3 Things the Bible says about how to Handle Stress
Welcome! Today, I’m talking about what the Bible says about stress. I am a fellow sister in Christ who happens to be a counselor specializing in traumatic stress.” That being said, I am a therapist but not yours. Please don’t use this blog as a substitute for mental health treatment. This blog is for informational purposes only. Why is a therapist posting biblical content? Because in practice there are many Christian clients that come to me and struggle to identify how the Bible stories are applicable to their situations or how the Bible can be used to support their mental health. And if that’s you, I’m hopeful that this blog can give you some ideas for what the Bible says about how to deal with stress.
We all have probably heard of stories where someone was under a great deal of stress but how to apply these stories to our lives can be difficult. Here are 3 things the Bible says about stress and 3 ways you can use the Bible to cope with stress.
Bible verse 1: Matthew 11:28-30
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
In these verses Jesus tells us that he will give us rest. Basically, He is saying come to him for relief from stress. More literally this looks like reading our Bibles, praying, or connecting with another sister or brother in Christ. There’s a reason that therapist talk about meditation so much. Meditation is shown to decrease stress and anxiety and symptoms of depression. And prayer can be a form of meditation as can reading our Bibles.
Bible Verse 2: Joshua 1:8
In fact, the Bible tells us in Joshua 1:8 to meditate on God’s word day and night (that’s verse number 2 by the way). How do we do this? Technology has made this so easy now, actually. In the morning I start my day listening to a daily devotional podcast, then I listen to a sermon as I’m getting ready for the day. By the time I have the kids fed and taken care of it’s time for me to sit and read my Bible and journal. In my journal I include ways God showed up the day prior, a prayer, and a scripture I’d like to reflect on. At night, I end with an evening devotion by the Daily Still as I’m getting ready for bed. Throughout my day I say prayers as I need to.
Bible Verse 3: Philippians 4:6
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God
I chose this verse because of the mention of thankfulness. When we pray, we’re not just praying to ask for things. We’re also praying to give thanks for what God has done for us already. Research actually shows that expressing gratitude is linked to longer term happiness and decreases depressive symptoms. I notice for me and for clients that when we make thankfulness and gratitude part of our daily practices, we generally feel less stressed and our capacity to handle daily stressors increases.
There are SO many more verses about stress and these are just some to get you started.
So to sum it up these three verses remind us to go to God, make His word a consistent presence in our lives, and to give thanks to the Lord for He is good, His Mercy endures forever.
Peace be with you