And 5 Tips To Help You Through!
Life can be stressful and hard at times. The pressures of life can overwhelm us and take control. Before you know it, we become bitter, negative and grumpy. Here are 10 scriptures to dealing with stress and 5 tips to help you though:
1.Embrace Stress:
You are probably thinking Are you crazy? Well that is what the bible says. OK, so the bible doesn’t talk about “stress” but it does talk about troubles and trials that we may face and what to do about. When we face “stress” it is an opportunity to develop character and faith. (I wrote a post about this not to long ago “Faith Under Pressure” you can check it out here). You see in the midst of our craziness God wants us to trust in Him.
James 1:2-4 (NLT) – Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.
Romans 5:3-5 (NLT) – We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.
John 16:33 (AMPC) – In the world you have tribulation and trials and distress and frustration; but be of good cheer [take courage; be confident, certain, undaunted]! For I have overcome the world. [I have deprived it of power to harm you and have conquered it for you.]
2.Don’t be a control freak:
There are things in life we have no control over and never should. God is in control and we need to remember to give it all to him. God doesn’t want us to be anxious and worried, He has already taken care of your needs. Stop being a control freak!
1 Peter 5:7 (NLT) – Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.
Matthew 6:25-27 (NLT) – That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life- whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more clothing? Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in the barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are? Can all your worries add a single moment to your life?
Matthew 6:34 (NLT) – So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.
3.Rejoice in Stress:
Rejoicing is not always easy, especially if you are in a bad mood (I wrote a post about this you can find it here). You don’t always feel like rejoicing, in fact there are times we are mad and we have a right to be.We want to sulk in our feelings! But God says to rejoice always, he didn’t just say it once he said it two times (he knows us well, wink).
Philippians 4:4-6 (NKJV) – Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I say rejoice! Let your gentleness be know to all men. The Lord is at hand. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.
4. Choose life or death:
OK, now that sounds drastic but it’s true, we have a choice in life. We have the choice to live a happy purposeful life or have the choice to be unhappy and let stress kill us! Even under stress we can choose to learn and grow or we can give in to the lies of fear and death. Sometimes the right path isn’t always easy and can feel hard but it is worth it!
Deuteronomy 30:19 (NLT) – Today I have given you the choice between life and death, between blessings and curses. Now I call on heaven and earth to witness the choice you make. Oh, that you would choose life, so that you and your descendants might live!
5.Take control of your mind:
The biggest battle we face is usually in our mind. That is how the devil works, through people and through your mind. Somethings our stress comes from negative thoughts that are all lies! But one thing we can change is the way we think. With the help of the Holy Spirit we can take captive of the negative thoughts and replace them with the promises of God.
2 Corinthians 10:4-5 (NKJV) – For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.
1 Peter 5:8 (NIV) – Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.
Prayer:
Father thank you for helping us to embrace stress. When we do, we are saying that we trust you with our problems. Help us not to be a control freak and to remember you are the one in control. We rejoice in the choice of life and take control of our mind against any negative thoughts.
Amen!
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