Reach up for a moment and massage your neck and shoulder muscles. Feel any tension there? Most of us do. Tension seems to be a part of 21st century living.

One source is trying to do more than God expects. Many of us are unwilling to accept the reality that we do have limits. When God made us, He built into us certain health laws such as sleep, exercise, right eating, and the need to pace ourselves according to the strength and energy we have—which, incidentally, is not the same for every person. One more cause of tension may be that we have our eyes fixed on our work instead of on our relationship with God.

So, what are the cures for tension? The first step is to find a few minutes alone to face life in total honesty. What am I doing that I could leave undone? If you were to become seriously ill tomorrow, you’d have to cut back. So maybe you need to stop right now and brutally cut out every non-essential.

Extra sleep and exercise are obvious ways to ease tension. So is spending time outdoors, even a short walk. Prayer and worship do much to lessen tension because we get life back in perspective, realizing God is bigger than any problem we face. How much more are the benefits of quiet meditation when God is the focus of our thoughts!

The writer of the Psalms said, “When I said, ‘My foot is slipping,’ your love, O Lord, supported me. When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought joy to my soul” (Psalm 94:18-19).

Submit your schedule to God today, and see if He doesn’t ease the tension in your life.