Stress Free

It seems that everyone is stressed-out these days. Many long for a simpler life, free of so many stresses. It seems that life was less stressful 20 years ago, or 80 years ago. But the pace of life today is so hectic, and the pressures of life are so great and so unrelenting. Stress-induced illnesses such as heart disease, ulcers, personality disorders and such seemingly are increasing.

The economy, the political system, crime and terrorism, the moral decline of society, the threat or reality of unemployment, marital discord, illnesses, raising children, and so many other stressors pressure us every day. These conditions cause people to become tense. It is hard to relax or find a way to get any good rest. The soul becomes disquieted. There is no peace. Modern people, even many blood-bought, Spirit-filled Christians, are “stressed”.

How can you live a life free of stress? I believe I can give you the secret. Whether you implement this secret strategy or not is up to you. But God’s good people, in the Body of Christ, are entitled to the knowledge that will lead to a life free of stress. The word “stress” does not appear in the Bible. It is a word used today to describe the mental or emotional tension we experience because of the hardships of life. Biblical terms with similar meaning would be “anxiety,” “fear,” “anger,” “despair,” and “guilt”.

We must understand what “stress” really is. It is not the same thing as the pressures or hardships of life. Stress is not even caused by the pressures of life. Stress is the biophysical reaction to the pressures of life. Stress only occurs when we react to the pressures of life in an unbiblical manner. If our responses were biblical, there would be no stress.

Paul and Silas had no stress in a Philippian jail. Their stress-free response to pressure resulted in the conversion of their jailor. The Hebrews who were about to be thrown into a fiery furnace were not stressed. Their response impressed the King of Babylon. True champions of the faith have faced adversity, sickness, and suffering with no stress. Were the heroes of the faith any different than you and me? Or did they have something we can also possess, which will teach us how to live a stress-free life?

We can do very little about the pressures of life. Yes, there are some things we can do to relieve the pressure, but despite our best efforts, there will be pressures and stressors in this life. But an appropriate biblical response will preclude any real stress. Why? Because a Christian is at peace, even when in distress. Paul wrote in II Corinthians 4:8 that he was troubled, but not distressed; perplexed, but not in despair. And he said in Philippians 4:4 that he was always rejoicing – in every situation.

It is our duty and our privilege to rejoice in the God of our salvation, and to rejoice in Him always; at all times; in all situations. Even when we suffer for His name’s sake, we rejoice. Even when we are afflicted by Him, we rejoice. In good times and in bad times, in tranquility and in great distress, we rejoice in the Lord. Philippians 4:7 speaks of a peace beyond understanding that will keep your heart and mind. The “heart” here is the emotions; the “mind” is the rational thinking process. Stress can lead the emotions into a panic and can lead the rational mind into despair. The peace of God will keep us from sinking under our troubles, and sinning as a result of them. It provides a calm assurance, a blessed assurance, in every condition.

This is why Isaiah 26:3 refers to “perfect” (complete) peace, and Romans 8:28 says we know all things work together for our good. Godly peace is the antithesis of stress. Pressure will always come. It is the result of the curse. But the peace of God banishes stress. The secret to stress-free living begins with trusting God in the midst of pressure. Maybe we shouldn’t pray that God would remove the pressure, as much as we should ask for grace and strength to face the pressure. Our goal in this life is not a life free of all pressures; our goal is to learn to depend on God and to please Him in every situation.

The promise of Proverbs 1:33 is that if we hearken to the Lord, we will be quiet from fear of evil. That is a powerful promise; not just safe from evil but quiet from the fear of it. Three times in Psalms 42 and 43, David asks why he has allowed his soul to become disquieted. It is not right for a child of God to allow his calm to be disquieted. The message of Psalms 46:1-7 is: no fear; thus, no stress. The secret to a stress-free life is to respond biblically to the pressures of life. So why are you stressed-out? God’s grace includes the ability to live free from stress.