The Best Way To Overcome Stress

by Unknown 11:35 AM 0 comments

According to doctors, stress is the most significant contributor to disease. Your body simply responds to the demands placed upon it by your brain. It's amazing that one of the things we can't stand is stress, yet we are surrounded by it all the time.

Our brain is an amazing organ. In fact it's an effective pharmacist. In times of stress this cerebral pharmacy releases 3 major hormones into our system.

a) Adrenalin - which pumps glucose into the body and gives you a sudden energy boost. It gets you ready to fight or take flight.

b) Noradrenaline - which causes your blood pressure to rise and your muscles to go on red alert.

c) Cortisol - which suppresses the immune system, which makes you more open to that cold you've been avoiding.  Cortisol is very important in your stress response - keeping your blood sugar and blood pressure up to help you escape from danger. Too much of cortisol can cause fats and sugars to clog up your arteries and blood vessels and it's even linked to loosing of brain cells.

So actually what is stress? Know that it comes from within. It's the response we make to certain physical stimuli. These days, stress is a major health hazard. It can trigger asthma or can lead to strokes and coronary heart attacks.

Does God have anything to say about stress? I'm glad you asked because this is an area of health which the Bible has most to comment on. Here are a few tips to deal with stress.

OVERCOMING STRESS

1. Develop A Generous Spirit

There's something therapeutic about giving to others: giving time, money, encouragement and the benefit of your experience. Giving to others helps you to recognize the good things you possess (Matthew 10:8), and investing in the lives of others does tend to take your mind off your  own problems. Can you imagine Mother Teresa needing deep therapy?

It's more blessed to give than to receive. Acts 20:35

2. Take Responsibility

As far as God is concerned, you are not responsible for what other people do to you, or what circumstance throws at you. But you are responsible for how you react to these challenges. You don't have to be helpless or hopeless.

In Robbin Island prison, Papa Mandela decided to take back his power by deciding how fast or slow he carried out the commands of the oppressive prison officers. No matter how they beat, scoffed, pushed and screamed at him he decided his pace.

Also in a German Prisoner of war camp, Victor Frankl realized that although the guards could take away every physical thing he owned and make things tough for him, they couldn't take away his right to choose how he would react! He could always decide what kind of person he would be. This is real strength; when you decide who you should be and become it no matter the circumstances or pressure.

When Judas Iscariot came to betray Jesus with a kiss, the first words Jesus said to him were, "Friend, do what you came to do" (Matthew 26:50). Friend!!! Surely you are mistaken Jesus! No, Jesus knew He could not change what Judas had freely chosen to do, but He did have control over His response to it.

Don't live with a victim mentality, always blaming everyone else for the way your life has turned out. Do what you have to do and get out. Decide that you're going to keep control over your own heart. 

Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life. Proverbs 4:23

There's a powerful blog on why you should guard your heart. Click here to read it.

3. Practice Forgiveness

This relates to the number 2 also. Forgiveness is a decision you make, not a feeling: it's an act of will not whim. Unfortunately we all have trouble forgiving, that's why we need to experience deep forgiveness for ourselves. We each need to see our own hurt in proper perspective. Whether you like it or not, it's a fact: you've offended God much more than anyone has ever offended or hurt you. When you feel the deep inner peace that comes from knowing you are forgiven by God, forgiving what others have done to you isn't so hard.

 Jesus answered him, “Simon, I have something to tell you. “Tell me, teacher,” he said. 41 “Two people owed money to a certain moneylender. One owed him five hundred denarii,[a] and the other fifty. 42 Neither of them had the money to pay him back, so he forgave the debts of both. Now which of them will love him more?” 43 Simon replied, “I suppose the one who had the bigger debt forgiven.” “You have judged correctly,” Jesus said. 44 Then he turned toward the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You did not give me any water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. 45 You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet. 46 You did not put oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet. 47 Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven—as her great love has shown. But whoever has been forgiven little loves little.” Luke 7:40-47

4. Bring emotions into line with will

Discipline your emotions and mind so that you are not emotion-driven but decision-driven. Learn to talk differently about those who have let you down.  Be vigilant when people try to drag you into their beefs with others, or incite you to say things about events or people you might not know. Be understanding and supportive of what your friends have gone through without bringing others down with your words.

Just as there are six major food groups for the body, there are also six major food groups for the spirit;

1. prayer 
2. Bible reading 
3. meditation (not the chanting kind, but chewing upon what you read in God's word) 
4. fellowshipping with a church group, mentors and folks who are like-minded. 
5. sharing your faith 
6. giving

A daily dose of each helps you keep your emotions on a short leash.

