Dealing with Stress

Stress.
Is anyone else feeling it as much as I am right now?
With school about to begin, college choices hanging over my head, and increased work hours, I feel on the verge of having a mental breakdown. Half of me is in denial and the other half is telling me to freak out. And I have been freaking out a little:P
 This time of year is usually a reality check for many young people, especially those that may be entering a new chapter in their life (middle school, high school, college, a new job, you name it!). See, there's these horrible things called responsibilities that we all eventually get to have as we get older. And, if you're like me, they give you a lot of anxiety when concentrated. For me, this past week, it got to the point where I wanted to shut down because of it. My mind ran off with the thought that I wasn't ready to face this chapter of my life and be an adult. I was freaking out because I couldn't fathom how I was going to handle ALL the responsibilities and duties which are coming with the school year ahead.
But, this is where I went wrong. I was sitting there trying to figure out how I could do all this on my own, when I don't have to do this all on my own. Yes, I'm going to be an adult pretty quickly here, and yes, I'm going to have to pick a college and figure out my future, and yes, that is a scary thing. It would be abnormal for someone not to be at least a little apprehensive about it. But, where I went wrong was looking to myself to handle this all, when I should've been looking to God.
 Let's be real, there is no way we can handle all the trials and burdens that come our way in this life on our own. We aren't strong enough for that. What we need to do when we get overwhelmed is to take a step back, breathe, and take some time to see what God says about our situation. The Bible says that we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us {Philippians 4:13}. God put these trials in my life for a reason. He doesn't just throw these things at us and say, "OK, bye, you have fun with that." Everything He does is for a reason and he will guide and direct us on the right path if we just listen.
 So, if you're freaking out right now over this coming school year or other responsibilities you might have{even if it's only a little} , I want you to stop right now, take a deep breath, and talk to God {Romans 12:12-"Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer."}. Tell Him how you are feeling and what you are struggling with. Then, take some uninterrupted quiet time to listen to what He has to say back to you by reading His Word. Humble yourself and ask God for guidance and help. He lived as a man on earth before and dealt with all the emotions and struggles that we have to experience, so He knows how best to help us.
 Also, know that this trial you are struggling with is for a reason {James 1:2-4}. Although that reason may not be clear to you at the moment,be patient to trust Him. Don't lose faith in God's purposes when times get hard; these are the times in which you need that faith the most.


P.S. Excuse my massive lack of posting. I was on a long mission trip and vacation with NO WIFI!! Talk about trials and tribulations! I promise to warn y'all next time I disappear:)

-jh♥