Are you under pressure? Does it feel like trouble is surrounding you from every direction? Or, perhaps expectations for yourself are about to bring an explosion from within. Hard pressed from external pressures or overwrought by self-critique, it’s healthy to manage the strain.
Note about the image: This fall picture is “Cabin Number One” at Mystery Acres.
My Mysterious Mind
I scheduled a visit with my physician in preparation for changing jobs, and the consequent shift in medical insurance and hospital networks. If I start the new insurance with a completed health risk assessment from my physician, I qualify for a monthly discount of fifty dollars from day one. I brought a record of recent blood pressure numbers because I have a history of “white coat syndrome” where my readings at the clinic are higher than taken elsewhere. The usual difference between the clinic numbers and the readings from my home measurements was much larger than usual. My physician advised me to come back with my home cuff and have a synchronous comparison to a blood pressure measurement taken on clinic equipment. She wanted to make sure my recorded numbers were accurate.
To my dismay, my home cuff was measuring lower than it should be. I was issued a new cuff and directed to create a new set of home measurements. Fortunately, the new measurements were still in an acceptable range, just not as impressive as those produced by my old cuff.
All of this got me thinking about pressure and the many forms it takes. Blood pressure is one of the forms of pressure from the inside of a structure, water pressure is another. Tires are inflated to produce air pressure, as are balloons; pressure cookers create such intense internal pressure that heat can quickly prepare food.
Pressure can also come from external forces. I am remembering that famous scene from the original “Star Wars” movie, where our beloved characters are being crushed by a massive trash compactor. My husband, the pyrotechnician, has a “rocket press” with which he creates “motors” for rockets. The combustible material is pressed into a cardboard tube so that, when lit, the “motor” pushes the rocket rapidly. External pressure can also come from circumstances, creating invisible force, compressing our sense of freedom and well-being.
Is pressure good or bad? Well, it’s neither. Sometimes pressure is good when it is high enough, and bad when it’s too low or too high. Blood pressure is like that; low blood pressure can be dangerous as can high blood pressure. Enough water pressure will push water through pipes; too much will cause damage, and too little water pressure will create dissatisfying shower experiences. A rocket press creates intense pressure on the material being compressed into a tube; too much pressure will crack the material and bust the tube. Thus, is pressure good or bad? Well, it depends. How much pressure and what kind of pressure are the determining factors in the goodness or badness of pressure.
Each of us started our infant lives under pressure. Whether delivered naturally by the pressure of a mother’s pushing and the contractions of her uterus or pushed through an opening cut by a surgeon, we each required pressure to leave a compressed prenatal space. Life has had a way of putting pressure on us ever since.
Message from Mystery Acres
Pressure in the forest is pleasantly simplistic, unless, of course, my husband and I impose additional pressures on ourselves. The pressures of the life in the woods, off the grid, are those required for basic survival. How and what will we eat? Where will we sleep? Do we need to have heat or air conditioning overnight? Do we need to bring water with us, or is there enough water there from a previous visit? Will we need gas for the generator so we can have electricity for our survival or comfort?
It’s peaceful to have only survival pressure, especially because we have learned what to do to prepare. Beyond that, we have a lengthy list of self-imposed pressures. Bit by bit we are transforming our life in the woods to be a simplified, comfortable version of life in our home. At home we don’t have to think about electric, septic, or water. In the woods we only have that infrastructure in rudimentary form. We are working on property improvements so being in the forest is easier, like it is at home.
It’s weird, really, as I think about it. During the first year of our visits we brought food and water for day visits and sat in lawn chairs in the middle of the undeveloped acreage. We took walks and talked about how we would “develop” the land to better suit our needs and wants. Our first project was to have an access loop cleared and a 100-foot opening in the forest. This also involved creating a level place for the motor home and one for a two-car metal shed. We “needed” a place to store things and we wanted a place to spend the night. I wanted to be able to star gaze; my husband wanted to shoot fireworks at night.
We cleared and leveled a spot for tent camping, affectionately known as “Campsite Number One.” After a few visits from our friends, helping them put up and take down a tent, we invested in “Cabin Number One.” Finishing the interior is our “baby” during our “empty nest” time between family visits.
The more we “develop” our bit of the forest, the more pressure we create for ourselves. Gone are the days of just planning for basic needs for a single day. The clearing needs to be maintained, Campsite Number One needs to be refreshed annually, the motor home needs to be cleaned and annually winterized, and more. The trick these days is to manage these pressures so the simple joy of being in the forest can be preserved.
The message of Mystery Acres is to separate essential from non-essential pressure. Too much of the latter can destroy the enjoyment of a day in the woods. Without the extra pressure our time in the woods would revert to sitting in lawn chairs, no overnight sleepovers with family or friends, and no fireworks or star-gazing. The voice of Mystery Acres calls for wisely managed pressure, maximizing life’s wonder while providing sufficiently for life’s comfort.
