“Doodoodoo dadadoodoo… under pressure.” Remember the song from David Bowie in the … 80”s? Yes, I’m dating myself. But it is true, “pushing down on me, pushing down on you.” Our lives these days are so crazy and we’re all under such pressure. Our health might not be in the best of shape. Our jobs are just that: jobs, not the fun, passion-filled, joyful place that you “get” to go to everyday, but the place you HAVE to go to so that you can pay your bills. Our children might be trying our last nerve, not doing well in school or on the field. Our marriages might be breaking down and friendships might be under stress. We’re in situations that are just plain scary.
Under pressure. I am. You are. Your spouse is. Your children are. We are all under pressure. I know I feel that pressure is a bad thing. It’s interesting what pressure does on or to different things in our lives.
Put pressure on the water coming out of a garden hose and it will help you clean your car better and faster.
Put pressure on coal and it turns into a diamond.
Put pressure on clay and the potter can form it into a bowl or cup or a container to hold beautiful flowers.
The Bible says this about what pressure, or “trials,” can do:
“Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.” (James 1:2-3)
We become better people, better Christians.
The thing of it is, God can easily pluck us from any situation where we’re under pressure. But we, I, need to learn to trust God through the trial, while in the pressured situation. Deuteronomy 31:6 states, “Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.”
Psalm 23:4 tells us, “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me.” God’s with me in the valley.
Daniel gets thrown into the lion’s den (Daniel chapter 6). He wasn’t taken away from the trial; he endured such horrific pressure. Daniel went into the den and God went in with him. God’s with me in the lion’s den.
In Daniel 3, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego are thrown into a fiery furnace. They weren’t saved from enduring the trial, but Daniel 3:24,25 says, “… Did we not cast three men bound into the fire?… But I see four men unbound, walking in the midst of the fire, and they are not hurt; and the appearance of the fourth is like a son of the gods.” God’s with me through the fire.
I want to change my mindset to recognize that pressure is not a bad thing. It’s helping to get me to a place where I need to be, a place where I will be more beautiful, like the diamond or the trusting child of God knowing that my Lord will be with me in the valley of the shadow of death, in the lion’s den or through the fire!
“I want to change my mindset to recognize that pressure is not a bad thing.”
Oh I love this! Great blog, Amy, thanks!