A closed, neglected Bible often causes comfortless hearts. It truly is a blessing to be able to rely on the Lord in times of stress.

STRESS IS LIKE WORRY

I didn’t see the correlation before preparing for this. Stress can be just another form of worry.

MATHEW 6:34 –  Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow; tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

I used to stress about things, interrupting my regular daily schedule.   You can read more about how I dealt with that here. When things interrupt my daily schedule, it can be hard to switch gears because I have a plan! And it was all scheduled out!  However, when things get in the way of my plans, I can either choose to worry about things not getting done or leave it in God’s hand, knowing He has the ultimate plan for my life. Leaving it in His control can be much more freeing.

Consider the stress you are under as a blessing. How can it help you grow? What can you learn from it? Great Humans strive to grow from situations continually. It should also be your goal as a Christian to grow in Christ.

James 1:2-4: ² Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters,^[a] whenever you face trials of many kinds, ³ because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. ⁴ Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. 

How do you trust in the Lord and not your own understanding? Go to God first; seek HIS counsel first! I actively seek to do glorify God in all I do. I want to do his will. If I am actively seeking God’s counsel first and trust that what God has planned for me, then that can be freeing and much less stressful!

In all your ways, acknowledge God. Praise HIM even for the little things. My mom gave me this little tidbit. She used to get very annoyed and stressed when she was stuck in traffic. Thank the Lord for slowing you down on the road instead of getting angry for slow traffic. You can never know what you might have missed being stuck in traffic, or you can use that time for reflection.  

… if you trust in God, He will direct your paths. God can use other people to guide your paths. For example, I truly wanted a new car last year. I was going to buy a new one, but I asked my husband what I should do (my business was going to pay for it), and he suggested I just wait until I really needed one, either van dies, or daughter starts driving! I decided to be patient. Who knows what this patience will net me? Who knows if it really matters, but if I actively seek God’s will and actively seek counsel from others, that can be the best path, even in little issues.

When stressed or anxious about a situation, it can be beneficial to stop a moment and be thankful for the good things in your life now. Praise God for what you do have. This can really provide a new perspective.

Phil. 4:6-7 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

In times of severe stress, Job Trusted and Praised the Lord

When you feel you can’t cope anymore and just need someone to lean on the Lord is there.

Psalm 34:17-18 says, “The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles. The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” This verse encourages us the Lord hears us and will be there for us. All we have to do is ask!

It is still ok when we fail to trust in God. The Psalms are full of cries out to God from David amidst his life of dealing with enemies, political turmoil, personal failures, and the weight of ruling a kingdom. The Apostle Paul faced tremendous hardships and stresses as he spread the message of Jesus Christ. He endured persecution, imprisonment, and physical challenges. In his letters, Paul often shared his struggles and how he found strength in Christ, reminding others to rely on God’s grace in difficult times.

Psalm 73:26

“My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.”

Psalm 46:1 God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.

Psalm 55:22 Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken.

Math 11:28 ²⁸ “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.

Psalm 23 (The whole Psalm)

Jeremiah even in his laments remember the Lord – Lamentations 3:22-24

“The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. ‘The LORD is my portion,” says my soul, “therefore I will hope in him.'”

If you don’t know the saving grace of Jesus. Here are some great verses that share the Gospel.

Romans 1:1-4 Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God— 2 the gospel he promised beforehand through his prophets in the Holy Scriptures 3 regarding his Son, who as to his earthly life was a descendant of David, 4 and who through the Spirit of holiness was appointed the Son of God in power by his resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord.

1 Corinthians 15:1-5 Now, brothers and sisters, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. 2 By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain. 3 For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, 5 and that he appeared to Cephas,[b] and then to the Twelve.

Phillippians 2:6-11 Who, being in very nature[a] God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; 7 rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature[b] of a servant, being made in human likeness. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross! 9 Therefore, God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Hopefully all this gives you a little peace in a stressful moment.