You're Stressing me OUT!

“Worrying is like rocking in a rocking chair, it gives you something to do but it doesn’t get you anywhere.”   This was a magnet on my grandma’s fridge next to her “A balanced diet is a cookie in each hand” magnet.   Those were my mantras for years, though I will admit, I didn’t follow the first mantra as well as I followed the second one.

“When my heart is overwhelmed, lead me to the rock that is higher than I.” Psalm 61:2.  

“Stress: the experience of a perceived threat (real or imagined) to one’s mental, physical, or spiritual well-being, resulting from a series of physiological responses and adaptations. (Seaward, 2009). Stress, across the board, has caused people to admit to having an increasing sense of anxiety, frustration, unease, and discontent in nearly every aspect of their lives? (Seaward, 2009).  Every aspect!  That is just crazy to me.  Also, today, research shows that people still maintain poor coping skills in the face of personal, social, and even global changes occurring over the course of their lives. Stress has also been linked to be the leading cause of death as it weakens the physiological systems, thereby rapidly advancing the disease process. (Seaward, 2009).  We know this and yet we still struggle with stress in the worse way possible.

In 2006, I left my home in Oregon to attend a college here in Omaha, Nebraska.  I had never before been to Nebraska or anywhere east of Idaho for that matter, and I was really nervous about where my life was heading. It wasn't until being in college for a few months that I realized I fell in love with the people here and that this is where God was calling me to be. After going back to Oregon in 2007, I desperately worked for the next three years, trying to get back to Omaha. Thinking back on the process of moving here in 2010, (trying to find a job, a place to live, sell everything I own, and prepare for the 1,700 mile journey), the feeling of being overwhelmed was very prevalent in my life. Constantly the sense of having so much to do and no time to do it did me in.  That and the fear of moving halfway across the country from everything and everyone I had ever known to be alone in a new state sometimes threw me down to my knees asking God, “Why?!”.  But here I am, six years later and in a month I get to marry to the most wonderful man ever, I'm working in a wonderful, supportive job, and preparing a ministry that is near and dear to my heart.  All this because I stopped, let go, and let God.

So let’s take a step back and see how God helps us when we are feeling stressed and/or overwhelmed. He reminds us that he’s there and that he is never going to just leave us to fend for ourselves.  There are several verses that remind us of this and how we should perceive stress.  Here are a few verses of those reminders:

• Romans 16:20 -- 
• "The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet.  The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you."
• Proverbs 16:3
• "Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and your plans will succeed."
• Philippians 4:6-7 (personal favorite)
• "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, 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."
• James 1:2-4
• "Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.  Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything."
• Romans 12:2
• Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.  Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is - his good, pleasing and perfect will."
• John 14:27
• "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you.  I do not give to you as the world gives.  Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid."
• Psalm 118:5-6 
• "In my anguish I cried to the Lord, and he answered by setting me free.  The Lord is with me; I will not be afraid.  What can man do to me?"
• Psalm 94:19
• "When my anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought joy to my soul."
• Matthew 11:28-30
• Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."

 I found these and more at www.biblestudytools.com/topical-verses/stress-bible-verses

When you’re feeling anxious, stressed, overwhelmed, etc., ask yourself this, “Is there anything I can do in my current situation?”  Then challenge yourself: if your answer is yes, you can do something about the situation and do it while relying on God, if no, let it go, pray about it and rely on God (notice a theme here?)  Like the ever famous cliché says, let go and let God.