All Stressed Up, with Nowhere to Go
by Dr. David Jeremiah

I ignored the pain the first time. The second time my chest squeezed sharply. I thought about all the men who dropped dead of a heart attack at my age—35. So, I saw my doctor thinking the chest pain was a warning. The doctor gave me a stress test and sent me to specialists.

Braced for the worst, I went to hear the test results. "You're going to die one of these days, but it won't be from your heart." Stress was the cause of my physical pain.

"What's your lifestyle like?" the doctor asked. The past several years, I was pastoring a growing church, working on my seminary doctorate, being a husband to my wife and father to my young children. The doctor classified me as a hard driving, over-achieving. Was I stressed? Yes! And the chest pain had indeed been a warning.

The Many Symptoms of Stress
Stress is a major contributor to heart problems, some forms of cancer, accidental injury, cirrhosis of the liver and depression. People everywhere feel the effects of stress in anxiety, headaches, tension and burnout.

Christians are not immune to stress. People who strive for excellence often feel very stressed and are prime candidates for burnout.

The Peace We Need
Peace is the opposite of stress. The peace that comes from God is more than a match for stress. And it is guaranteed to any Christian who will take the right steps to de-stress, rather than stay distressed.

Practice These De-stressors
Live life from the inside out. Spend time strengthening your personal relationship with God. When your life is built on an inner strength through your relationship with God, outside influences have limited ability to shake you. Get into God's Word to build inner strength. And get God's Word into you. Hear, read, memorize it and meditate on it. You'll be ready to meet whatever stress comes your way.

Pray. Be anxious for nothing, 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 minds through Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6).

Praying takes discipline. Write out a list of your cares. Then picture yourself handing one item at a time over to God. Leave your list with Him and refuse to worry because God can handle it.

Eliminate sin. Avoid sin—avoid stress. Living in sin invites stress into your life. Ignoring God's commands commits you to self-induced stress. When you're experiencing undue stress, check to make sure you're following the will of God.

Fast. The Bible promises great strength and power when prayer is coupled with fasting for a time. Jesus recommended prayer and fasting to His disciples when they were confronted by the most stubborn demons (Matthew 17:21). Prayer and fasting can also be a powerful prescription for chronic stress.

Find solitude. Try cultivating quiet times into your life. Take a walk, sit on the porch. You'll feel less stressed and begin to hear the voice of God with clarity.

Streamline your agenda. Say "no" once in awhile. God alone should set the pace. Seek Him as you plan your day and calendar.

Cultivate a positive attitude. Think on what is true, noble, just, pure, lovely, good, virtuous and praiseworthy (Philippians 4:8). Dwelling on the negative or giving in to worry, fear, anger, or bitterness can bring stress into your life. Resolve to have the mind of Christ and be less stressed (Philippians 2:5).

Maintain your temple. What affects your body will affect your soul. Eat right, exercise, rest and relax and reduce stress. Your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit.

Be encouraged! God cares for your needs. He has power over any stressor and His peace will comfort you. John 14:27 says, "Good morning, this is God! I will be handling all your problems today. I will not need your help—so, have a good day." All stressed up with nowhere to go? Go to God and find rest!

This article was excerpted from Turning Points, Dr. David Jeremiah's devotional magazine.
Call Turning Point at 1-800-947-1993 for your complimentary copy of Turning Points.

Monday, December 15, 2008