Dealing With Stress

A Stressful Life

There are many causes of stress in life. Our lifestyles, jobs, family issues, health concerns, and other various factors contribute to a life filled with stress. As if the stress itself were not enough, the effects of stress on one’s health in all forms (including physical, emotional and spiritual) must be considered in the great danger excessive stress places upon one’s life. The ideal answer to such a problem would be a life without stress, a life without concern or conflict. Such a world is a utopia, however, and to desire for such a world is unrealistic in our fallen world.

How Do We Face Stress?

So how does one cope with the great pressure of stress in one’s life? There are many different methods ranging from destructive (alcohol abuse, drug addiction, and various vices), to indifference (ignoring or burying the problem), and to positive (counseling, sharing with a confidant, proactively reducing stressors in life, etc.). Although some of these methods of coping with stress have benefit, without the greatest source of comfort found in Jesus Christ, one will never be able to truly deal with stress.

Transcending stress

While destructive methods and indifference cover up the problem and positive methods focus upon the problem, only Jesus Christ can grant the means to transcend a problem of stress. For instance, one will never be able to fully deal with the stress caused by money without understanding what wealth truly is, and the promise of God to care for His own (Mat. 6:19-32). Without this surprisingly obvious truth about the created world, one cannot deal with this problem.

True comfort

While destructive methods and indifference cover up the problem and positive methods focus upon the problem, only Jesus Christ can grant true comfort with a source outside of any stress. The euphoria caused by drugs is artificial and chemical, the comfort afforded by indifference is temporary and typically leads to greater trouble. Even seeking out a positive solution in this world lacks the power that Jesus brings – a promise of comfort beyond the day to day or even this lifetime; a promise of a future without “mourning, or crying, or pain” (Rev. 21:4, NASU).

Beyond this world

While destructive methods and indifference cover up the problem and positive methods focus upon the problem, only Jesus Christ has overall power over any earthly problem. There are many things in life truly out of our control. A majority of worries people have are over events beyond their control. What means of coping with a problem can be found when one is powerless to do anything about it? Only in Jesus Christ can power be found and a petition for change be given, even if the answer is “no”.

Hopeless Without Christ

With the increasing amount of stress in the world it is a great wonder how so many people attempt to face their challenges without having Jesus on their side. With the increasing number of people who succumb to their stress, perhaps this is a reason why.