By: Rev. David L. Shows

“Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me.” (John 14:1)

“Anxiety in a man’s heart weighs it down, but a good word makes it glad.” (Proverbs 12:25)

“And he said, “I called out of my distress to the LORD, And He answered me I cried for help from the depth of Sheol; You heard my voice.” (Jonah 2:2)

“In my trouble I cried to the LORD, And He answered me.” (Psalm 120:1)

“When my anxious thoughts multiply within me, Your consolations delight my soul.” (Psalm 94:19)

“Trouble and anguish have come upon me, Yet Your commandments are my delight.” (Psalm 119:143)

“These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)

“And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life?”  (Luke 12:25)

“The Lord is on my side; I will not fear.” Psalm 118:6.

“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9.

“Do not be anxious for your life, as to what you shall eat, or what you shall drink; nor for your body, as to what you shall put on.  Is life not more than food, and the body more than clothing?  Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them.  Are you not worth much more than they?  And why are you anxious about clothing?  Observe how the lilies of the field grow; they do not toil nor do they spin, yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory did not clothe himself like one of these.  But if God so arrays the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more do so for you, O men of little faith?  Do not be anxious then, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’, or ‘What shall we drink?’ or “With what shall we clothe ourselves?’  For all these things the Gentiles eagerly seek; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.  But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added to you.  Therefore, do not be anxious for tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” (Matthew 6:25-34)

We all know we live in a high stress world where the stress of family, job, finances, health, relationships, poor nutrition, media overload and relationships weigh heavily upon us, often causing many issues in our life, some of which we may not even realize.  Just considering work stress alone we stress over salaries, workloads, growth opportunities, conflicting demands, lack of support and control.  We have constant demands on our time, energy and emotions and we feel like we cannot get away from it, we cannot turn it off.  And with the advent of mobile phones, we are now basically on call 24×7 in some cases.  According to a study from the Mayo Clinic, stress may cause the following  issues…

There is no one in our nation that has not experienced stress related problems in their lives and even as professing Christians, we struggle with the issue of stress.  If anyone says they have never experienced stress in their lives, they are probably lying to themselves and to others – we have all been there, are there now, or will be.  The easy solution or answer is simply to turn our stressful situations over to the Lord, but we generally attempt to resolve the issues ourselves. As we all have discovered, this is really not as easy as it should be; so, we will write down a few thoughts we have about stress, especially in the life of a Christian.  As in previous articles, these are not necessarily arranged in a proper order, but are often written as the thoughts came into my mind after research and study of the issue.  Let me say this up front, just because you are a Christian does not mean you will never experience stress; in fact, stress is a fact of life and can actually help us in some areas.  However, because you are a Christian, we should be able to handle stress correctly and that is what we are going to discuss in this pamphlet.  

• Before we go into the Biblical study of this issue, let’s see what the minds of today say to handle this increasingly frequent problem.  Mayo Clinic notes you must recognize the issue and take action to “manage” the stress such as getting regular physical activity; practicing relaxation techniques, such as deep breathing, meditation, yoga, tai chi or massage; keeping a sense of humor; spending time with family and friends; setting aside time for hobbies, such as reading a book or listening to music.  They even say to find active ways to manage stress because inactive ways such as watching TV, surfing the internet or playing video games may seem relaxing, but they may increase your stress over the long term.  

• As we go through this brief study, I believe we will be able to see that some of the physical reactions caused by stress are similar to those caused by extreme anger that we have already studied.  Stress has been described as the “body’s reaction to harmful situations – whether they’re real or perceived.  When you feel threatened, a chemical reaction occurs in your body that allows you to act in a way to prevent injury.  This reaction is known as ‘fight-or-flight,’ or the stress response.  During stress response, your heart rate increases, breathing quickens, muscles tighten, and blood pressure rises.  You’ve gotten ready to act.  Stress means different things to different people.  What causes stress in one person may be of little concern to another.  Some people are better able to handle stress than others.  And, not all stress is bad.  In small doses, stress can help you accomplish tasks and prevent you from getting hurt.  For example, stress is what gets you to slam on the brakes to avoid hitting the car in front of you.  That’s a good thing.  Our bodies are designed to handle small doses of stress.  But we are not equipped to handle long-term, chronic stress without ill consequences.” [https://www.webmd.com/balance/stress-management/stress-symptoms-effects_of-stress-on-the-body#1].   We have already noted some of the symptoms of stress but long-term stress not correctly handled may result in the following:  mental health problems, such as depression, anxiety and personality disorders; cardiovascular disease, including heart disease, high blood pressure, abnormal heart rhythms, heart attacks, and stroke; obesity and other eating disorders, menstrual problems, sexual dysfunction, such as impotence, loss of sexual desire in both men and women; skin and hair problems, such as acne, psoriasis, and eczema, and permanent hair loss; gastrointestinal problems, such as gastritis, ulcerative colitis and irritable colon. 

