corruption that is in the world through lust!
But most unfortunately are under the snare of the devil, deceived beyond any reaching, sitting comfortably in their favorite church that tells them all is well, you are saved, you do nothing, just try to do better, and do not listen to those who tell you that you must repent as God commands, to begin to receive anything from God especially the truth!
You have a choice to do the will of God, or the will of the devil, there is no gray area here! There is no debating which sins to stop, and which ones you can continue, NO, you must come out of her, seek the mercy of God, and escape the snare of the evil one, and the false ministers of sin, telling you constantly you are the Romans wretch, the chief of sinners, desperately wicked, because you were born that way, and many more lies entangling your soul into the depths of darkness, where the light is snuffed out by your rebellious attitude towards the commands of God!
1Ti 4:1 But the Spirit expressly says that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits and teachings of demons. (Doctrines of demons)
Tommy

DIG DEEP YOUR SOUL HANGS IN THE BALANCE!





 
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AmmiAmmiel

Guest
#10
#10
As always, I've been misunderstood. If there is a at to close this thread, I would like to know because nobody is ever going to understand me except The Lord. So any further posts are futile,..
 
RedTent

RedTent

Banned
#11
Oct 31, 2011
8,200
182
0
#11
AmmiAmmiel said:
As always, I've been misunderstood. If there is a at to close this thread, I would like to know because nobody is ever going to understand me except The Lord. So any further posts are futile,..
Click to expand...
You haven't been answered with understanding, I am sorry. All we can do is relate it to something we have experienced. If we have never felt something, we just haven't been given the information so we can understand. What we can understand is that you are hurting, because every human has been through some of that. And I think you are looking for ways to cope, we all undersand that, too. Everyone looks for ways to cope.

You are right that the best way to cope is through God's word.

I can give you a coping way that worked for me. My stress was caused by something completely different. I had three babies in four years and one got very ill requiring me to often be up with her all night. Only thing similiar to what you face is the stress. I decided the stress was caused not only by the situation but by the thoughts I let in my mind in reaction to it. Stress made me and the baby worse. So I decided to substitute God's words for the thoughts that came into my mind, I memorized scripture. Any time these stress thoughts came in, I substituted a word of God.

It was as if the stress stopped our being able to think of solutions, too. Once the stress level was improved in us, we thought of something that helped the illness.

I used to meet once a week with a group to pray and talk about our Lord in our lives. At the end of the meeting we would form a circle and each of us in turn would step in the circle. We would all shut our eyes and visualize the Lord shining His light on the person in the circle. Please step inside the circle and may the light of God, the love of God, everything of the Lord shine on you and give you peace.
 
O

OceanGrl

Guest
#12
#12
AmmiAmmiel said:
As always, I've been misunderstood. If there is a at to close this thread, I would like to know because nobody is ever going to understand me except The Lord. So any further posts are futile,..
Click to expand...
I would suggest finding a good friend and brother in Christ to talk to regarding these issues. I know for me, it's easier to talk to another girl about personal issues I may deal with. Now, I do think that CoolBeans has some good suggestions for dealing with stress. Exercise, prayer, reading the word, doing something you enjoy, etc. are all good ways to deal with stress. I know that certain people seem to think that a true Christian doesn't have stress, but that is false. There will always be stress in life, no matter if you are a perfect Christian or a lowly sinner.

I do suggest, however, to give up smoking/marijuana. It's unhealthy for one, and two, I don't think it's something God would want you to indulge in.
 
rachelsedge

rachelsedge

Senior Member
#13
Oct 15, 2012
3,659
79
48
33
#13
AmmiAmmiel said:
I understand that the only person who can help me is God Almighty. But what I need to know is how? ... I know that only God can love me how I really need to be loved, but is it selfish to want to be loved a certain way?
Click to expand...
These two quotes are ones that I can identify with. I'm not quite sure I have any answers, though.

Physical touch is one of my "love languages". So, for me, sometimes it's hard to understand God's love for me because I can't physically feel it. He can't hold my hand when I'm scared, He can't wrap His arms around me when I cry. Not literally physically, at least. In my heart I know He can calm my fears and strengthen my heart, but sometimes I feel that that is not the same.

But, I do think that's why God made other people and why we are to fellowship with them. If they have the Spirit in them, then they can be encouraging to me in that way. I think that is also (partly) why I desire a husband, so I can be loved in that particular way. I don't know if that's wrong or not; I'm just being honest.
 
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AmmiAmmiel

Guest
#14
#14
I apologize but I must admit I haven't had the interest to read all of most your posts,.. But from what I have read, Ocean has reached the understanding I hoped for. I know I need to stop smoking, I also know I cannot do it within myself. I realize what it will take to rid myself of all this. I'm just waiting and observing for the opportunity to present itself. In the meantime, what I need, not want, need,.. Someone to talk to who understands what I deal with. The strength that is required to live under these circumstances.

The only way I can live with myself is faith. My faith in God gets me through all trials and tribulation. No matter how hard I suffer in my sinful nature, I acknowledge my nature, I know that I cannot help myself. I need God to help me. But in this situation, help can only come either by more suffering by myself, or if someone understands the suffering I go through and God helps me through that person.
 
rachelsedge

rachelsedge

Senior Member
#15
Oct 15, 2012
3,659
79
48
33
#15
AmmiAmmiel said:
I apologize but I must admit I haven't had the interest to read all of most your posts,.
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I'm almost offended. Almost. ;)

Why would you post a topic and then not be interested in reading the responses? Just curious.
 
U

Ugly

Guest
#16
#16
rachelsedge said:
I'm almost offended. Almost. ;)

Why would you post a topic and then not be interested in reading the responses? Just curious.
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Umm... if he's not reading them, how is he going to read your question? *poke
 
O

OceanGrl

Guest
#17
#17
rachelsedge said:
I'm almost offended. Almost. ;)

Why would you post a topic and then not be interested in reading the responses? Just curious.
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I have to ask this as well, you need to read the responses as they might be of help. I think RedTent also had some wise words regarding this.
 
J

Jordache

Guest
#18
#18
All I can say is that God can fulfill all those needs. He can he can he can. He can fulfill the conversation need, any physical need, and the desire of your heart.
 
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AmmiAmmiel

Guest
#19
#19
rachelsedge said:
I'm almost offended. Almost. ;)

Why would you post a topic and then not be interested in reading the responses? Just curious.
Click to expand...
Well because,.. I'm a bit occupied and the first paragraph usually determines the understanding from one as it pertains to my concern. Rachel, you are not included in those whom I have not read all the post. I read all of yours and liked it.
 
RedTent

RedTent

Banned
#20
Oct 31, 2011
8,200
182
0
#20
AmmiAmmiel said:
Well because,.. I'm a bit occupied and the first paragraph usually determines the understanding from one as it pertains to my concern. Rachel, you are not included in those whom I have not read all the post. I read all of yours and liked it.
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Do you think being occupied with your concern is helping? I should think that being occupied with managing the problem without stress would be more of a solution.

Nicotine is a drug that takes care of stress in a miraculous way, except the relief it gives is over in minutes. Then the drug that relieved the stress causes more stress, your body thinks it needs more of the drug to relieve the stress the drug left you with. With this drug induced stress, it is almost impossible for a smoker to achieve the quiet peace and joy that the word of God is able to give.
 
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