ManageStress

 Notes from our Sunday School  Lesson.

Life Application Series

Three Ways To Manage Stress.

God’s Word: Philippians 4:4-9. 

“Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, 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."       

Stress is a fact of life. Good and bad experiences contribute to the stress in our lives. The Bible has important things to say about stress.

The first principle to deal with stress according to St. Paul is to rejoice in the Lord. The joy of the Lord is our strength . The joy which the Lord our God gives is regardless of the circumstances. We are controlled by our internal moods. When we rejoice in the Lord we are placing our confidence  in Him. 

The second principle is to pray.

Stressful situations cause anxiety.  St. Paul said that instead of being overcome by worries of life, we should cast our cares upon God by praying. People who pray tend not to worry. People who tend to worry often forget to pray. When we pray we are no longer depending upon our power, our ability. We are now depending on the Creator of the Universe. 

The third is to think.

This means we take responsibility for our minds. We can choose to think on what is good. Negative thoughts are often the greatest source of stress, especially when one imagines the worst. It also robs us of faith.

We all have concerns. St. Paul exhorts us not to dwell on them as to be weighed down by fear or worry.  Instead the Saint says we are to take control of our minds and think about what is true, noble, right, pure, lovely and admirable. 

When we focus our thoughts on God’s mercies, we realize and have confidence that God is bigger than our problems.