Finding Freedom From StressSample

Don’t let stress run your life.

Stress is a struggle all too real for most of us. But it doesn’t have to be that way. A lot of times, we can view stress as something we just have to deal with, but Jesus actually offers us freedom from stress through His peace. 

Now, let’s get things straight. There’s no magic formula to erase stress forever. Stress is an emotional, sometimes panicked response to situations your brain views as threatening. And that can actually be a good thing, because it can keep you from danger, motivate you to make a better decision, or help you make a necessary change. But when stress starts taking the reins on our lives—that’s when we’ve got a problem. 

So, maybe the question isn’t how to stop stressing out. Ask a better question: How can we reframe the way we interpret and deal with stress? Here are three things to help guide your reaction to stress. 

1. Don’t let stress run your life. Allow healthy stress to guide your decisions, but don’t allow stress to cloud your judgment. Ask God to give you clarity about whether your stress is causing you to miss out on opportunities He is giving you.  
2. Release control. Nothing feeds stress like control. Jesus offers us freedom from heavy burdens. But here’s the catch—we’ve got to come to Him. Go before God and lay your stress down. The cost is control, but the reward is freedom, peace, and rest. 
3. Ask for wisdom. Ask God if there’s anything this stress can teach you about the way you’ve been operating lately. Are there areas of your life you need to stop handling on your own? Have you overcommitted yourself? Ask God to gently correct you, guide you, and redirect you to the heart of your stress, then ask Him to replace your stress with His strength. 

Talk It Over

• How can you begin to reframe the way you view stress? 
• What could your stress be teaching you about the way you’re currently living? 
• What are some things you may need to let go of in order to experience peace?