Definition: Stress has been defined as “physical, mental, or emotional strain or tension.”  Some stress is necessary and even good – such as the physical strain we put on our muscles in order to make them stronger; but we are generally speaking about the excessive or negative mental or emotional strain or tension we often place ourselves under. “Stress” is not specifically mentioned in the Bible but it does speak often about anxiety, worry, and trouble – everything associated with stress so we should be able to discover a solution.  We know it is impossible to worry about everything in the day without building up stress in our lives, which then lowers the immune system and general health, making it even harder to handle things which makes the stress symptoms worse causing a snowball effect.    Some who experience stress also become hyper-productive while others shut down mentally and emotionally, whereas others may experience other varieties of response but stress is definitely common to all.

• Young people today are not immune to the pressures of stress. In fact, they face unique and often intense stressors, such as peer pressure, academic expectations, and increasingly, the added weight of parental expectations. Unfortunately, many youths are being pushed to grow up too quickly and bear more responsibility than in generations past. While we all want to see our children succeed, it’s crucial to remember that there must also be time and space for a child to simply be a child. It’s also important to recognize that worry and concern are natural parts of life. Feeling anxious doesn’t mean someone is living in sin; however, excessive worry can create more problems than it solves. In Matthew 6:34, Jesus reminds us not to be anxious about tomorrow. This isn’t a rebuke, but rather a reassurance that we don’t need to carry the burden of the future alone—He is still in control.
• Stress is a fascinating aspect of human life because it can be both destructive and motivating.  It can sneak up on us and linger without going away, it seems.  We all handle it differently as it does not discriminate based on gender, age, geography, finances, or race.  It permeates all aspects of life and affects our mental, emotional, spiritual and physical health.  It even ignores the line between work and personal life.
  • Many times, worries develop into harmful stress because we are seeking so intensely to do everything in our own strength instead of allowing God to help resolve the issue.  
  • We should realize it is not our “responsibility” to win every contest or to ace every test even though it is our responsibility to study in both instances.  It is not our responsibility to make our peers happy, even if it is our responsibility to treat everyone with kindness and integrity.  Can we see the difference?  

So, I believe we should all realize that stress is something we should be conscious about because it can cause many negative issues in our physical, mental and eternal life if not handled correctly.  We all experience stress in our lives, but to allow stress to get out of hand and control our lives can become a dangerous situation.  Therefore, let’s look to God’s word for the answer because that is where the answer will always be found.  

• According to some statistics, over 70% of Americans regularly experience physical or psychological symptoms caused by stress with 48% saying stress negatively affects their professional and personal lives.  The top physical symptom reported was fatigue and the top psychological symptom was irritability or anger and the number one cause of stress in the US comes from being overworked. 

• Now, hear this out before jumping to conclusions: The root of stress can be traced back to the moment Adam and Eve chose independence over dependence on God. That initial act of disobedience introduced the struggle we still face today. Ever since, God has been calling us back to Him. The uncertainties of life—which often produce stress—may be one of the ways God uses to draw us closer, reminding us of our need for Him. While it’s not always an easy solution, every stressful situation presents an opportunity: we can choose to surrender our anxieties and exercise faith in Christ. Scripture speaks often to this very issue, offering comfort and guidance: Philippians 4:6-7; Matthew 6:34; Proverbs 3:5-6; Matthew 11:28-30.  

