Finding Freedom From StressSample

Shift your focus.

Stress doesn’t have to define your story. We’ve learned stress is a natural part of life, but Jesus can help us completely overcome it through His eternal peace. So, how can we surrender stress and keep moving forward with our lives? 

We’ve got to shift our focus off our stress and onto our God. But where do we even begin? First of all, know that God cares about all your stress. Whether you’re freaking out about your midterm or having a mental breakdown about what to do with the rest of your life, our God cares about it and will give you peace. His peace may not always be what you expect, but it will always be what you need. 

So, take a look at how we can shift the focus off our stress. 

1. Worship before you’re ready. Paul teaches us what to do when we’re dealing with stress in Philippians 4, and he opens by telling us to always rejoice in the Lord. Always. As in, we worship God when we feel like it and when we don’t because even though our mood changes, God never does. He is always worthy of our worship, even when our circumstances are rough. When we worship God, we remember who He is and what He’s brought us through. And God is bigger than our stress and our worries. 
2. Surrender your stress. Our next step is to pray and release control. We’ve got to completely let go of our situation and trust that God will take care of us. In the message version of Philippians 4, it says to “shape your worries into prayers … it’s wonderful what can happen when Christ displaces worry in your life.” Releasing stress means just that—fully surrendering and not looking back. 
3. Redirect your thoughts. It’s not enough to just try to stop stressing. We’ve got to change what we think about. Paul writes that we should focus on what is pure, right, and lovely. Focus your mind on those things, not on what you’re stressed about. Remember to be grateful for what you have, what God has brought you through, and the amazing people in your life. Allow that gratefulness to flood your mind and your heart. Finally, take every thought captive and make it obedient to Christ. Replace “I’m stressed,” with “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Shatter the lies of stress with the powerful truth of God’s Word. 

When you build a habit of doing those three things, you can experience God’s peace in every situation. So recognize your stress, take action to replace it with truth, and present it to your heavenly Father who cares about you. You can experience peace every day, so seek it out and leave your stress behind. 

Talk It Over

• Which of these three ideas do you need to focus on more often? 
• What are some lies stress commonly tells you? What can you replace those lies with? 
• Decide how you’ll react the next time you’re feeling stressed or overwhelmed.