Theme of the Week: Stress
Bible Verse: The next day Moses took his seat to serve as judge for the people, and they stood around him from morning till evening. When his father-in-law saw all that Moses was doing for the people, he said, “What is this you are doing for the people? Why do you alone sit as judge, while all these people stand around you from morning till evening?” Exodus 18:13-14
Scripture Reading: Proverbs 16:3
Moses took responsibility over the people of God. He led them, rebuked them, and was an intermediary for them to both Pharaoh and God. Quite a lot of responsibility!
Once Israel left Egypt, interpersonal conflict continued—that’s what happens when millions of people try to travel together, think of what it is or was like just on your family holidays. Freed from slavery did not mean free from conflict. Moses “had the special job” (which is often code for “the job no one else wants to do”) of judging the disputes between parties. When the cases piled up, Moses did what many of us do, put in a few more hours at the office.
Many of us find ourselves in the same position. We show up to meet a need and we rise to the occasion. The need grows slowly (or quickly), and we solve the growing number of issues the same way we’ve always done it.
But these “extra hours at the office” add up and are never without cost. The time and energy we spend problem solving vocationally, gets borrowed from family or health. Before long, we’re overwhelmed with no time to figure out and implement a new solution.
When we face different challenges in life, there is always the temptation to be heroic, to rise to the occasion, solving the problem through our direct involvement. When this becomes the only method of problem solving, we dig ourselves a hole that we can’t climb out of, and continually suffer because of it.
Moses was wise enough to seek counsel. He enlisted help. He found new ways to solve problems. This gives us a few points of consideration when it comes to stress management:
- Our current toolbox may be insufficient as the needs around us grow.
- More of the same is simply not the answer.
- Look for structural changes where past solutions are wearing down on us.
Prayer: God, help me to see when I am in over my head. Give me the humility to know when I do not have what it takes to meet the needs of a situation and the wisdom to find and listen to wise counsel for effective solutions.
Reflect: What new challenges are you facing for which your usual ways for dealing with problems seem insufficient? Who do you have that you can ask for advice and counsel?
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