When the Pressure is On!

By Diane Nix

My mom used a pressure cooker. I remember the sound of the pressure cooker hissing the release of steam while it cooked the food to perfection. However, if my mom had released the pressure before the cooling down process, there would have been a terrible problem. Food and juices would have spewed all over the cook and the ceiling, causing damage and making a horrible mess!

There are days when my life reminds me of that pressure cooker. Life’s daily pressures squeeze me until there is no place for all the pent-up emotions to go but OUT! When I forget my pressure release valve, “There she blows!” When my priorities are right, when my life flows in the right direction, I handle daily pressure better. The struggle comes when I live from the wrong position; doing rather than being will always invite overwhelming pressure. Living life based on what we do, or what others are doing or not doing, can cause stress to mount until something has to give!  

Pressurized lives are dangerous. Busy lives without a release will end up hurting someone. Usually, the pressurized life is damaged first, and then casualties result when she blows.  

How do we handle our stress without our families screaming, “There she blows!”? 

Recognize there will always be a challenge of stress. There will be seasons of pressure, some greater, some lesser, but life will always bring us stress to some degree. 

God never meant for us to handle pressure alone. We need some pressure release. Here are some strategies for managing that stress.

Praise – Praise refocuses your life by helping you realize you are not alone and you are not your source of strength. God is our source. He is our helper. My accountability partner reminds me, “Girl, you need to get your praise on!” Living in a state of praise or with our favorite hymn or worship song keeps us focused and depressurized, if you will. (Psalm 150) 

Keep the praise flowing. 

Prayer -connects us with our Creator. Prayer changes us first and moves the heart of our Abba. (Pray like it Matters) Prayer takes us to the throne room, where we enter boldly but humbly. (Hebrews 4:16)  Scripture commands us to pray without ceasing. (1 Thessalonians 5:17) In other words, if we practice praying as we flow through the pressures of our day, our anxiety will release. Let’s face it; we have little control over most things in our lives. And yet, we try to control every situation–living prayerlessly much of it. We say that we will pray. In reality, we replay whatever, over and over, in our thoughts until consumed, pulling ourselves up by our confidences, and keep going!  

Prayer reveals our dependence upon the One who has “ordered our steps.” Prayer reminds us of who should be in control and why. (not my will but God’s will.) Prayer helps to offload the pressure onto the One who can handle it. Prayer is a pressure release. There have been times I have sat quietly and listened. Other times my prayer life was filled with anguish; I screamed, wrestled, wailed, wept, laughed, celebrated, and even danced! There is no set posture for prayer; just do it–without ceasing!  

Position – Remember who you are and Whose you are. When life’s dailies cause the pressure to rise without relief, Christian women (Ministry Wives) can forget who called them to their life. Our position strengthens us to complete every one of our dailies without being overcome. We cannot do it on our own. He desires for us to thrive through our pressures. When we forget who called us and operate from our own strength, we will undoubtedly have moments where we “blow!” Spewing out the mess we never intended for anyone to experience – let alone ourselves. 

If you have Jesus in your heart, you are God’s Girl. Your position with Him is secure! We don’t have to do one more thing to earn His approval! He LOVES you, and he is not looking for an excuse to disown you. (Romans 8:38-39) His desire is for you to bring the pressures to Him. Let Him walk you through it when the anxieties of life don’t make sense. When life’s demands are unfair or seem like they will never end, remember that He will never leave or forsake you. (Hebrews 13:5) He captures every one of your tears in a bottle, and He remembers your sin no more. (Psalm 56:8) Own your position. Rest in the fact that He knows and He is with you! You are His Girl! 

Get your Praise on! Don’t stop praying, and remember who you are and whose You are! 

Lean back deeply upon the chest of your Abba Daddy God and let Him have the pressures of this life!  

I am always praying for you!

Meet Diane

Diane is the director and founder of Contagious Joy 4 Him, a network of encouragement to ministry wives around the globe. Thirty-six years ago, she married her husband, pastor/professor, Dr. Preston Nix.  He is a professor of evangelism and evangelistic preaching at NOBTS. They have two biological daughters, two spiritual-grown daughters, two grands, and two son’s in-laws. 

Diane’s life bears the scars of addiction, abuse, loss, and dysfunction. She remembers being drawn to spiritual things. Searching for the One who could bring peace, she found her Savior, Jesus Christ! And soon after her salvation, she surrendered to ministry. She has never looked back!

Diane has lost all material possessions on two different occasions. Once by a house fire and another by Hurricane Katrina. She has survived a life-threatening illness, with aftereffects that still impact her today. A speaker and author of the book, When God’s Woman Wants to Give Up!  Diane sheds light on “never giving up” amid trials. She is also a contributing author to LifeWay’s Ministry to Women blog, and most recently Broadman and Holman’s Daily Devotional for Women and The Psalms and Proverbs Devotional for Women. She is an author, speaker, vlogger, and blogger. Connect with her personally on Facebook and Instagram, or her ministry at Facebook and Instagram.