From a spiritual perspective, there is stress in our lives because we are in conflict internally. Conflict always leads to stress, irritability, impatience, anxiety, anger, worry, doubt, and fear. That is what war does to a person. We forget that in order to have harmony and peace, we must coexist in harmony and peace with self and each other. However, many people are not in harmony and peace with self; therefore, how can they be in harmony with others.

THE SELF REDEFINED BY DR. SUSAN

The self is a physical and spiritual being coexisting in one space. That space is our body. When we are in harmony with self, we exist as one being in union, complete spiritual alignment. That is when we have and are peace. That is also when we have and are love. Left to its own device, the physical being wants control and will pursue pleasure to its own destruction and demise. That is why stress develops, because enough is never enough for the physical being. When they are one, the spiritual being empowers by love the fleshy physical being to live an abundant life.

WE CHOOSE NOT TO ACCEPT THE PEACE GIVEN TO US

We all have free will to choose. The ego of the physical being demands to be in charge. Irony of ironies, it is always a losing battle for the physical being. But the ego of our physical being is very proud and thinks, believes, and feels that it will win with its own willpower. So, the physical being rejects the peace that has been mercifully and graciously given in love by the spirit. The stress, which is our physiological response to our thoughts, develops and rises because as physical beings we are trying to live life on our OWN willpower, and we come to realize we are not strong or wise enough. Then your thoughts take over and you strive daily, fall short repeatedly, and all you have to show for it is a state of chronic stress.

DECREASE STRESS BY ACCEPTING SOME TRUTHS

I know this well. I was going to do this journey called life on my own. Sixteen important truths we must accept if we want to decrease our stress:

1. We are not on our own or our own.
2. This body of ours is on loan; therefore, treat it with CARE.
3. We HAVE NO CONTROL over what will and will not happen in the world.
4. We will make consistently healthy choices once we allow the Holy Spirit to LEAD.
5. LOSE the ego and be humble.
6. Know that the Holy Spirit knows what is BEST for each of us.
7. TRIALS and TRIBULATIONS are part of life.
8. TRUST in the TIMING of the Triune God.
9. Sacrifices must be made daily.
10. We become our BEST self when we LOVE unconditionally.
11. The POWER within us has the answer for EVERY perceived problem.
12. We are in this world, yet not of this world.
13. Be open to everything and attached to nothing.
14. Love includes accountability and discipline.
15. INDULGENCE occurs when we choose to be flesh instead of being spirit.
16. Food must be treated as medicine for the body and taken in the prescribed doses.

NO ONE IS SMARTER THAN GOD

After years of thinking I was smart, it was humbling to realize I was not that smart. Staring me in the face were truths, which I chose to ignore because of my pride and ego. The price for my arrogance was the loss of my peace, increased stress, insomnia, and daily dis-ease. God knows our every need. Stop thinking you got this and start knowing that God has this and your best interest at heart. BLOT out the noise of this world and live stress free and abundantly.