How do we define stress? Oh, the house mortgage is late, there’s no food in the cabinet, clothes are wearing out or shrinking on your children, everyone’s calling wanting something while all in all, you feel like just shutting the door to your closet and crying yourself to sleep. Is this stressful enough? Or how about the preacher who is under pressure to get this sermon done, make that devotional, spend time preparing Bible class lessons, counseling others, visiting this person and helping that person, evangelizing and trying to raise a Christian family while hearing all the complaints from the congregation on how their preacher and his family is inadequate? Is this stressful enough? What about the Christian who tries to pray when people make fun of her, or is made fun of at work or school when standing on Biblical principles, or even mocked by other Christians who considers you to be a Bible thumper while people from all walks
attempt to pull Christianity right out of your soul. Is this stressful enough? How do we as Christians deal with stress?
You know, stress tends to be put on us when we are already tired and sick or have too many responsibilities. Basically, when we feel our circumstances are out of control, we feel stress. We feel that things are not being met, that things are not going our way and our safety is threatened and we get anxious. When we feel like this, we know that it takes on many shapes and forms, but generally, stress boils down to one basic idea–a lack of trust in God.
Most Christians are under the impression that God is sovereign and in control of our lives. We believe He is the author of our life and that He has given us everything we need for life (2 Peter 1:3). So, when stress dominates our lives, somewhere along the way, we have failed to trust God. The statement, “To trust God and you will never deal with stress again” is a wonderful statement. But oh, if only it were as easy as that statement. The fact is, we are not perfect and life is much too complicated that we, at times, give in to it. However, stress does have a positive side. It can be a reminder that our lives are drifting away from God. It can be an indicator that we have stopped depending upon Him daily for strength. Perhaps, we have forgotten all the promises in His word. So, let’s notice some ways in which Christians can cope with stress.
(To Be Continued… Part 2)