Dr. Tonya Lewis: 12 Verses for Living Stress-Free
“For I know the plans I have for you,” says the LORD. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.” (Jeremiah 29:11).
God’s plans for us do not include stress and worry about the issues in our lives. God really wants us to trust His love for us, as well as His commitment to being our Heavenly Father. Who knows better than He what it means to be our Heavenly Father? He has pledged to care for us and even signed on the dotted line with the blood of His beloved and precious Son, Jesus Christ.
God’s original plan for us was to dwell in the stress-free environment of the Garden of Eden while enjoying a loving relationship with Him. Genesis 2:16-17 says,
But the LORD God warned him, “You may freely eat the fruit of every tree in the garden – except the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. If you eat its fruit, you are sure to die.”
Adam’s decision to disobey God did not position him and the rest of us to just automatically enjoy a stress-free life. Now, we must put forth the effort to live stress-free.
Jesus asked in Matthew 6:27,
“Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his lifespan?” How often does Jesus have to substitute Martha’s name with our names and say to us what He said to her in Luke 10:41– “Martha, Martha,” the Lord replied, “you are worried and upset about many things?“
12 Verses for Stress-free Living
It is DEFINITELY possible to free our minds of anything which troubles us if we just follow God’s directives found in His Holy Word. Twelve such verses to aid us in living stress-free are:
- Matthew 6:34– So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.
- Philippians 4:6 –Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank Him for all He has done.
- 1 Peter 5:7– Give all your worries and cares to God, for He cares about you.
Yes, “all” is such a tiny word to encompass such a giant-sized invitation, yet God means ALL…each and every single concern (even concerns you have that are not reasonable to others—yes, even those concerns)! God knows that we cannot focus on obeying His will and Word if we are consumed with our own worries. Other verses to aid us are:
- Psalm 37:5–Commit everything you do to the LORD. Trust Him, and He will help you.
- Psalm 55:22– Give your burdens to the LORD, and He will take care of you. He will not permit the godly to slip and fall.
- Psalm 23:1-The LORD is my shepherd; I have all that I need.
- Psalm 34:9–O fear the LORD, you His saints; For to those who fear Him there is no want.
- Psalm 34:10-…But they who seek the LORD shall not be in want of any good thing.
- Psalm 84:11-…the LORD bestows favor and honor. No good thing does He withhold from those who walk uprightly.
- Matthew 7:11–So if you who are evil know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!
- Romans 8:32–Since He did not spare even His own Son but gave Him up for us all, won’t He also give us everything else?
- Psalm 34:15– The eyes of the LORD watch over those who do right; His ears are open to their cries for help.
We must also note that Jesus said in Luke 10:42,
“There is only one thing worth being concerned about. Mary has discovered it, and it will not be taken away from her.” Minister Matthew Henry explains, “For one thing is needful, this one thing that she has done, to give up herself to the guidance of Christ. The things of this life will be taken away from us, at the furthest, when we shall be taken away from them; but nothing shall separate from the love of Christ, and a part in that love.”*
So stop stressing, stop worrying, and live stress-free! God Bless!
Dr. Tonya Lewis has been a member of West Angeles Church of God In Christ for over 40 years. She serves on-staff as the Executive Director of Bereavement Ministries. She holds both Honorary Doctorate and Earned Doctorate degrees. Dr. Lewis has been teaching the Overcomer’s Bible Fellowship for over 34 years at West Angeles, along with other teaching venues.
OVERCOMER’S BIBLE FELLOWSHIP – You are invited to join the Overcomer’s Bible Fellowship, facilitated by Dr. Tonya Lewis. This fellowship can teach you how to overcome any and everything that’s contrary to God’s Word, thus developing you into strong, spiritual, Kingdom citizens. Join us each Sunday morning, 8-10 a.m., or Sunday evening 5:30-6:40 p.m. in the North Campus Sanctuary.
For more information on the Overcomers Bible Fellowship, please contact Dr. Tonya Lewis, 323-733-8300 ext. 2242.
[*] – Matthew Henry Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible. Accessed 9/27.
Photo, © Aaron Burden, c/o Creation Swap.
Top 10 Quotes of Bishop Charles E. Blake
Of the daily encouragements that Presiding Bishop Charles E. Blake has either tweeted about or shared with you on Facebook–below is the TOP 10 quotes of Bishop Charles E. Blake. Be encouraged and most of all, be blessed.
1.If God can raise the dead, He can deal with your problems! 563 likes 73 shares
2. Let Go of harmful, non-productive regrets and sorrows about past failures, past hurts and past defeats! Nothing deserves a funeral everyday! 250 likes 73 shares
3.Hold on until you get your miracle! Every miracle confirms the purpose of God. 317 likes 43 shared
4. Read the bible! That should be your main textbook for your life! 413 likes 41 shared
5.Child of God, don’t be so quick to go your own way. Stay under the blood of Jesus. 387 likes 71 shares
6. When you begin to honor God, the flesh knows it’s about to be defeated. 271 likes 46 shares
7.Morning Prayer:
Search my mind, Search my will, Search my heart; Search me, O Lord.
I want to be what you want me to be.
I want to live like you want me to live.
I want to give you glory; I want to give you praise.
Every day I want to go higher; every day I want to be better.
Every day I want your power resting on me in Jesus Name. Amen. 263 likes 83 shares
8. Man looks on the outward appearance but God looks at the Heart…Work on your Heart! 286 likes 53 shares
9. Nobody can take care of you like God can! 678 likes 45 shares
10. Make up in your mind that you are not going to quit until you get to where you need to go! 359 likes 58 shares
11. I choose to elevate my vision so BIG that there’s no way I can do it without a miracle from God! 316 likes 51 shares
Inspiring Quotes from Great Women in History Part II
“To me success means effectiveness in the world, that I am able to carry my ideas and values into the world–that I am able to change it in positive ways.”
— Maxine Hong Kingston, author of “Woman Warrior”
“I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”
— Maya Angelou, African-American poet
“I rejected the notion that my race or sex would bar my success in life.”
— Constance Baker Motley, first African-American woman to serve as a federal judge
“For what is done or learned by one class of women becomes, by virtue of their common womanhood, the property of all women.”
– Elizabeth Blackwell, first female physician in the United States
“If the first woman God ever made was strong enough to turn the world upside down all alone, these together ought to be able to turn it back and get it right side up again.”
— Sojourner Truth, African-American abolitionist
“You may be disappointed if you fail, but you are doomed if you don’t try.”
— Beverly Sills, former American opera soprano
“I’m not afraid of storms, for I’m learning to sail my ship.”
— Louisa May Alcott, author of “Little Women”
“It is better to look ahead and prepare than to look back and regret.”
— Jackie Joyner-Kersee, first woman to win back-to-back gold medals in the Summer Olympics
“Make a difference about something other than yourselves.”
— Toni Morrison, author of “Beloved” and first African-American to win the Nobel Prize for Literature
“I think the girl who is able to earn her own living and pay her own way should be as happy as anybody on earth. The sense of independence and security is very sweet.”
— Susan B. Anthony, American suffragette and advocate of women’s rights