This time of year we read and hear much on the topic of holiday stress and handling family conflict that can often arise at gatherings of relatives who seldom see each other except at Christmas. Sometimes the greatest stress results from anticipating those gatherings where if anything is going to go wrong, that is when it will.
If you are one of those people who are expecting the worst and stressing out over what might happen, here is a tip from the Bible. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Romans 12:18 (NIV).
We cannot control what others might do or say; we can only control how we will respond or react. Sometimes all that is needed to bring calm to a tense situation or to disarm a disruptive influence is to remain calm and avoid getting drawn into the drama. When the anxiety level is on the rise, we can choose to be a 'non-anxious presence'. We, with God's Spirit helping us, can do what we can to introduce peace into an otherwise tense and stressful time. You can do only so much; as far as it depends on you but the peace you bring can have a profound effect on those around you.
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