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Stress: a simple word but one which can bring about feelings of burden, not coping and labouring under pressure. I hear another brother of mine is now taking time off due to stress and we are so thankful it wasn’t a more sinister diagnosis!
Hopefully as someone wrote in a birthday card of mine ‘get some well-earned R&R’ will be the tonic and refreshment he needs to stop, heal and begin again at a more balanced pace of life. I felt a touch of that word ‘stress’ when I tabled an amendment to a motion at the Diocesan Synod today. I was simply seeking a fairer and more equitable system of allocation of Deanery Synod representatives from our local parishes based more closely on the size of each Electoral Role…well….I tried!!
What is it that takes us from a place of coping well, managing our time and workload and thriving in our given role, responsibility and lifestyle to that of feeling stressed and anxious?
Often I reason it is when an extra task or request which we hadn’t accounted for is landed on us over and above what we have set out to do or accomplish in any one day.
Under Pressure
Often these things that land on our laps are urgent and important and can’t easily be left to another day, week or person. We might feel put upon, or that it is all getting too much for our given resources of time and energy.
Amidst all this, I was reminded earlier to think of the population of Ukraine for example and to the myriad of pressures on them daily; to stay safe, find the essentials of life whilst all the while thinking and praying about their political, national and personal lives.
They have to deal with the constant uncertainty and grief of loss, harrowing experiences and daily challenges to cling to life and find purpose and value. How humbling to realise how much we have to be so thankful to our heavenly Father for and not take our lives, loved ones and livelihood for granted.
“This is such a rich time of year…”
We are now moving from the season of Remembrance, through to the preparations and waiting of Advent leading to the new hope and joy of Christmas. This is such a rich time of year with all the associated imagery, lights, scents and messages we encounter and are reminded of.
May we be open to hear anew and receive the true message of hope, promised salvation, foretelling, Good News, the coming Saviour and a call to each of us to listen, trust and journey in faith with our God who loves us.
May the words of this song draw us to seek the coming Saviour into our lives, homes and hearts:
Will you come and follow me if I but call your name?
John Bell & Graham Maule
Will you go where you don’t know and never be the same?
Will you let my love be shown, will you let my name be known.
Will you let my life be grown in you and you in me?
God Bless you this Advent, Christmas & coming New Year!
Rev Charles Burton
Published in the December 2025 edition of the Parish magazines.
You can order Parish magazines, which contain additional articles, by visiting All Saints or Christ Church
Main photograph courtesy of Unsplash.