Stress Piles On: We have heard it said so many times, “don’t sweat the small stuff” but we seem to sweat all stuff.  The more stress we are under, the more the “small things” bother us.  We think we can solve so many issues by ourselves with no help from anyone until we realize one day, we are not resolving anything and we are about to go crazy.  

1. One of the greatest revelations that came to me and many others is when we realize “We cannot do it all!”  We are not God—we are finite human beings with real limitations. While we may be able to manage a little and even grow in Christian character through perseverance, there inevitably comes a point where we reach our limits. Recognizing this isn’t a failure—it’s an invitation to lean on God’s strength rather than our own.
2.  It should be an assurance to us realizing Christ has no limits so when we have reached ours, Christ has already begun to work to relieve the issues.  Certainly, if Christ, the Creator of the Universe, loves me enough to die and take away my sin, He must also care about me on a daily basis.  
3. Do we really think such a loving God is not concerned about my everyday stresses especially when there have been so many promises in His word that He will always be there?  I don’t believe He gets tired of helping, but sometimes, His hands are tied—not because of any limitation on His part, but because we refuse to let go. We cling so tightly to control, worry, or our own solutions that we leave no room for His grace to move. Surrender isn’t weakness; it’s the doorway to divine help. 
4. A truly biblical response for stress is one that generates a dependence upon God and not just our abilities.  We must get to the point where we understand we not only cannot do it all but we do not have to do it all; we are not enough, but Christ is.  The One who died for my sins will care for the pressures of my life and His resources are unlimited where mine are limited.  

Ex: The old lady would go to church, write something on a piece of paper, wad the paper up and throw it in the corner of the church building and leave.  When the preacher picked up those papers, they all had problems, concerns, and worries listed on them so he approached the lady and asked what she was doing.  She said, “those are problems I face in life. I write them on a piece of paper and leave them in the church, now they are God’s problems, not mine!”  That is the solution. 

Someone wrote in an article [https://tifwe.org/a-biblical-response-to-stress/], we should take time and consider the following when we are stressed:

• What are the primary sources of my stress?
• How often do I pray about the factors in my life causing stress?
• Do I trust God with my work, finances, health, relationships, and future?
• What effects does my stress have on my loved ones?

Maybe I would add a few more:

• When was the last time we turned our worries over to Him?
• After turning them over to the Lord, do we pick them up again?
• When was the last time we went to sleep without worrying?
• When was the last time my worrying, anxiety or stress changed anything?
• How many stressful situations has the Lord already brought me through and I have forgotten them?
• Do I feel miserable or comfortable with a stress overload?
• Do we really believe God can help in these stressful situations?

Causations: Since we all have, are at present, or will experience stressful situations, let’s look at some major causes of these stressful situations and seek to find a biblical solution or exit from the situation in order to use these same principles in resolving other stressful times in our lives.  I am not saying this will always resolve the problem overnight but in order to take care of the stress situation we must first recognize the pressure we are under and desire to get rid of it so we can truly experience the joy of serving the Lord.

1. Perhaps #1 stress producer: the stress of finances which everyone at some time in their life will experience and many experience it continually in their lives.  We stress over meeting bills with the majority of people living from paycheck to paycheck.  Did we cause the problem by foolish decisions or was this something that just could not be avoided?  This is a common stress-initiator in the poorest of the poor countries to the most affluent in the world.  

