Stressed out!

    Wretched stress!  I hate it/  How many times have we heard.  Stress is bad for you,  Stress causes innumerable health problems.  Blah blah blah.  What I want to know is how...in Gods name do we control it?  I know God is in control.  I know He has good plans for me.  I know I have to "give it to God".  But, I don't feel like I'm worried.  And yet my body responds with headaches and an array of MS symptoms in response to it.  So what am I to do?  This is extremely frustrating to me.  Because when I don't feel well, my focus it to just try and make it through the day.  Especially when I am in pain.  Its very difficult to focus on much else.  Headache pain is the worst!   Since no matter what I do I can't escape it.  The kind of headaches I get are cluster headaches, often referred to as "suicide headaches" so I am sure you can deduce the severity of them by the name.  They last 4-7 days and wake me up at night.  So sleep doesn't even help.  So in my human nature I try to not get stressed.  What a joke!  Since when I do this, I just "stuff" my feelings and the symptoms escalate!  However when I express them, I still end up with the same result!  Well, this post does not have the answer to how to control stress.  I wish I knew.  This life is a journey and a learning process.  I do know that like in Keith Greens song, Make My Life A Prayer To You- it says "oh, its so hard to see, when my eyes are on me".  This is what I have been reflecting on most of the day today.  I can't see anything of worth or value when I am so focused on myself.  It truly is a matter of perspective to be able to view each moment differently than you previously had.  I seem to always be trying to figure out how medically best to alleviate the problem.  I think my perspective should more be how to ask God to help me deal with it.  I can't stop myself from being stressed out or reacting to it.  But God, as my friend Dan likes to say, in His (Gods) infinite wisdom can.
     Paul says in Philippians 4:13 "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me"  I long to have faith like that.  Paul also says in Philippians 4^:6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. ⁷ And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.  I know we all know this scripture, but we need to really meditate on what it means.  Why oh why do I not go to Jesus FIRST! most often I go to the medicine cabinet.  Medicines are great when needed for sure, I am not talking about not using medicine.  I am talking about seeking God first to see what He would have me do.  Then being led by the Holy Spirit do whatever.  We cannot not be anxious, unless we are in His presence which will enable us not to be anxious.  By praying and thanking Him and asking Him for help in our pain or suffering, we will have His peace.  It doesn't mean the pain or suffering will be gone, although it can be.  It means that we have His peace and His strength to go through it.  So that anxiety and fear that comes with stress, will just melt away.
Dear Jesus please help my friends who are suffering with anything from stress to physical ailments.  Help them go to you FIRST, so that Your peace and strength may be with them.  Show them how best to handle each of their individual circumstances.  In Your holy name, Amen.