“As pressure and stress bear down on me, I find joy in your commands.” (Psalms 119:143)

What is your go-to stress relief? Maybe you would write the above verse this way: As pressure and stress bear down on me, I find joy in my favorite binge-watch show or I find joy in buying new things or I find joy in my go-to dessert or I find joy in indulging in that sinful desire. Do any of those sound accurate for you? When pressure and stress bear down on you, what do you turn to for relief? Unfortunately, all too often, when the weight is too much we turn to the offerings of this world, whether it’s food, entertainment, more stuff, or sinful desires. Psalm 119 teaches us that when pressure and stress bear down upon us, we should turn to the Lord’s commands, for it is there that we will find joy.

“In your faithful love, O Lord, hear my cry; let me be revived by following your regulations.” (Psalms 119:149)

“Let me live so I can praise you, and may your regulations help me.” (Psalms 119:175)

One of Satan’s oldest tactics is to twist and misconstrue God’s words; he did it with Eve in the Garden (Genesis 3:1), he did it when he was tempting Jesus in the desert (Matthew 4:5-6), and he’ll do it with us today. He would love to do it with these verses, to sell us the lie that obeying God’s commands and following His regulations is only going to cause us more stress and pressure. Think of our traffic laws: they are not there to cause you more stress and pressure, but to keep you safe. Breaking those laws might sound fun and may seem to get you to your destination quicker, but you are more likely to end in a fiery crash if you break the rules of the road than if you abide by them. Satan may want to sell you the lie that turning to God’s commands will only cause you more stress and pressure, but remember that everything Satan says is a lie, that he was a liar from the beginning, he is the father of lies, and his way will indeed end in a fiery crash.

“Lord, sustain me as you promised, that I may live! Do not let my hope be crushed. Sustain me, and I will be rescued; then I will meditate continually on your decrees.” (Psalms 119:116-117)

Think of any close relationship you have; there are plenty of regulations that you follow within that relationship—not reluctantly or as if you are in shackles—and you do it joyfully because you love the person in that relationship. There is a peace in a relationship when both parties respect the other’s wishes out of love. The true release from the pressure and stress that bears down on you is found in obedience to God’s commands. Following His regulations will revive and help us. Our default might be to turn to the things of this world, that go-to stress relief, but these are mere escapes from pressure and stress, not solutions for them because we cannot find joy apart from God—there is no such thing. When the pressures and stress of life bear down upon you, turn to God and seek to obey His commands; there you will find true joy and relief from the pressure and stress.

“Then Jesus said, ‘Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.’” (Matthew 11:28-30)

“Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.” (1 Peter 5:7)

May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

—Redeemed