Are you free – really free? Are you at peace being the person God created you to be and enjoying your life with him?

Many people we talk to are wearing a heavy yoke. They’re working all the time. Or they’re worried about money or their health or their kids. Or they’re tired of trying to please an impossible to please spouse. Or they’re depending on alcohol to relax.

How Did Jesus Stay Relaxed Under Pressure?

Jesus shows us a life of freedom. No one has had more pressure than Jesus. No one has had more responsibility, expectations, temptations, stress, or pain than Jesus. And no one lived life more relaxed than Jesus.

What was Jesus’ secret to peace? He lived in submission to the Father in all that he did. He saw the unseen kingdom of God and lived in terms of it, not the stresses of the visible world.

New Wording for Jesus’ Easy Yoke

Jesus lived in the easy yoke of the Father in all that he did. And he offers that same yoke to you and to you. Jesus says to us:

Jesus burst forth in prayer: “O how I praise you, Abba Father and Lord of heaven and earth. You’ve hidden your ways from those who rely on their own intelligence and strength and made them known to those who come to you like a child. Yes, Father, working with ordinary, humble people gives you great joy!”

Jesus turned to the people with tenderness. “I say and do only what the Father tells me. I am united with the Father and the Father is united with me. All that I do comes out of my intimacy with the Father and it is this intimacy that I am inviting you to participate in. Listen. Let me show you how it works…

“Are you tired from carrying a heavy burden?  Are you worn out from pulling a heavy load all by yourself?

“Come to me. Look – right now – my arms are open wide to you. See my smile. My heart is for you, to give you my rest, my peace, my life.

“Come to me. Don’t try so hard to make that situation work out like you want. Slow down and take a deep breath. Open your heart to me – submit to me as I submit to the Father and you’ll enjoy his love with me, you’ll experience my rest of soul.

“Come to me. I want to help you to carry your burdens. Don’t pull that heavy load in your own strength – enter into the harness with me. Let me show you how to pull the plow across the field and get the work done in a good and relaxed way. Walk with me and work with me. Look straight ahead and keep in cadence with me. We’ll step together easily and lightly. We’ll smile in the Father’s love as we bless people in need.”

(Matthew 11:25-30, my paraphrase).

More Help for you to Live in Jesus’ Easy Yoke

Check out, You Can Live in Jesus’ Easy Yoke, my new book to help you practice Jesus’ rhythms of grace in the midst of your daily challenges and stresses.

Soul Shepherding helps pastors, missionaries, leaders, and all kinds of caregivers to live in Jesus’ easy yoke. This enables these ministry leaders to help dozens, hundreds, thousands of other people to live in the peace of Christ.

Bill Gaultiere, Ph.D. & Kristi Gaultiere, Psy.D. ~ http://www.soulshepherding.org

Usually its better to slow down!

I was talking with a friend who likes to drive in the fast lane.  He thrives on trying to get more done in less time in order to be successful.  He’s very productive… and stressed.

He doesn’t realize that he’s continually recruiting adrenaline to give him the boost of energy and confidence that he feels he needs to handle all of his responsibilities.  His body’s production of adrenaline is like his own drug manufacturing plant!  He has adrenaline dependence.

Other people get their adrenaline hits through extreme sports, risky behavior, or loud music.

Adrenaline is God’s gift to us.  It’s meant to help us respond to emergencies and urgent needs.  Used sparingly it’s a good thing.  Used continually it wears down your body and diminishes your life.  (Doctors have called this “hurry sickness.”) You get to the point where it’s hard to slow down and enjoy the little blessings in each day – birds singing, children playing, relaxing with a friend, prayer.

It’s difficult for people like my friend to get off of adrenaline.  It feels so good!  It helps them to get more done.  And when they slow down (and aren’t stimulating themselves with adrenaline) they feel tired, empty, and depressed.

I myself have overcome adrenaline dependence.  And I’ve helped pastors and other leaders get off the destructive habit of relying on the body’s “speed.”

Freedom comes with learning to set boundaries on work and “urgent” demands and slow down your pace of life.  It can be helpful to practice slowing down your pace of life by driving in the slow lane on the road in order to enjoy music (that’s not too loud!) or to pray.  Best of all is to learn the value of spending large blocks of time in silence and solitude in order to “be still” with Jesus.  (Start with 30 minutes and build from there.)

Slowing down can’t be learned in a “self-help” program.  You might have adrenaline withdrawals.  You’ll probably feel bored, restless, or insignificant.  You need to “process” your emotions with someone and to get coaching on learning new ways of coping with stress.

Read my article/page, “Hurry Up and Be Still: Freedom from Adrenaline Dependence.”

Take my self-test, “Are you Dependent on Adrenaline?“

Jesus, our Good Shepherd, guides us through the seasons of our soul

By Bill Gaultiere © 2011

When the shepherds in our churches and Christian organizations are depressed, overstressed, or struggling with compulsive behavior then the sheep they care for suffer.

If pastors are not growing in their own intimacy with Jesus then their ministry to others is diminished.  If Christian leaders are distracted from setting aside ministry demands to be still with God and open up their hearts to him then they probably are having trouble hearing his voice and relying on his Spirit in their ministry.

Statistics about Pastors show that they experience tremendous stress personally and in their marriages and families. Tragically some pastors burn out or blow out. There is a great need for pastors and other ministry leaders to participate in Soul Shepherding:

Bill Gaultiere, Ph.D. & Kristi Gaultiere, Psy.D. ~ http://www.soulshepherding.org

Soul Shepherding is a 501c3 nonprofit corporation supported by tax-deductible donations