Dr. Marc Drake, Sr. Pastor, Sun Lakes Baptist Church
One of my favorite cartoons when I was growing up was Popeye. You may recall that when something really terrible was happening, Popeye would say, “That’s all I can stands, and I can’t stands no more!” Well, his grammar wasn’t the best but I think most folks can identify with his frustration. Tensions surface, pressures mount, stress builds, and before you know it you feel like saying, That’s all I can stands, and I can’t stands no more! Had any Popeye moments lately? Well, we’ve all been there at one time or another (perhaps too many times to count). But I have found powerful help in God’s Word for those experiences of pressure and stress. Consider the following passages:
In quietness and trust is your strength (Isaiah 30:15). Be still, and know that I am God (Psalm 46:10). The Lord is good to those who wait for Him, to the person who seeks Him (Lamentations3:25). Rest in the Lord and wait patiently for Him (Psalm 37:7a). The Lord favors those who fear Him, those who wait for His lovingkindness (Psalm 147:11).
It’s also good to ponder the words of Psalm 131 – a wonderful tonic for troubled hearts. In this short but profound Psalm, we read the words of a man who is not overwhelmed by busyness or consumed by pressures. He is not spinning into free fall because of anxiety and stress. Rather, he is quiet before the Lord. Is that really possible in a world that is like a tumultuous sea threatening our little ship on every side? Yes, it is possible! For those who know Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior have a Father in heaven who loves them, hears their prayers, and is strong to deliver them in time of need. Furthermore, according to the Bible, they have the hope of a better country (a heavenly one) and the assurance that their conquering Savior has defeated death and has delivered them from it as well!
How good it is to know that in our daily lives God is able to make His powerful presence known and to bring peace and quiet to our noisy spirits. And not only is He able to do it, He delights to do it. As the great British preacher, Charles Spurgeon, said, “Because He’s the living God, He can hear. Because He’s a loving God, He will hear.” Yes, there’s a peace from God that surpasses all comprehension (see Philippians 4:6-7).
We don’t have to be controlled by Popeye moments!