Dealing With Stress

 

I was diagnosed with a stress fracture in my knee last week. Hopefully, limiting my activity for a while will allow it to heal without any intervention. Stress fractures are rarely caused by a specific injury. They generally are the result of an accumulation of little stresses that eventually lead to a weakening of the bone and, finally, a fracture.

 

We live in stressful times. We need to be able to deal with our day-to-day stress before its accumulated effect causes a fracture in our physical health, a relationship, a job, or even in our relationship with God.

 

Stressors don’t have to be negative events. Ask any parent whether the first few months of taking care of their newborn baby were stressful! We may not even realize what stress is doing to us. We may attribute our fatigue, anxiety, or general lack of well-being to any one of a number of physical problems.

 

I’ve listed some ways to help deal with stress.

 

1. Make time for daily Bible study. Claim those scriptures that relate to what you are going through and put reminders of them where you can see them. Find books by Christian authors that speak to where you are at today.

 

2. Find support in family and friends. Share your burden with them because this is the essence of the Body of Christ. “Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ” (Galatians 6:2).

 

3. Pray about everything. “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6-7).

 

4. Try to help someone else. You will bless them and it will help you take the focus off of yourself.

 

5. Focus on God and His will for you. Try to align your priorities with God’s priorities for you. Surrender to Him, trusting in His love, wisdom, and power. “Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your heart on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things” (Colossians 3:1-2).

 

6. Take care of yourself. Do some type of exercise. Try to get adequate rest. Don’t neglect the Sabbath rest. “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28).

 

7. Be thankful for your blessings. Adopt an attitude of gratitude. Consider starting a journal to have a  reminder of all that God does for you on a daily basis. Adjust your outlook, remembering that God is for you and not against you.

 

8. Slow down. Try to get out of “fight-or-flight” mode because it is so draining. Seek the peace that the Spirit wants you to have. “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid” (John 14:27).

 

9. Focus on the present. The past cannot be changed and the future is unknown. “Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own” (Matthew 6:34).

 

10.  Put a high value on your time. You don’t get physically healthy feeding your body junk food. Similarly, you don’t get emotionally and spiritually healthy by partaking in junk activity, whether it be social media, screen time, or anything else that increases your stress or takes up time you need for what is truly important.

 

There are many resources online that you can go to for additional information. As always, you should seek Christian counsel if you are having severe difficulties.

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The individual posts in this blog have been collected into a book, Reflections From the Basic Truths Blog.  It is available for free as an ebook through Barnes and Noble, https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/reflections-from-the-basic-truths-blog-james-yarmchuk/1147055811?ean=2940181202702, Apple Books, and multiple other book websites. It is available for a minimal charge on Amazon and can also be purchased as a paperback through them.