Stress Overload and Stress Responses
Someone could say that I had a stressful career in Human Resources; others might say that I was the one causing the stress! In various situations and circumstances, we all have faced an overload of strain and stress. How should Christians, living in the joy of Christ, deal with life and respond to stress?
You might be surprised to discover that the word ‘stress’ isn’t found in the Bible (there are a couple of minor references, but only a couple.) I’ve found that stress is a common ingredient in the life of hard-working and productive people, both at work and in service to God. When we accept a task, and when that task has a deadline, some level of stress becomes inevitable. There are two likely problems with stress: 1) the possibility of stress overload, and 2) negative or ineffective responses to stress.
Stress Overload One type of stress overload comes with different life stages. I love our young families at Northside, but they have a lot of stress. Young children have unique demands when the family comes to worship, and our parents do a great job. But even the kids and the most dedicated parents, there can be stress overload. In another stage of life, financial and medical problems can pile up for our Northside seniors. That stress can also fall on younger family members who love and support their extended families. May God bless all of us in these life stages.
How do we handle life-stage stress? Realize the nature of separate life-stages and related stress, acknowledge the responsibilities that we have accepted, work hard to meet those responsibilities, and look for love and support within your church family.
Stress Responses Everyone has a different capacity for dealing with stress, but we all can develop effective stress responses. Here are a couple of ideas: 1) Establish and maintain your spiritual health. Philippians 4.13 “I can do all things through (Christ) who strengthens me”. 2) Maintain your physical and emotional health – keep a healthy diet and get some exercise, maintain healthy friendships; as needed, find someone to temporarily help carry the load.
One Specific Do and Don’t We’ve all heard someone say, ‘if that phone rings one more time, I’m going to explode!’ And we all know (very quickly) that phone is going to ring! Don’t predetermine your stress response. Why paint yourself into an overly emotional response to something that’s very likely going to happen?
On second thought, Do predetermine your stress response. We can be like Jesus, when He anticipated a stressful day, “And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, He departed and went out to a desolate place, and there He prayed.” (Mark 1.35)