Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.

~Matthew 11:28 NIV

When stress sneaks into our nighttime dreams, it’s time for a stress reset.I enjoy my sleep. I always say the Sunday afternoon nap is my Olympic sport. But sometimes, stressful dreams interrupt my sleep. Stressful dreams are the ones where our worries or undone to-do lists get us into a humiliating bind.

Once, the night before a field trip, I dreamed my entire class of students was outside my window, watching me sleep. Another time, during state-wide testing week, I dreamed my principal stood over my bed, glaring at me with poor test scores in her hand. On another night, I dreamed the clients I dog sat for showed up a day early and saw the messy kitchen. Other dreams I’ve had involve big bills coming due, losing my job I love so much, and forgetting important appointments.

I believe my stress dreams are a compassionate gift from God. They are His gentle way of showing me that my perspective needs adjustment. They are His way of calling me back to His feet just as He did for too-busy Martha.

“Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”

~Luke 10:41-42 NIV

The fix for worries and doubts just might entail switching one little word in our inner narrative. What we dwell on pales in comparison to who dwells in us. For those who look to Jesus as their hope and security, peace, power, and provision are promised!

The Spirit of Christ resides in us, filling every room of our hearts. With our permission, He’ll repair the broken walls and declutter the nooks and crannies where our secret shame hides. His goal is to make us whole and give us a sound mind.

Unfortunately, we have a pitiful tendency to haul in more rubbish from the outside. We allow unwanted visitors to put their feet on the furniture and switch the channel of our minds. The next thing we know, we’re binge-watching lies, accusations, and false beliefs.

All along, the Spirit urges us to tune in to truth. Therefore, He is the only one who can restore our hearts to healthy living conditions.

If your headspace feels crowded with unwanted thoughts, invite the Spirit to clean house. Let Him change the locks on your door and control the remote. Let Him do a clean sweep and set you back in order.

Father, “For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen [us] with power through his Spirit in [our] inner being, so that Christ may dwell in [our] hearts through faith.

And I pray that [we], being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that [we] may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen” ‭‭(Ephesians‬ ‭3‬:‭14‬-‭21‬ ‭NIV‬‬).

 

Genre: Non-fiction

Copyright 2024: Stress Reset: Lee Merrill: All Rights Reserved