Good morning everyone, your friend MB here once again. Today I have been led to talk about stress… Something we all experience, deal with and have to learn to manage.

But what exactly does that all look like in the life of a believer? What exactly does learning to manage stress look like in the life of a follower of Christ? Is there a biblical way to manage it? Is there a biblical way to remove it? There is, and it can be found in many places within God’s word.

Let me start with giving you just a handful of the many verses found in God’s word about stress.

Philippians 4:6 (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Philippians+4%3A6&version=ESV)
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.

John 14:27 (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+14%3A27&version=ESV) 
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.

Psalm 55:22 (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+55%3A22&version=ESV)  
Cast your burden on the Lord, and he will sustain you; he will never permit the righteous to be moved.

Proverbs 12:25 (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+12%3A25&version=ESV)  
Anxiety in a man’s heart weighs him down, but a good word makes him glad.

Psalm 118:5-6 (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+118%3A5-6&version=ESV)  
Out of my distress I called on the Lord; the Lord answered me and set me free. The Lord is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me?

Matthew 11:28-30 (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+11%3A28-30&version=ESV)  
Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

Romans 8:31 (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans+8%3A31&version=ESV)  
What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?

Romans 8:28 (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans+8%3A28&version=ESV) 
And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

Matthew 6:34 (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+6%3A34&version=ESV) 
“Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

Matthew 6:27 (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+6%3A27&version=ESV) 
And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?

James 1:12 (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=James+1%3A12&version=ESV) 
Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.

Philippians 4:6-7 (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Philippians+4%3A6-7&version=ESV) 
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.

Matthew 6:33 (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+6%3A33&version=ESV) 
But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

Joshua 1:9 (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Joshua+1%3A9&version=ESV)  
Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

1 Peter 5:7 (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Peter+5%3A7&version=ESV) 
Casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.

Luke 10:41-42 (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+10%3A41-42&version=ESV)  
But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.”

Proverbs 3:5-6 (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+3%3A5-6&version=ESV) 
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 straight your paths.

Hebrews 12:1 (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Hebrews+12%3A1&version=ESV)  
Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,

Philippians 4:13 (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Philippians+4%3A13&version=ESV)  
I can do all things through him who strengthens me.

Psalm 103:1-5 (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+103%3A1-5&version=ESV) 
Of David. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name! Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits, who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy, who satisfies you with good so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.

Luke 12:22 (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+12%3A22&version=ESV) 
And he said to his disciples, “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat, nor about your body, what you will put on.

1 John 4:18 (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+John+4%3A18&version=ESV) 
There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love.

Matthew 6:25-34 (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+6%3A25-34&version=ESV) 
“Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. …

Job 30:27 (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Job+30%3A27&version=ESV)  
My inward parts are in turmoil and never still; days of affliction come to meet me.

John 14:1 (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+14%3A1&version=ESV) 
“Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me.

Proverbs 24:10 (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+24%3A10&version=ESV) 
If you faint in the day of adversity, your strength is small.

1 Peter 5:8 (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Peter+5%3A8&version=ESV)  
Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.

Exodus 14:14 (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Exodus+14%3A14&version=ESV) 
The Lord will fight for you, and you have only to be silent.”

James 1:2-4 (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=James+1%3A2-4&version=ESV) 
Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

Hebrews 13:5-6 (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Hebrews+13%3A5-6&version=ESV) 
Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” So we can confidently say, “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?”

Psalm 94:19 (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+94%3A19&version=ESV)  
When the cares of my heart are many, your consolations cheer my soul.

If you wish to read more, start here (https://www.openbible.info/topics/stress).

In my short time following Christ, I’ve gone through many moments that were stressful. Moments that were absolutely packed with stress and anxiety that brought me to my knees both spiritually and physically.

Usually, that phrase “brought me to my knees” is seen as a bad thing. However, I submit to you that as a believer in Christ, everything… Good, bad or otherwise should bring you to your knees… in prayer.

Prayer is our number one method of communication with God. It’s how we bring everything to him.

Surprise, surprise: prayer is the first step in living a stress free life as a believer in and follower of Christ.

I have learned to see stress as a tool of the enemy, the devil. I’ve learned to see it this way because of what it does. It distracts us.

For many people, it actually pulls them away from God because they are so focused on whatever it is they’re stressed about.

Not only does it distract us, but it can harm us both mentally and physically. Stress can cause heart problems, it can also lead us to have mental breakdowns. That is why it is so important that a believer in Christ be able to live stress-free.

OK, so, step one is prayer… step two is trust.

But who are we trusting? Well… God, of course. There is no problem that you could bring to him that is too big for him. There is no situation that you could bring to him that he cannot either improve for you or get you out of completely.

Think of the Israelites in Egypt and what he did for them…. He has the power to do even greater things for you.

Bring your stresses to God in prayer and see what he will do for you. What do you have to lose?

The next step, step three is both to listen and obey. If you bring your worries to God, if you bring your concerns to him, if you bring to him the things that keep you up at night and dominate your thoughts in daylight… If you bring to him the things that make you restless… The things that make you uneasy… The things that make you shake with fear and uncertainty… He will listen to all you have to say.

Not only will he listen, he will tell you what you have to do.

Sometimes what he says is gonna be hard for you to accept, and even harder for you to carry out, but in order to alleviate all the stress you might have, you must do as he says.

You must do as he says when he says to do it and how he says to do it.

You must abandon your will, and your way of doing things and instead pick up his will and follow his way.

He is the creator of all things.

He owns everything you see and everything you don’t.

He has power over all things in all ways everywhere and for all eternity.

The things you bring to him arent huge and insurmountable, they’re nothing to him.

He can fix everything wrong in your life—everything that worries you—with just a thought.

If you follow the Almighty triune God of the Israelites… The God of the Bible… The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob…. If you worship him… If you love him… Then he can do all things for you.

If he is your God…. Then he will work all things in your life for your good.

The fourth and final step is to understand.

Not only do you have to believe and understand that he can and will do these things for you. But you, most importantly, must understand that he is sovereign.

That means his will is the only one that shall be carried out.

He has plans to prosper us and not to harm us… According to his word.

However, we must understand that things we go through in our lives that caused us to worry, things that cause pain and suffering are often allowed by him to teach us lessons that we must learn to become the people he wants us to be.

The goal of prayer is not to get what you want, but instead to bring your concerns to God and trust him with his answers.

The goal of prayer is so that he might be able to tell you the next steps you should take within what you’re dealing with.

Learn to trust him, learn to understand him, and learn to obey him.

If you have these things for God….

Trust, love, understanding, and obedience….

Then even in the most stressful of times….

While others are shaking with fear….

You will be still, you will be calm…because you know God (see psalm 46) is in control.

-MB