To Your Success Part 5 "Mind, Body, and Soul"

Inspirational quote for today is:“I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear.”~ Nelson Mandela Emotional Effects When we deal with stress mentally, most of us develop defense mechanisms. These defense mechanisms can be either good or bad, just like the physical effects of stress can be good or bad. Here are few examples of these defense mechanisms that may be unhealthy. Unhealthy defense mechanisms Denial- This is when an individual refuses to believe that the stressors they’re undergoing are affecting them, even though to others you are depressed, anxious, worried, and having other mental or physical signs of stress. Passive/aggressive- In this defense mechanism you respond to stress in a passive way. For instance, you arrive late for appointments or through other behaviors act passively rather than straightforward. Controlling- You see individuals under stress may deal with it and the insecurity it fosters by becoming controlling to others. Even though, the others may have nothing to do with the immediate stress. Healthy defense mechanisms Anticipation- This is when we look forward to future, happy events, and is a simple healthy defense in times of stress. Laughter- I believe this is a wonderful defense because it releases as much tension as crying and is whole lot more fun. In addition, when women are asked what they enjoy most about a man, good sense of humor is usually very high on the list. You see having good humor releases those endorphins and enkephalins, which are our natural antidepressants. Forgiveness- Did you know bitterness can defile many? I didn’t know this myself until I read the book of Hebrews “See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to causes trouble and defile many”. ~ Hebrews 12:15 (NIV) I also learned over the years, through forgiveness we can relieve a tremendous amount of stress. You see apparently we can control whether or not we let go of anger and forgive. As it states in Ephesians, “Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you”. ~ Ephesians 4:31-32 (NIV) Furthermore, I believe forgiveness may be one of the greatest defenses against stress. Faith- This defense mechanism of course, is more than a defense; it probably relieves stress better than anything else. The reason is because having faith in Christ, having faith in what he can do, having faith in the veracity of the Scriptures, having faith in God’s promises, and having faith for a wonderful future. Most importantly, faith is what brought us to Christ and faith is what allows us to live a Christian life, even if it is filled with stressors. Confession- One thing I’ve learned about confession; and that is guilt causes unbelievable stress. As it states, in the book of first John “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness”. ~ 1 John: 9 (NASB) by doing so, it offers relief from any guilt the Christian may be facing. In addition, Christians are also encouraged to confess their sins with one another; this will help promote healing. In the book of James it talks about this information. >“Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much”. ` James 5:16 (NASB) Spiritual Effects Stress can also affect our spiritual life. Most importantly, it may cause us to lose a sense of the Lord’s presence and caring. For example, Elijah was an extremely godly man; however, under extreme stress Elijah lost his perspective and wanted to die. The reason is because he thought he was the only one left who loved the lord. I trust you enjoy reading this blog, and I pray that it helps you as you begin to change your life and achieve great success. This is the beginning of a journey that never ends. I will present Part 6 at a later time. Talk to you soon, Gary R. Johnson