The Question Is There Stress and Anxiety In The Christian Life- the answer is yes, however, there is rescue through prayer and the Word of God…
If you are thinking that stress and anxiety in the Christian life should not exist, we need to admit that we are human, and we live in the world with other humans. However, being a Christian is what we should consider a great advantage. We can go to the Lord in prayer and seek His grace and power through The Word of God.
Christians have to deal with life’s emotions just like the rest of the world. Only we have God’s promises to help us deal with all of the chaos that life things bring.
Stress and anxiety are common factors in life for everyone. It can come in many forms, and so often, we do not recognize the root of our problem. We do not counteract to get to the positive state of knowing that He is capable of taking care of everything, and anything. His promises are real.
One of the hardest things to do is accept some of the things that we have no control over. Christian or not when we have life things pressing us, we can begin to stress out, our health can be affected and most of all, our joy.
The Enemy Gets To Us When We Are Weak
To be void of joy is what Satan wants for the Christian. He wants our joy to be affected, our minds to think negatively, and to be weak in our physical being, and this in turn affects our whole life.
Just ask me how I know. Having lived a few years, and having known the blessings of Jesus since the early age of nine, I have had a few years to learn some very important stuff. I am not being funny as this is serious, but if you are trying your best to live a Christian life- God does have your back, always.
A Little Backstory…
I have always been a fix-it person. Many times I have often made decisions without a lot of thought, I let my emotions rule me. It had to be done, and someone had to do it.
Of course, in my mind, I was that someone. Succeed or fail, I was willing to take chances, and so many times, they were right on cue for being a good move. Yet, other times they were not. Those times I learned.
I became engrossed in my career and did not always consult the Lord when making decisions. Many times I acted on my own, and then often had to pay the price. This is life and it is how it goes when we fail to consult our Savior.
I was never a loud person, everything went on inside of me. If I needed to make more money, I took the chance to make it. It worked most of the time. Not, because I was the smartest person on the job, but because I applied my experience, and what I had learned, and worked hard.
Country Living With More Examples of Biblical Scriptures such as this….
Stress Became a Normal Everyday Life
Stress was part of my job also and it called for always looking into each step with great detail. Sometimes this meant 10 hours a day. At the end of the month, there were no excuses for not getting loans approved so that the Loan Officer had a good paycheck. Very stressful, but the stress motivated me to be faster, get more loans approved, and meet the deadlines.
Living in the moment became my way of life, engrossed in my work was a part of every day. I thought if I worked hard, everything would be in my favor. I learned that this is not always the case when I had to deal with something that I could not fix.
In one situation, it did not matter how right I was, how morally right I was, or how morally wrong the situation was at hand. Evil was present, took over the situation, and that was not pleasant.
I could not fix it. What I did incorrectly was thinking I could fix it in the beginning, I even saw a professional. I let that situation control my decisions and did not take the time to plan my future. It was time to run, just get away from it, and move on. So, I did…
I was moral, and I stood true to my beliefs. I did not bow to hurting someone else, just to get favor with those demanding certain things. Those things that were immoral because that would have been against my Christian beliefs.
However, I think I still had a lesson to learn. I did not handle that lesson well, in fact, the consequences affected my life for a while. No, it did not affect my ability to keep up with my career, or the money I made. However, it affected me in other ways that were not good for me.
I could not understand how a profitable Corporate company with professionals could let evil rule, and I was always looking for something better/more; that gave me a good feeling.
The Moral of This Story is…
There is evil in the world, and you are not going to succeed in every situation in life. In addition, when you fail to let God take control of your life, and you carry on without consulting Him, you are avoiding a peaceful ending.
You must recognize how something has taken control of your life, and stop searching for a perfect answer. You are probably in need of self-evaluation, and the ability to let God pick up the pieces for you.
You must be wise enough to seek His help to put it behind you. He will help you to make the right decisions and moves and to recognize the impact it is having on your life, and change it.
We do not want to appear selfish, and unconcerned, and do what is right for only us in the midst of trouble that involves other people. Especially those who have done nothing wrong.
However, in the end, if we neglect our own spiritual self, and what the Lord has recommended, we are taking the exact path that the evil one wants.
The possessions of the world cannot satisfy our souls. Only prayer and re-dedication to God will bring us to a new victory.
Everyone has his or her own set of triggers in everyday life. Work, children, family time, aging, health, finances, and things we never talk about aloud.
What Habits Should We Work On That Gives Us Stress
- First and foremost, recognize you have a problem that is creating chaos within your life. You are the only one with God’s help that can change how you are dealing with it.
- Forgetting that YOU deserve better.
- Expecting too much from yourself.
- Always trying to please everybody.
- Perfectionism.
- Wanting to get the project done before the deadline.
- Craving and wanting a high report card at all costs.
- Caring too much about what other people think.
- Thinking that only you can do the job.
- Wanting to be first.
- Not allowing help from others.
- Forgetting that everyone does not believe as you do, and that evil exists.
- Dwelling on the past.
- Wanting to fix something, that cannot be fixed.
- Thinking that you are the only one that fails.
- Not understanding that you only have so many hours in the day, and all of those hours are scheduled. Therefore, you rush, rush, and rush some more.
- Thinking you are responsible for the whole world’s happiness.
- Not slowing down and taking time out to think about what you are doing. Most people continue doing what they “think” has to be done, without reviewing all the options, actions, and motives.
- No time spent trying to accept, allow, and let other people make their own mistakes, learn as you have, and know that you cannot live totally for other people.
- Thinking that other people know what is best for you.
- Forgetting to pray and let God handle every situation, and applying the word of God for all things.
Balancing Emotional Stress and Anxiety In The Christian Life
Needing balance in life is essential to living. God’s redeeming feature will help us to balance our life. Nevertheless, we cannot balance anything without the dedication to knowing that God means what He says.
We will be more able to deal with our anxieties and stress as Christians if we remember the following:
- Jesus knows that we are human and that life, in general, is tough, however, He says this: “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. Jeremiah 29:11
- When we are being tempted to the gilt, we must remember this: “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.” 1 Corinthians 10:13
- When evil presents itself this is what we know: “There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, and it is common among men;” Ecclesiastes 6:1
- When your mind is stressed out and you need relief: “Be careful for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your request be made known unto God. Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever, things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.” Philippians 4: 6,8
- When you feel you are failing at something, remember: “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” Philippians 4: 13
- When in need: “But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:19
- God has given us everything we need for life. Wow! So why are we stressing? It is not that simple, however, here is what the Bible says:
“Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord,
According as His divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue.” 2 Peter 1: 2, 3 – Shall we say hallelujah!
I have probably read this before and you also, however, I do not believe I have ever seen the magnitude of verse 3 until this moment. Think about it for just a moment.
I think that means that we have everything we need to keep us from having too much stress, anxiety, fear, and human life through Him and in His Word.
May His grace follow you through all of the living things.
