Bound by life's struggles Be free my Sisters.

stresses of life.

The dictionary defines stress as "physical, mental, or emotional strain or tension." Some stress is necessary and even good—such as the physical strain we put on our muscles in order to make them stronger. But when we talk about "stress," we are usually referring to excessive or negative mental or emotional strain or tension.

While "stress" is not specifically mentioned in the Bible, Scripture does speak to things such as anxiety, worry, and trouble—things we often associate with stress—and gives us clear answers on how we should deal with them.

The death of a loved one.

Racism.

Divorce.

We might also find ourselves stressed when facing a hardship or trial. James 1:2–4 counsels, "Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything."

When we encounter hardship, we can succumb to stress, or we can view it as a means by which God can strengthen our faith and mold our character (Romans 5:3–5; 8:28–29). When we redirect our focus on God, we find comfort in our sorrows and strength to endure (2 Corinthians 1:3–4; 12:9–10).

Loss of a job.

Increase in financial obligations.

Getting married.

Moving to a new home.

Chronic illness or injury.

Emotional problems (depression, anxiety, anger, grief, guilt, low self-esteem).

Everyone suffers from stress at one time or another. How we naturally deal with it depends in large part on who we are. For some, emotional stress causes physical illness. Others might become hyper-productive. On the other hand, some people under stress shut down mentally and emotionally.

And, of course, there are a variety of other responses. Stress is a common human experience, particularly in a world where the demands for our time and attention seem to be unending. Our jobs, health, family, friends, and even ministry activities can overwhelm us. The ultimate solution to stress is to surrender our lives to God and seek His wisdom regarding priorities as well as His enabling to do the things to which He calls us. He always gives enough, so we need not be defeated by stress

Daily stress is defined as mundane hassles, strains, or annoyances associated with routine daily activities and transactions of everyday life. Daily stress is relatively minor, but has the potential to disrupt the flow of everyday life and add to overall levels of stress.

For example, if you go shopping for food with enough time and money, you may not feel stressed. But you might feel stressed if you have lots of other things to do, have a tight budget, or need to buy food for a big event. I get stressed when things get out of perspective – too much work, thinking too far ahead.

If Life Were Easy They Would Have Asked For Volunteers.

Stress is ubiquitous and follows us everywhere. Since there is simply no avoiding it, the task for mental health professionals has become to further our understanding to improve management in our patients and in ourselves.

After all, rarely are we chased by saber-toothed tigers in the urban jungles of the twenty-first century. This is the age of information overload. It is simply not in our best interests to keep acting so prehistorically. It is time to understand how to increase the modulation of our primitive brains so we can become better, more tolerant neighbors on this planet that we all call home.

There has been no definition of stress that everyone accepts. Therefore, it’s difficult to measure stress if there is no agreement on what the definition of stress should be.

People have very different ideas with respect to their definition of stress. Probably the most common is, “physical, mental, or emotional strain or tension”. Another popular definition of stress is, “a condition or feeling experienced when a person perceives that demands exceed the personal and social resources the individual is able to mobilize.

Most people consider the definition of stress to be something that causes distress. However, stress is not always harmful since increased stress results in increased productivity. A definition of stress should also embrace this type of healthy stress, which is usually ignored when you ask someone about their definition of stress.

Any definition of stress should also include good stress, or eustress. For example, winning a race or election is just as stressful as losing, or more so. A passionate kiss and contemplating what might follow is stressful, but hardly the same as having root canal work. Any definition of stress should similarly explain the difference between eustress and distress.

The definition of stress for most people tends to focus on the negative feelings and emotions it produces. Almost every definition of stress also discusses certain resultant physical, physiological or biochemical responses that are experienced or observed. A very comprehensive definition of stress that includes these and more is the biopsychosocial model, which, as it name suggests, has three components.

This definition of stress distinguishes between an external element, another that is internal, as well as a third that represents the interaction between these two factor.

No matter the type of stress in our lives, the starting point for dealing with it is Jesus Christ. Jesus offers us great encouragement in John 14:1: "Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me." We desperately need Him in our lives. We need Him because He is the only one who can give us the strength to cope with the troubles in our lives.

Believing in Him does not mean that we will have a trouble-free life or that we will not feel overcome by stress in our lives. It simply means that a life without Jesus Christ makes coping with stress an impossible and often debilitating task.

How can a church become a sanctuary—a place where individuals living with mental health challenges feel safe, supported, and a sense of belonging?

Believing leads to trusting. Proverbs 3:5-6 tells us to "trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths." Leaning on "our own understanding" often means adopting the world’s ways of relieving stress—things like alcohol or drugs or mindless entertainment.

Instead, we are to trust His Word as our ultimate guide to a stress-reduced life. David says, "I sought the LORD, and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears" (Psalm 34:4). David knew that by seeking the Lord and sharing his troubles with Him that perhaps he would find favor with Him. The Lord in turn answered him and calmed him down.

Perhaps no passage in Scripture better captures how to handle stress than Philippians 4:6-7: "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."

The Lord tells us not to be anxious about anything, but rather to turn everything over to Him in prayer. Lifting our burdens and concerns to a holy and righteous God daily will mitigate or eliminate the stress in our lives. Psalm 55:22 tells us to cast all our cares on Him because He will sustain us and never fail us ( 1 Peter 5:6–7).

Jesus Christ offers peace if we come to Him with our worries and concerns. "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid" (John 14:27).

What does God say about stress? God understands our struggles and offers His help and guidance. In Matthew 11:28-30, Jesus says, “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.