Break any stronghold in your life is a part of a quote I read in Barb Roose’s book Stronger Than Stress, and I’m pondering it with you today.
For Lent 2025, I’ll be writing new blog posts every day. I’m writing for just five unedited minutes on a quote of the day to deepen our faith in this Lenten season.
Day 31 of Lent 2025 – April 4
I purchased this book last year and I’m just now getting around to reading it. The timing is perfect as I resume full-time freelance work, which can be stressful because my income is not guaranteed.
This week my stress has been triggered over and over. I spent almost a whole day trying to get a file to load, but then had to start from scratch in a different program. In that stressful period, I questioned my own abilities to perform well. This was unnecessary because the problem was with the operating system, not me. However, because my autonomic nervous system was flooded, I attacked myself – that’s my normal setting due to years of emotional abuse.
Renouncing the Spirit of Chronic Stress
I picked up Barb’s book from my big stack of to-read books last night. This quote hit me in the heart. As I recently wrote, my pastor talked about the stronghold of despair in his sermon, which I never considered to be a stronghold in my life. Now Barb points out that chronic stress can be a stronghold too. I’m glad she did, because now I can pray more intelligently about it. My pastor said he started renouncing the spirit of despair in his life, and I will do that too – as well as the spirit of chronic stress.
I am a true-blue overachiever. It’s part of my DNA as an Enneagram 1 and a firstborn, and also as a gifted student. But my natural high achievement style has also been exacerbated by other factors. These factors include being a child of divorce since age 4 who was doing all the homeowner tasks I do now by age 10. I was I’m starting to realize just how much those heavy burdens at a very young age are still impacting me now in my work and personal life.
Learning from Paul about Stress
Barb frames her book around the apostle Paul’s life. He was a natural high achiever, just like me. However, she points out that though Paul endured many stressful situations and wrote honestly about them, he still experienced God’s peace in spite of them. He was extremely productive without letting work rule his life. I’m looking forward to learning more from Barb as I continue reading this book, and applying the examples from Paul’s life to my own.
Are you dealing with chronic stress like I am? Get your copy of Stronger Than Stress HERE.
Join me again tomorrow for another reflection on a different quote.
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