STRESS

This Wednesday at Firehouse we will be talking about the issue of stress among teenagers. Although it's just as real for adults, teenagers today are dealing with it more today than ever. How are they handling the stress in their lives? Is it in a positive way or negative way? Many of these stressors are put by them by parents, peers, teachers, and even the church. All this in which teenagers need to balance, but where is Jesus in all of it? Matthew 6:33-34 says: Seek first God's kingdom and what God wants. Then all your other needs will be met as well. So don't worry about tomorrow, because tomorrow will have its own worries. Each day has enough trouble of its own (NCV). One thing I learned about stress is that it's normal, but to much unresolved stress can really bring us down hard! Teenagers need to learn how to deal with stress in a healthy way so that they respond to it in a positive way. What do you mean positive way? When studying for this message I learned that stress can actually be beneficial. The anxiety which causes the stress can act as a warning system that signals us to respond to whatever is causing the stress. So one thing is for sure, it's not good at all to avoid it. How do teens respond? In all kinds of different ways. Just like Matthew 6 says first things first we need to seek God's kingdom and what God wants. Teens need to ask for patience and peace when those times of stress come along. God always works everything out! I'm always excited to help youth have a better understanding of who God is and what part do they play in His story. And I thank God alone for that! Peace out ya'll.