A Christian’s Response To Stress
The stress response is our body’s natural reaction to a threat. Therefore, the stress response serves a protective purpose. When you constantly or frequently PERCEIVE a threat where there is no real threat, you illicit the stress response, which will damage your TOTAL HEALTH when it is chronic.
4 STATES THAT LEAD TO CHRONIC STRESS
- ANXIETY
- WORRY
- FEAR
- SELF-DOUBT
TWO THINGS COMMON IN ALL STATES
The two things that are common in all four states: lack of trust in God; and problematic thinking. When you do not fully trust God, you erroneously believe that you can control things. Mistake number one and two. Then you waste your time and energy in your mind thinking up a bunch of irrational ideas and schemes that often backfire. Mistake number two on full display. When in any of the above states, the first thing to do is recognize that you have drifted away from your anchor. You have drifted away from your source of power, strength, peace, and love. God sees, knows, and understands ALL.
CHANGING YOUR PERCEPTION
Are you really going to be bankrupt if you don’t get a job in the next week? What is the worst thing that would happen if you did file bankruptcy? You start thinking about what people will say. Worse you start thinking about how you will feel. You see the common thread here folks, we start thinking. We start attaching meaning to our thoughts. Worse, we start believing that our thoughts are reality. Until you are actually filing for bankruptcy, you are not bankrupt. Therefore, instead of planning your own demise, instead of focusing on the problem, FOCUS on God.
WHAT WE FOCUS ON EXPANDS
BREATHE, it is the first and most important tool to interrupt your problematic thinking. Fresh air and oxygen clears the cobwebs out of the way and allow you to remember a few things:
- God is in control
- While the financial situation you are in may be the result of your poor choices, God still wants to help you
- Bring your cares, your problems, to God in prayer
- Humbly release all control and trust God to lead and guide you
When we let go of holding on to the problem, God will provide the solution in perfect timing. Yet, here is where we need to TRUST. Here is where we need to take a leap of FAITH and be patient.
GOD CARES ABOUT EVERY AREA OF OUR LIVES
The problematic thinking many Christians have is that they have made so many mistakes, why would God forgive them. He will because He is LOVE. Another one right up there is thinking, “I don’t deserve forgiveness,” or “I don’t deserve better.” In case you forgot, God came so we, each of us who believe in Christ, would have life and live it more abundantly. If you are not living abundantly, ask yourself:
- Why do I not trust God?
- What have I done that is so wrong/bad that God won’t forgive me?
- Have I been rejecting God’s love and guidance?
- Am I hiding in guilt and shame?
WHY DO I NOT TRUST GOD?
It is often not a lack of trust in God, but rather a lack of trust in self. Paradoxically, when we REMEMBER that God dwells in us, and when we are one with him [fully aligned with His will] we live abundantly. Thus, we see in trusting our fully aligned self, we are in essence trusting God. So, the question then becomes, why are we not in complete alignment with God? The answer: we are still trying to walk in the flesh. Make a choice, flesh or spirit? One leads to stress, the other leads to joy, peace, and contentment.
