We all live in a world which is becoming more complicated every day.
Technology is one aspect and the war in Ukraine is another.
We are all being urged to welcome diversity in all its many forms. Dealing with this complex world with its continual changes requires a great deal of tolerance, acceptance and forgiveness.
Technology has also brought social change with the growth of social media, allowing us to have friends from all around the globe.
Accepting the changes that are going on around us is very important because the changes will happen regardless and if we do not accept them, the changes will cause us grief. I find that how I deal with forgiveness and resentment is key to living a life with less stress.
With the help of Jesus, I try very hard to forgive everybody for everything. If I do not forgive somebody, then that means I resent that person.
Resentment always hurts the person who does the resenting more than the person being resented.
Resentment has to be regularly thought of to be maintained, which can eat away at anybody who holds resentment.
Often in my prayers, I pray that God will help us all to forgive everybody for everything. I do find prayer and a relationship with God very helpful. I often ask God to take on my stresses, including any disagreements I may have had with other people.
Once I realise that God can take away my stresses, this takes a load off my mind. For me, this has to be done on a regular basis as life always brings problems with it, which we have to deal with.
So there are always new problems arising as well as old ones reappearing. So I suggest that everybody gives all their problems to God every day.
Geoff Peck from Woosehill Church, writing on behalf of Churches Together in Wokingham
