Have you ever seen the Snickers commercials?  You know the ones from the “You’re Not You When You’re Hungry” campaign? Well, that’s exactly how I am when life gets stressful and I am feeling completely overwhelmed.

When things in my world get too chaotic, I’m no where near to being a sweetly saved, compassionate, and caring person.

Family, friends, co-workers, even strangers – they all get my I just want to be left alone, passive aggressive cold shoulder. 

That is until the Holy Spirit pulls me back from morphing into someone I am not proud of.

Some days the fight is short lived. Other days, it feels like a never ending tug of war with my emotions.

Please tell me I’m not the only one who reacts negatively to being stressed?  That some days you feel like you’re not even saved anymore because of how you treat the people around you?

Over the years I’ve learned, becoming a Christian was the easy part. It’s holding on to my salvation that’s an everyday struggle.

Whether it’s stress, tiredness, anxiety, fear or some other emotion, God wants us to remain unbothered by any storm of life.

He wants our outlook and attitudes to be as bright and cheerful on our gloomy days as it is when everything seems to be aligning perfectly in our universe.

As His children, God designed you and I to live in control of our feelings, not for our feelings to be in control of us.

Nothing good ever comes from acting out of negative emotions.

But standing on the promises of God, well that’s when we’ll live our best.

This doesn’t mean we’ll have a problem free life. No! We will never experience such bliss until Jesus makes His grand return. Until then, we can cling to His Word and calmly conquer any situation threatening to overwhelm our minds and our souls.

So the next time the stress and pressures of this life come crashing in, let’s show our hearts and our heads who’s in control.

Let’s speak the Word to our storms, just like Jesus did.  It worked for Him and it will work for us too!

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Need some scriptures to get started?

Here are a few of my favorite biblical promises.  Which ones will you use to help navigate your difficult moments?

1 Peter 5:7 (NIV)

“Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.”

Philippians 4:7 (NLT)

“Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.”

Psalm 29:11 (NIV)

“The LORD gives strength to his people; the LORD blesses his people with peace.”

Isaiah 26:3 (NLT)

“You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you!”

John 16:33 (NIV)

““I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

John 14:27 (NLT)

“ “I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.”

2 Thessalonians 3:16 (NLT)

“Now may the Lord of peace himself give you his peace at all times and in every situation. The Lord be with you all.”

Isaiah 54:10 (NIV)

“Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed,” says the LORD, who has compassion on you.”

Psalm 119:165 (NCV)

“Those who love your teachings will find true peace, and nothing will defeat them.”

Psalm 85:8 (NIV)

“I will listen to what God the LORD says; he promises peace to his people, his faithful servants— but let them not turn to folly.”

Proverbs 16:7 (NLT)

“When people’s lives please the Lord, even their enemies are at peace with them.”

Colossians 3:15a (NCV)

“Let the peace that Christ gives control your thinking…”