• Sometimes we attempt to live a lifestyle that is too high or at least higher than necessary to live comfortably.  If your bills are more than your income, it can create a stressful situation; and if married, it can cause major problems in the marriage relationship.  One of the greatest stress relievers you can have is knowing you are not mortgaged to the hilt and your credit card totals are not more than your savings.  It seems sometimes we forget that God promised to provide the basic necessities of life.  (Matthew 6:25, 27).  Certainly that does not mean we sit and do nothing while waiting on Him to bring us our “needs” for we are also told to work and be good stewards of God’s money, (of which it all is) to provide for our families (1 Timothy 5:8) and even have some to help others; but God is always our Provider  (Jehovah Jireh).  
• Consider this, if you seem to be continually in debt or struggling day after day wondering if you will meet those needs, is that because we have materialistic greed rather than true need?  I believe all of us can look at our homes and note all the “things” we have that are really not necessary for our needs; but we just wanted for various reasons.  Mark 4:18-19 concerning the parable of the seed “And others are the ones on whom seed was sown among the thorns; these are the ones who have heard the word, and the worries of the world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things enter in and choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.” Notice if excessive “worry” and “desire for others things” are prominent, the Word has little of any effect.   Too many are convinced that worldly things lead to happiness, contentment and joy but they do not; especially if it increases the financial load.  A word of advice:  do not live on Credit Cards; do not take a vacation on Credit Cards; do not put yourself in debt for Christmas or birthdays; do not buy a large house if it is not necessary and you cannot afford the notes; do not live on overtime for it comes and goes; do not think “things” create a stable family environment, relationships matter; if you are struggling financially, eat leftovers; don’t worry about the latest fashions; a Ford will generally get you there as easily as a Lexus; don’t worry about what your neighbors have, they are probably struggling to pay for them; remember our treasure is on the other side, not down here for we leave everything behind but what we have done for Christ.  

2. Stress from hardship or a trial can be devastating but note James’ counsel in 1:2-4, “Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance.  And let endurance have its perfect result, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.”  Now these are not hardships you placed yourself in, rather those hardships and trials that are simply part of life; and let’s admit it, we all face them.  So, it appears, our attitude during these difficult times have a lot to do with our stress levels.  Many seem to immediately succumb to stress during such a time whereas we need to see this as a means by which God can strengthen our faith and transform our character into the pattern God desires for us.  Romans 5:3-5; 8:28-29.  In such times, may we learn to focus upon Him and not upon our problems.  Some of us have lived with stress so long, we would not recognize life without it – it is like a heavy load on our back that we have become so used to carrying we do not even realize what harm it is causing us and how much more pleasant life would be if we would lay  that stress at the feet of Jesus.  God has given us promises such as Matthew 11:28-30 about if we come unto Him the load will be light and 1 Peter 5:7 that speaks about casting our cares upon Him instead of holding onto them.  

3. We may not experience all of them, but stress also comes from work, health, relationships, poor nutrition and even media overload.  No matter the type of stress in one’s life, the starting point for dealing with it is Jesus Christ.  (John 14:1).  We often have constant demands on our time, energy and emotions and it feels impossible to turn them “off”.  It seems we must be instantly accessible at any moment, we’re always on-call and in-demand, therefore no wonder we are stressed out.  

• One thing we might note is that Jesus never said there would not be stress in our lives but He does tell us how to handle that stress: for instance, trusting in the Father, seeking His will, and avoiding looking too far into the future and worrying about it.  We concern ourselves probably too much with earthly things rather than looking to God first and making His priorities our priorities.  (Colossians 3:1-4).  Ever consider how much time we spend in an attempt to resolve our own issues and problems before ever taking them to the Lord to ask for His help?  

I am of the opinion that when stress becomes heavy to bear the starting point is on our knees before Jesus Christ.  There is an invitation in John 14:1, “Let not your heart be troubled, believe in God; believe also in Me.”  Little problems or big problems make no difference, He did not say only bring the “big ones” but bring them all and I will give you strength to cope.  Proverbs 3:5-6, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.  In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight.”  Much of our stress may come because we make quick decisions when we first feel the stress which exacerbates the issue instead of being patient and waiting on the Lord 

I am now going to say something that many may not agree with. If we allow stress to take control of our lives to the point to where we cannot trust God, if we act as if God cannot handle our particular situation, if we think we must handle the problem because God is not interested, etc., have we not reached a point where we could call that exaggerated stress we are not allowing to let go of, sin?

Let us understand bringing these issues before the Lord does not mean we will have a trouble-free life or stress will never weigh heavy upon us; but remember, we are more than able to bear up under the load with Jesus Christ on our side.  I believe we will never live a stress-free life but certainly a stress-reduced life should be more than possible if we do not adopt the world’s ways of relieving stress and follow God’s pattern. So, how do we handle the stress because it can either make us or break us.  David noted in Psalm 34:4, “I sought the Lord, and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears”.  And remember, David spent many years fleeing for his life from King Saul and he made many bad judgment calls later on in life; but the one thing that he was proficient at was his ability to take these immediately to the Lord when he realized the severity of the problem.  His stupid response to the affair with Bathsheba was to solve it himself by making another stupid decision – if He had gone to the Lord early once he recognized the severity of the situation, it could have been handled with perhaps less severe consequences.  

