Most of us have experienced some degree of stress, especially during the last year and a half. We’ve known for some time that stress leads to many other physical and emotional ailments if undealt with.

Sometimes stress can serve as an indicator that something or someone significant to us needs attention. It may indicate that something needs managed. ( Not to confuse managing with controlling.) Many times when we are feeling tension, there is a good chance that someone or something needs our time, thoughts, planning, and actions. The things we consider significant deserve, as well as require our management. We can’t consider something meaningful to us if we don’t manage it. Perhaps a personal, family, or business issue needs resolved, or to be put away.

Remember that stress and anxiety only affect us regarding things that are significant or meaningful to us. The Apostle Peter encourages us to “cast all your anxieties, all your worries, all your concerns, once and for all on Him, because He cares about you with deepest affection, and watches over you very carefully”.

You and I truly are significant to God. When we offer ourselves and our stressors to Him, He watches over and manages us with affection and intention. This means we can trust Him for our care and the outcome of life’s events.

There are things in life that we cannot control. In those instances, we can roll those concerns upon Him. Yet, we still are required to manage ourselves and our actions. We still manage our personal sense of significance. (Identity) We can manage the conversation we have with ourselves about ourselves. We also evaluate the things that are significant to us, and manage those areas carefully as the Lord does with us. Ignoring things that are significant to us will eventually add a heaviness and disarray to us mentally and emotionally. So… Make an observation the next time you feel stressed out. Ask yourself this question. “What significant area of my life am I not properly communicating with or managing”? While initially you may feel like giving your energy to “one more thing” will deplete you. It will affect you differently than you think!

Intentionally giving our time, thoughts, planning and actions to a person or thing we consider significant gives us freedom from the weight we are carrying!. Managing areas of significance actually releases stress and anxiety.