When we feel stressed, we can try and find distraction and comfort in things that might actually make our situation worse, such as food, back-to-back TV shows, endless scrolling through social media, and making ourselves really busy. All these things are used to take our mind off what we’re feeling, but they don’t deal with the problem. But God doesn’t want us to live our lives crippled by stress. So what can we do when we’re feeling stressed out? Firstly, we need to take it to God. The psalmist writes: ‘Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you.’ To make it through times of stress we need to let God sustain us. He knows we’re going to feel stressed and weak sometimes, and He promises to give us the strength we need. Instead of struggling alone with the burden, let’s share it with the burden-bearer and let Him strengthen us. Secondly, we need to remember that we’re not God. Sometimes we can think that everything depends on us, and that causes stress. But we’re not called to fix every situation or be everything to every person. We’re called to put God first and let Him direct us. Thirdly, we need to be prepared to make some changes to our lifestyle. It might mean taking a temporary break from social media, scheduling in some more times to sit in God’s presence, writing gratitude lists to help us focus on the positives, or asking for help in the areas where we’re struggling. Even the smallest change can make a huge difference. So let’s not allow stress to rule our lives, and instead bring it to the One who can bring peace, strength, and life to us. 

What Now?

If you’re feeling stressed, think of one small way you can make a change to your lifestyle. Write down any difference you see that change making to your stress levels.