Human nature attempts to run from one stressful situation to another to relieve stress, always seeking to fill our lives with purpose and happiness or satisfaction. Solomon recognized that in Ecclesiastes 6:7, “All man’s efforts are for his mouth, yet his appetite is never satisfied”.  In other words, we stress ourselves out over things we desire, only to desire more which creates more stress; so, learn to turn over these burdens to Jesus because He can handle the burden much better than we can.  

• I mentioned that in life you will always have stress created from difficult situations.  I wonder if you ever noticed this in Luke 6:48 where Jesus is speaking about the man who hears His words and acts upon them, “he is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid a foundation upon the rock; and when a flood rose, the torrent burst against that house and could not shake it, because it had been well built.”   Jesus did not say once this house was built everything was perfect but He did say the floods rose, the torrents burst against it but because the house was built upon a solid foundation (Jesus Christ) it withstood everything that was brought against it.  Isn’t that an amazing promise we can hold on to?  Let’s make that a little more personal:  is your salvation based upon a one-time prayer long ago that you made or is it a growing, thriving, exciting and committed relationship to Him that is active every minute of your life?  Do we put into practice His words or do they lie around us dormant?  True commitment unto God will withstand the stress of this life and each stressful situation should make us stronger in our faith as we recognize His provisions, the compassion and the mercy of God that our faith can hold on to and survive!  

• Certainly we know Jesus suffered stress as we read of Him in the Garden of Gethsemane as He prayed to the Father with such fervor and stress that His sweat became like drops of blood falling to the ground; but in the midst of this great trial He prayed, “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me.  Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done” (Luke 22:42).  After this prayer and looking over the events of the next few hours in the life of Christ, we can see there was never a Man calmer in the midst of the greatest stress that could be brought to bear upon an individual.  He knew He was in the will of the Father; He knew His Father was well aware of His plight; He allowed God to control the situation.
  • Dr. Gary R. Collins, (Christian Counseling, p.66.) had a good thought, “According to the Bible, there is nothing wrong with realistically acknowledging and trying to deal with the identifiable problems of life.  To ignore danger is foolish and wrong, as well as unhealthy, to be immobilized by excessive worry.  Such worry must be committed to prayer to God, who can release us from paralyzing fear or anxiety, and free us to deal realistically with the needs and welfare of both others and of ourselves.”  He mentions “worry” but I am handling “worry” and “stress” as synonyms here. 

Resolutions: Let me give a few suggestions (not all original with me) to help alleviate those stressful situations in life that we all face.

