Online Exclusive: Dealing with stress

Exams are approaching. Projects need to be finished. Team members are relying on you. You don't know your summer job situation. You're already broke. Your car just broke down. You've been ill for days. The snow won't go away. Sometimes life can just be too overwhelming. However, it should not be for Christians. Worrying for Christians ultimately boils down to a lack of trust in God.

When I feel stressed, I feel distant from God. When I feel close to God, I do not feel stressed. It is no coincidence. According to Philippians 4:7, God gives Christians who come before Him in prayer the "peace that passes understanding." For a Christian, prayer is the best way to avoid or overcome stress. God does not always answer our prayers in the way we want (see our other article on how God answers prayer), but His will is always done.

Reading and meditating on the Bible are further ways to cope with stress. Many times it is easy to put God on the back burner and never get to Him with the loads of anxiety piled in front. God asks us in Matthew 11:28-30 to cast our burdens on Him because He cares for us, and He will give us rest. I don't know about you, but rest at this time of year can otherwise be hard to get. Get it from our all-powerful God who bestows such blessings on us!

Here is a practical example of what this means: find something near you that is reasonably heavy and hold it up. This probably will not be too hard at first, but try holding it for ten minutes, then an hour, then all day. Practically, depending on what you are holding, this is impossible, not to mention an immense waste of time. Now put the object down. That is what it means to cast your cares on God. Our human physical and mental strength can only go so far, which is why God said in 2 Corinthians 12:9, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." (NIV)

I know it can be hard to balance end-of-the-semester stress, but as Christians, we are not alone. Through prayer and meditation on God's word, God can help us tackle stress and our heavy workloads head on. Will you rely on Him now?