Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour – 1st Peter 5:8.

To be sober means to be self-disciplined and think rationally, not foolishly. Vigilant means being alert to life’s spiritual pitfalls and taking appropriate steps to ensure we do not stumble.

Satan can’t just devour anybody he wants, but he can devour someone who is out of balance. Most Christians are trying to live a life that would be pleasing to God; it is not sin they are practicing, but overworking themselves, not spending enough time with God, and not giving themselves self-care.

So many women are under so much stress that it’s killing them, and part of the reason is that we’re a society that is driven to do things, have things, and go places. Instead of being driven, He wants us to be led by His Spirit.

This means we follow after the internal prompting of the peaceful, still, small voice inside us rather than following the demands and expectations of what our flesh, or someone else’s flesh, wants, thinks, and feels.

We’re overwhelmed by always saying Yes when sometimes we must say No. To live in the peace Jesus has given us, we must do a self-examination to see what we have allowed in our lives that is draining us mentally, emotionally, and physically.

We drive ourselves and allow others to drive us when God Himself does not drive us until we are no longer producing good fruit. We’re producing anger, anxiety, and stress. When you’re not receiving enough rest and sleep, your mind and spirit are not at peace.

Those who do gardening regularly expect their flowers to see if they are blooming; if not, they cut off the dead leaves, and if it’s a rose bush, they will prune it so the flower can grow. In the same way, God watches over us. We are His trees as we fellowship with Him regularly; there are times when He points out things we’re involved in that are dead or deforming our shape. These are the things He wants us to prune from our lives. We know when to stop doing something when something consistently robs us of peace and joy and brings frustration, aggravation, and confusion.

Before you say Yes, ensure you have the time and energy. Check to self if this will interfere with any other obligations you may have. Can you carry out the task when it should be finished? Will you need assistance with the task, and if so, can you work peacefully with the person working with you? All these need to be taken into consideration before saying Yes.

Jesus promised He has given us His peace; when we allow ourselves and others to overwhelm us, we lose that peace!