We are 3-dimensional beings-spirit, body, soul- and if we don't engage all three, our emotions automatically lead our lives.

As I was typing number 3 of overcoming stress, everything began to go wrong and anger overcame me; funny eh!?! Because I was in deep thought as I was writing what God has placed on my heart. But my wife and daughter kept interrupting me and to top it all of, my laptop went off and I had to retype most of what I had already written. So out of stress I started screaming at everyone. How funny life can be sometimes. And the interesting thing I realised was, I could only retype after I had calmed down. I had to control my heart before I could move on. Control brings productivity. There's always a prize to pay for your blessings and productivity and it's control of your heart and your mouth. Train your emotions.

No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize. 1 Corinthians 9:27 (NLT)

5. Trust God

You can learn to trust God with your problem even when it seems outside your control. In fact, it's only when you can no longer manipulate things yourself that you can really trust Him at all.

I realised that for some of us, trusting God with everything is a learning process, and also for some it comes a bit naturally. But in all your ways trust Him. Realise that it's a way/path. Trust has to do with a certain path you take in your heart and through your actions. It's all about knowing where God wants you to be or a stance to take concerning your situation. Trusting God is also a knowing that God is with me no matter where I am or what I'm going through.

Even though I walk through the darkest valley,[a] I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. Psalm 23:4 (NLT)

6. Accept Yourself (Without Neglecting Self-Improvement)

In summary do your best to look and feel healthy; make the most of your natural strengths and improve where you can. All this is honouring God and a sign of self-respect. But don't sacrifice yourself on the altar of physical perfection. Life's short enough as it is!

"And Paul entered Rome wearing an Armani suit with Gucci shades with crocodile leather shoes". The bible doesn't say that. In fact the bible says little about fashion, cosmetics or body mass. Why? because it's not that important to God. I don't know what Jesus wore to church. But what I do know is every notable man or woman in the Bible had an attractive heart.

The Bible says, "man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart" (1 Samuel 16:7). That's not to say that how you look is not important at all, because your outward appearance is a measure of how we feel about ourselves inside. Any self-respecting person will try to look their best with what they have.

Fashion, if that's your interest, is also a great way to express your God-given creativity. I like fashionable people, because it takes a lot of thought to put it together and it's pleasing to the eye. When we dress well we are implying that we take what we are about to do or an event serious enough. But you can't impress God with your outward appearance-He knows you too well. What pleases God is the way we arrange the "furniture" inside.

If we keep the need to please God above the need to impress people, the "beauty thing" won't be such a stressor. Sometimes the best things or people for your life don't come in neat packages.

Like I said above, we are spirit first, then we are given a body, and we intern develop our soul (heart & mind). Accepting yourself without neglecting self-improvement is the fruit of a developed mind.

But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” 1 Samuel 16:7 (NLT)

7. Separation

Sometimes, separating oneself from an environment, situation or person for a while is what you need to deal with your stress. Sometimes emotional distance is good for gathering your thoughts and picking yourself back up.

Don't feel guilty if you need time alone. Stress starts with outside stimuli which affects your inside. So also check the folks you hang out with. Based on the situation you are dealing with, pick the people to hang around or avoid. And if you are forced by circumstances to see them on a daily basis then withdraw emotionally for a while so you can deal with you first. It's even best to let people know that you need some time to deal with your issues.

There were times even Jesus will separate himself from the crowds and even His closest disciples to be alone. Jesus created emotional distance from the Pharisees and Sadducees. Jesus also separated himself to fast and pray before He began His work. Before you can give others your best, invest in your strength. Else you soon become like a well that is dried up; it only produces dark water which can be toxic for anyone that drinks. 

So when you realise that you have become a bit toxic, you are tired, easily irritated, then take sometime out to regain yourself. Remember, you the spirit is responsible for your body and soul. So guard and cherish it.

But also remember that, separation for a long time is not good. Because before depression is always separation. But there's also no growth without some alone time. So strike the balance. Know when to withdraw and when to hang out. There's a time for everything under the sun.

But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed. Luke 5:16 (NIV)

In Conclusion

Sometimes, because of where we are going in life, we come under immense stress. So if you do all the above and the stress still persists, just be patient and stand firm through it all. It's amazing what time will heal if we let it, in the process of making life happen. 

Have a wonderful day and a stress free life!!