The Missing PieceSample

Stress is killing us. That is a big statement but studies show that stress is at the root of most chronic illnesses. The American Institute of Stress Statistics found that approximately 75% of Americans experience stress that affects their mental and emotional health, and the numbers are on the rise.

It is no surprise that people experience challenging situations because Jesus tells us in John 16:33 that we will all have trouble in this world, but the good news is that those situations don’t have to bring lasting stress into our lives. In Philippians 4:6-7 Paul tells us how to live with peace instead of stress, “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.”

Doctors, somewhat recently, discovered how detrimental stress is for our health, but God actually shared this with us about 3,000 years ago in Proverbs 14:30, “a peaceful heart leads to a healthy body.” Put it all together and the Bible clearly teaches that the solution to optimizing your health and minimizing chronic stress is knowing, turning to, and trusting Jesus.

The antidote to stress is trusting God in all areas of your life. As you trust God more your stress will decrease. You may be wondering how you can increase your trust in him. “Those who know the LORD trust him” Psalm 9:10. As I mentioned on day 1, lasting peace comes from deeply knowing God. When you’re exercising, eating, meeting with friends, or working… acknowledge God’s presence and connect with Him continually. When you do this you will know Him better, your stress will decrease, and your peace, health, and fitness will increase.

I will close with another quote from Henri Nouwen, “I am growing in the awareness that God wants my whole life, not just part of it. As I try to understand why I am still so restless, anxious, and tense, it occurs to me that I have not yet given everything to God… Thus, my life is in fact divided into two parts, a part for God, and a part for myself, thus divided my life cannot be peaceful.”