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Sing when You're Stressed

Stress is a natural part of life. In physical terms, muscles etc. couldn’t work unless put under a certain amount of stress… but equally, in physical terms, whether it is a muscle or a metal, there is a difference between stress, and strain which ultimately leads to breakdown.
This is true of our emotional and spiritual wellbeing too. A certain amount of stress in not only natural, but also helpful. My blood pressure is on the low side of normal, and I have often joked with the nurse who regularly measures it that it is only stress that keeps me upright! 
But you can’t live under significant stress forever and there are times when the extent of stress leads to a catastrophic breakdown. The earth seems to shake and give way and those things that seemed to be immovable mountains, fall into the heart of the sea.
Psalm 46 speaks into times of national disaster and personal catastrophe. I originally wrote the following paraphrase on the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, but it as I reblog it now as part of our weekly series on the Psalms, it is also appropriate for me and my family as we juggle more than our usual quota of stress.


God is our strength and a safe place to hide,
In time of trouble he’s always there to help.
So we will not fear, even if the earth should shake
And mountains be reduced to rubble,
though the seas rage and roar
and cities be swept away in the surge.
Pause

The River of Life sustains the city of God,
the holy habitation of the Most High.
God is within her walls, so she will stand;
God will ride to her rescue with the rising sun.
Nations rant and rave, kings and kingdoms fall; 
The I AM speaks, and the whole earth dissolves .
The Almighty I AM is always with us;
The God of promise is our protector.
Pause

Come and see what I AM can do, 
Sweeping away what we thought to be indestructible.
He will bring war to an end
From one end of the world to another;
Putting weapons beyond use eternally
And disarming hearts and minds.

Stop. Be still. Know that I AM is God;
I will be exalted among all nations, 
I will be exalted over all the earth.
The Almighty I AM is always with us;
The God of promise is our protector.
Psalms 46:1-11

Selah

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