The Stress Of Stress

WE LIVE IN A WORLD replete with stress. We carry it with us like we do our purses, and it makes our heads throb, our hearts beat faster, and our stomachs ache. But none of us have room in our already full lives for this demanding, uninvited guest that consumes our thoughts, energy, and time, wreaking havoc without hindrance.

This sense of anxiety is more prevalent now than it was in past generations. The increase is due, in part, to nonstop news coverage of violence, tragedies, natural disasters, political outrage, and much more. With bad news from around the world added to our own responsibilities, we can’t seem to avoid the onslaught of stress! We wish there were a pill, a shot, or an alternative course of action to relieve it.

Stress can lead to very real physical issues. In fact, it is one of the leading causes of women’s health issues such as headaches, high blood pressure, and heart problems. However, it is also a spiritual issue. Psychologists agree that anxiety levels are impacted by an individual’s coping mechanisms, including family, friends, and spiritual resources like the Bible. You probably already know my favorite “coping with stress” passage:

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

In these two verses, the apostle Paul prescribes a directive to slow the spinning of our busy lives: “Do not be anxious about anything.” Everything we deal with that creates stress and anxiety fits in the category of anything. And then he adds the critical word but, which connects us to our alternative to anxiety: We have the privilege of talking to the Lord in prayer about everything stressful (naming the specifics) and asking for His help. He already knows what we need, and those needs draw us to the only One who has the power to meet them. Then, by faith, Paul encourages us to thank the Lord, because He cares about our everything.

As I was in the final stages of editing my first book, Ripple Effects, my husband decided to do his part to eliminate my stress and planned a getaway using frequent flyer miles and hotel points. Of course, packing, planning, and checking off the long to-do list before leaving home also creates stress—head-bursting stress for this OCD girl! Just before leaving for the airport, I was printing my manuscript to take with me when my printer suddenly stopped. I cried as we hurried out the door. It wasn’t until I settled in my seat on the plane that I remembered the solution to my stress. Why do I do everything else before I pray? I finally quoted my verses and gave the Lord my stress, my manuscript, our trip, and everything else that came to mind. And just like He promised, He gave me His unmistakable peace. My shoulders lowered, and I took a breath.

When we got to our connecting airport, Bob helped me find a business center where I could print the rest of my manuscript. An employee offered to assist me, and while the pages were printing, I asked her about her life. She poured out her heart while I prayed silently. I asked whether she had a relationship with the Lord, and she responded that she didn’t know that was possible. When the printer finished its job, she returned to hers.

As only the Lord could arrange, our flight was delayed. An hour later, the young woman found me. With tears in her eyes, she whispered, “I read this on my break,” and she pointed to the small tract I had given her. “You are right—God loves me. He really loves me, and He will help me with my stress like He helps you with yours. He sent you to tell me. I asked Jesus to be my Savior.” We hugged, I prayed for her, and we talked about seeing each other again in heaven. And then I cried again, but not from stress. I almost missed this incredible opportunity because stress was making life all about me. Peace makes life all about the Prince of Peace!

Desperation to rid ourselves of the heavy weight of stress draws us closer to our mighty God. The result of giving God everything stressful is a supernatural peace, the opposite of anxiety. What a great trade!

REFLECTION

Write Philippians 4:6-7 on a note card and carry it with you in your purse; then work to memorize the passage so you can carry it with you in your heart, ready to apply it to life’s stressful situations. Ask the Lord to take your stresses and to give you His peace instead.