Shalom – Part II
Posted by Greg Heeres on October 21, 2009
Last week’s blog post
was about the Nobel Peace Prize. Today’s blog post is not about a peace prize, rather true peace – shalom.
MSNBC, Readers Digest, Bio-Medicine, and American Psychology Association (just to name a few) have written extensively about the increase and effect of life stress. Many top universities across America have performed surveys and research on the subject of stress in America.
Most research concurs that approximately 40% of Americans have chronic or constant stress. They live daily without shalom. Stress can exhibit itself in health conditions: fatigue, headache, stomach ache, muscle tension, change in appetite, and teeth grinding. Stress can also contribute to a person’ outbursts in anger, nervousness/anxiety/panic, plummeting energy levels, and emotionality (i.e. crying). Numerous health and medical sources suggest our nation’s epidemic of obesity is triggered in part by stress.
People admit readily that they are not at peace. The causes of stress vary, but research shows five main stressors:
1. Money issues
2. Work issues
3. Marriage, children, family issues
4. Health issues
5. Lack of faith, hope, love, purpose
People are attempting to locate lasting shalom and trying all kinds of remedies to address stress. More exercise. More alcohol. More chocolate. More meditation. More medication (did you know that Americans consume 80 million aspirins……a day? Some have tried the opposite. Less rest. Less smiling. Less relationships. Less golf. Less church. Less meals at home and more drive thru “dining”.
Although Bobby McFerrin’s hit song in 1988 “Don’t worry. Be happy” has an appeasing Jamaican rhythm, stress is still getting the best of us. Most people agree listening to music does help reduce stress (except the likes of AC/DC). Maybe we should tune in to praise & worship songs in order to find true peace. An old hymn comes to mind – “Turn your eyes upon Jesus”. It was written by Helen Lemmel in 1918.
This leads me to my new stress remedy. For shalom, I will listen to more praise & worship songs and turn my eyes upon and look at Jesus and not at my problems.
For your shalom, what are you going to listen to and look at?