Ancient Mystery’s Voice
“We are under pressure from every side, but not crushed or broken.” (See 2 Corinthians 4, verse 8)
In Paul’s second letter to the Corinthians, he wrote about trouble from every direction. The New International version uses the phrase “hard pressed on every side.” I searched using that phrase, because I wanted to use the verse so well-tailored to my topic of pressure. I was surprised to find the phrase “hard pressed on every side” is used only once. Furthermore, the other translations use very different wording.
Which led me to dig into the original Greek and think about what Paul meant when he wrote the original phrase twenty centuries ago. What I found was an image more akin to being surrounded by enemies but not being destroyed. A general translation, closer to the original text, might read, “Trouble crowds us from every direction, but we are not hemmed in and defeated.” The word “pressure” had a very different connotation than it does in our times. Long before knowledge of blood pressure or atmospheric pressure, ancient people more likely talked about being surrounded by enemies and needing a way out. Viewed this way, the recurrent Biblical imagery of God being a fortress, refuge, or strong tower makes a lot of sense.
Ancient peoples experienced visible threats from dangerous people or predators. When “hard pressed on every side” they felt trapped and at risk of being destroyed. In modern times, we feel hemmed in by threats from multiple directions, but our enemies are less visible, sometimes invisible. In addition to demands for basic survival, we experience sources of pressure from job expectations, family obligations, personal goals, preparation for the future, and self-imposed critiques. All of these can make us feel “hard pressed on every side” with no way out. But Paul advised to not feel trapped or defeated. He implied rescue or protection was available when surrounded by trouble.
The words of Ancient Mystery acknowledge that feeling trouble from multiple directions is a part of our lives. But we don’t have to feel trapped and defeated because these pressures do not have to crush us. The source of our faith can provide a strong refuge during times of intense pressure, and, sometimes, God will reveal a backdoor to freedom.
Living in Mystery
What does it mean to live in the mystery of managing pressure? First, it means understanding that pressure is neither good nor bad. What is good or bad is the type and amount of pressure. Excessive pressure can become damaging to health and well-being. Like high blood pressure, extreme life pressure can be destructive. Blood vessels can burst during life-threatening levels of pressure in the form of a stroke, breaking through at the weakest point. Similarly, extreme life pressure can cause damage in relationships, physical health, or emotional stability. Pressure, like blood pressure, is a normal part of being alive. Too much or too little pressure is where the problems lie.
Managing pressure also means being able to recognize the difference between essential and non-essential pressure. The demands of basic survival are necessary pressures; whatever demands beyond the necessary are possible areas where pressure can be reduced when overall life pressure is too great. Does life feel like too much right now? If so, make a list of non-essential pressures. Consider eliminating one or more of these pressures to bring the total pressure into a healthier level. Sometimes it is healthy to let go. I have a tendency to fight too many of tomorrow’s battles with today’s resources. It’s better to put those pressures into a “later me” category, focusing only on the enemies of today.
I had the opportunity to start my new job this summer but I rejected that option. I wanted, and needed, a season of less pressure. This past year I have battled persistent allergies, previously rare for me. I hoped a time without job demands might allow my body to redirect energy to building allergy resistance. Thankfully, it seems to be working.
It isn’t always possible or wise to eliminate sources of pressure. It is, however, always an option to strengthen our protection against trouble or learn to better manage it. Daily habits of prayer and/or meditation provide relief from pressure, much like a pressure-relief valve can help reduce harmful levels of pressure in pipes. Time with a close friend can also “vent” excessive pressure.
As an old mom to young parents, I suggest you accept any offers for babysitting. The pressures of parenting are perpetual. Wise parents involve other people to provide relief from the endless demands of being a parent. There are no perfect parents who never need help. Putting that level of pressure on yourself is unhealthy. Let other people help you parent your children.
From the time of birth, each of us is under pressure. Some amount of pressure is normal and inevitable, pushing us to survive and to grow. Too much pressure, especially when self-imposed, is unhealthy. Learn to recognize pressure you put on yourself and be more kind in your expectations. Practice daily pressure-relief habits of prayer, meditation, or chats with a friend.
Connecting With Mystery
Dear Lord of All Mystery, I confess to fighting imaginary enemies and to fighting them without Your protection and help. Thank You for being my strong fortress during times of pressure and trouble. Help me look to You for refuge and, when wise, escape when I am hard pressed on every side. Remind me to use pressure-relief habits of time with You and the friends You have given me. Amen.
Notes from Dr. Mac
If you want to do your own investigation of any of the scriptures I use, I suggest you go to Bible Gateway. This free online version of the Bible allows a search of words or phrases in various translations. You might enjoy searching “hard pressed on every side” to find the verse from 2nd Corinthians; then click on “Other Translations” below the verse. The different translations might offer the wording that best encourages you.
You can find previous posts and podcasts in my ARCHIVE and organized compilations in the My “Books” section. You can also find Mystery’s Voice on Spotify .
Do you have thoughts to share? Please leave a comment below or through the Substack App, or email me privately at Dear Dr. Mac. I love to hear from you!
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