Pressure

Everyday somebody crumbles under the pressure of life. Recently I saw a news report about a well to do business woman who killed herself under the pressure. She saw no way out and took her own life. Others cope with pressure in other destructive ways such as drugs, alcohol and escapes into fantasy.

The word "pressure" is defined to mean the exertion of force upon a surface by an object in contact with it. It also means the state of being pressed or compressed. Let me give an example. If I blow a ballon up with air and then apply increasing pressure on that ballon eventually it will pop. The balloon is not able to withstand the exertion of pressure.

There are many people in life who feel like that balloon. They have pressure on them from all sides. There is the pressure to raise children and ensure they are able to keep up in academic, musical and athletic arenas. There is the pressure to cling to marriages in our increasingly hurried society. There are economic pressures to deal with month to month. There are pressures to perform at work, in the class room, performing arts building or on the athletic field. There are pressures to better yourself and to keep up with other families. There are the physical pressures of people over worked and under rested. I just returned from an end of the year awards ceremony for one of our boys. I noticed a guy standing against the wall asleep on his feet. No telling how many hours he has had to work.

People do not cope with pressure well. Like the balloon eventually pops so the body eventually crumbles under the strain. Physically living under pressure or to put it another way, living under stress, causes headaches, sleeplessness, high blood pressure and could lead to a heart attack. The body simply cannot cope with too much pressure.

This does not even take into account the emotional toll of pressure. I recently visited with someone who lives with a chronic disease. They live with chronic pain and never get any relief from it. They do not have good days when they are pain free. They have days when the pain might be less severe but it never goes away. NEVER. After awhile this pressure erodes hope for the future. Soon such people feel like they are drowning in an ocean of despair. Dark thoughts can cloud the judgment. Looking for relief and an escape from the pain people grope for anything that might provide relief whether it be a booze, a bottle of pills or a revolver.

For others the emotional toll might stem from a loveless marriage, a rebellious child, a mountain of debt and financial set backs. The weight of the pressure exerted produces anxiety. I feel like we live and walk among people who are about to implode under the pressure. Living like this becomes a strain. You never feel rested in the morning no matter how much sleep you get. You will yourself to get ready, go to work, fulfill your obligations. Such people slowly begin to withdraw socially as they retreat to the shadows to lick their wounds.

What are the pressure points in your life? A shattered dream. A broken heart. A dysfunctional family. Financial set backs. Everyone has pressure to some degree. What or who is pressing on you to the breaking point.

For the believer things are complicated when it appears God is the one applying the pressure. When the mountain does not move, the pain does not go away, the disease is not healed, the marriage is not restored or the financial strain only increases after you have prayed and cried your heart out what do you do? Some lose heart and lose hope in God. Others turn to temporary pleasures to numb the pain and confusion. Neither provides a lasting solution.

I don't know what your pressure points are. I don't know the severity of your pain or the depths of your despair you cope with daily. What can I offer you during this difficult season? Once again I turn to the book for the ages for help. Here it is. "And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance, and perseverance proven character; and proven character hope; and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us." [Rom 5:3-5]

The word "hope" in this passage means joyful and confident expectation. To be perfectly honest there are those, especially living with chronic disease, who will never be healed in this life. Hope for them is only found in heaven and the reassuring presence of the Lord from day to day. Heaven is what they joyfully and confidently expect as reward at the end of life. Others will enjoy varying degrees of temporary relief. I say temporary because eventually the pressure gets to all of us as our bodies age and fail.

In the mean time I want to embrace the truth that tribulations are serving two things in our lives. They build perseverance and that builds proven character. Proven character is another way of saying experience. We have all endured many tribulations. Through those we have gained valuable experience with God. We have learned to press on even when under pressure. We have also learned God loves us even when it hurts. With that in mind we press on even under the constant pressure you feel all around you. One day for every child of God the pressure will fade when we step into eternity. Until that day may we persevere and experience the love of God poured out in our hearts.