I learned something fascinating the other day. It was explained to me that our bodies were not created for stress.
Not like, “It’s a bad idea to be stressed, so don’t do it”, but more like “Our bodies cannot function in any way when we are stressed.”
So, this isn’t the scientific explanation, but what I learned is that when we feel stressed or fearful about something, our bodies kind of freak out, and go into that “fight or flight” mode, and rapidly crank out crazy amounts of hormones.
But then, there is absolutely no appropriate place for those hormones to go. They dump into other areas of the body that are not equipped to deal with the overload.
When God made us, He did not provide a way for the body to deal with that correctly or positively. All of those hormones have no way of exiting the body properly, and so they turn into toxins. (And if you know more about the scientific side to all of this, you can gladly provide more info in the comment section!)
Our bodies will never adapt to stress. We cannot learn to function with loads of stress. We just aren’t made to do that.
When God said, “Don’t worry about tomorrow”, He wasn’t kidding. He really meant, “I made you to live free from worry. I want you to trust me with absolutely everything, because I will take care of you. Your body is not made to carry that load. At all.“
It makes me think about the Israelites. When they were wandering around in the desert, God provided their food. But only one day at a time. Manna came from heaven, and their needs for that day were provided for.
But if they ever tried to keep some extra for the next day, it was rotten by morning. Enough food for one day at a time. They couldn’t disobey that one, even if they tried.
God tells us worry is a sin, but we think we can still get away with it. We don’t want to settle with thoughts only for today. And maybe we don’t see them visibly rotten by morning, but…maybe we do. Studies show that 80-90% of sickness is rooted in stress.
Instead of rotten manna, we have rotting bodies. I realize that these bodies are not meant to last forever, but I fully believe we’re supposed to live with a much lighter load than we do.
I’ve written so many times about my struggles with worry and anxiety and fear. This last year has been full of learning to trust God more. But what I’m seeing now, more than ever, is that I was made for something so much different.
I have no idea if this will be what finally sticks, but lately, whenever those old thoughts come creeping in, I think to myself, “I was not made for this.”
I try to carry something I was never even meant to touch. That can never end well.
I get today. That’s it.
Fresh manna for the day.
His strength and grace and peace, for today.
And His mercy is new every morning.
Oh, that I would figure it out, and stop trying to hang on to moldy manna!
Ordinary Days 