1. Make sure the stress is not a result of some sin or guilt in your life that has not been confessed and done away with.  Sin brings its own stress and guilt with it so if this is the issue: repent, confess, ask forgiveness and set it right.  So, seek the primary source of your stress.
2. Go to God in prayer.  Certainly, He is aware of what you are going through, but He still desires to hear from you.  While praying, keep in mind His promises for such situations, especially Philippians 4:6-7; Proverbs 3:5-6; Matthew 11:28-30; etc.  In fact, read the entire book of Philippians which is a book of joy, when you are stressed out. 
3. Answer truthfully: Do I truly believe God can handle MY stress?   
4. What effect does MY stress have upon those that I love and who love me?
5. Think about the good things, think of the countless blessings in life that God has brought your way and praise God for them and as you praise Him, the stresses will begin to disappear.  
6. Sometimes a little common sense like sleep will help the situation, sleep deprivation never helps a stressful situation.  
7. Don’t stress over things that have not happened.  Don’t worry about what may or may not happen.  Focus on the present and getting through the day.  Matthew 6:34.
8. Attempt to get your mind off the issue by listening to music, some good Christian music preferably or even some good preaching or reading a good Christian book.  Think of Paul and Silas in a dark prison cell (Acts 16:22-40), having been severely flogged, ridiculed and attacked by a crowd of people and now thrown in jail, they begin to praise Him, singing out loud. God delivered them and even more converts came to Christ because of their “stressful” situation and their reaction.    
9. Enjoy life.  Have some fun times and do not allow the stress to take away enjoyable times with family and friends because this helps take your mind off your own problems.
10. See if you can find someone who needs some help of some sort and take some time out to do for them, instead of stressing about your own issues.  Get your mind off yourself and your problems and onto your Savior and Lord and the needs of others.  
11. If you have a good Christian friend, relative or Pastor to speak to, let them share your anxieties.  They may not be able to help in any way but sometimes the sharing makes a big difference.
12. If there is something you know you must do to relieve some of the stress, don’t put it off – do it now.  Example:  If the stress comes from a poor relationship with another, get that relationship healed.  If necessary, apologize or forgive and forget.  If it is finances, examine and modify your finances. 
13. Sometimes, exercise will help relieve the stress level; so, if able, maybe a good walk, run, swim or some other exercise to reduce the stress. 
14. I would like to throw in another comment here.  Some have said I relax by watching TV, surfing the internet or playing video games.  One study showed they may seem relaxing, but they may increase your stress over the long term.  (Hmmm).  

It almost seems some of us like to hold on to the stress but if we do, it will eventually harm us.  Once again rest upon promises, “Hebrews 4:15-16 says, “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who is every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.  Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”  In times of stress, we can come before Him knowing He knows us, loves us, and is able to handle whatever comes our way.  

• Do not try to control every aspect of your own life because we probably do not have the ability to honestly control ourselves as we should.  If we are in Christ, we know what is best for us is for Him to be in charge, for He is aware of our situation, where we are, where we should be going, what we should do, etc.  His ways are far better than ours (Ephesians 3:20-21; Isaiah 55:8-9).  So why don’t we trust in the Lord with all our heart and allow Him to take control (Proverbs 3:5-8).  

If we go to God, He may reveal to us some knowledge about our stress which could be a result of our own unwise decisions or misplaced priorities.  Couple of examples I read: if our stress is related to finances, God might reveal some better spending habits. He can help us sort through what things we need and where we might be spending frivolously. Or perhaps He will show us another source of income or way to help meet our family’s needs. As another example, if we are stressed because we continually say “yes” to every ministry opportunity presented to us, God can help us see that not every opportunity is actually a calling from Him. He can remind us to seek His discernment before committing. [https://www.compellingtruth.org/Bible-stress.html].  

• Don’t think stress means you are backslidden but realize God never promised us a smooth life, even if we turn to Him.  However, He does promise to be there for us, to be our Rock and our Provider through those stressful periods of our lives.  During such periods we must learn to “come unto Him and find rest” (Matthew 11:28-30).  Back to the example of Jesus Christ during His last days on earth.  The city was in a turmoil, the religious leaders were beside themselves with anger, the people had been excited to a point of frenzy; but, in the midst of such conditions stood one Man, Jesus Christ.  He uttered no words in His defense for He knew He was in the will of God and as He was dying, He could utter the words, “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do”.  The most stressful of situations, yet calmness in the midst of the storm!  

• Do not rely upon yourself (as strong as you may think you are), nor friends (as good as they may be), nor circumstances (which change quickly and often), nor other material or chemical things (they simply cover up the stress), but rely upon God Himself to help you during difficult times.  He will because He loves you.  (John 3:16-17).  

CONCLUSION: Philippians 4:6-7, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.  And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”   Stress is a natural part of life (Job 5:7; 14:1; 1 Peter 4:12; 1 Corinthians 10:13).  How we deal with it is up to us but there is only one way to consistently and successfully deal with stress and that is with Jesus Christ.   Believe in Him; trust Him and obey Him.  We trust because His ways are always best for us.  We obey because disobedience and sin can produce stress and cut us off from the peace and joy of our loving God.  And daily, we should strive to fill our minds with His word, placing everything in His hands and sitting at his feet in awe and reverence. 

Perhaps easier said than done, but practice makes perfect.