Stress Happens

Being stressed happens when the normal challenges of life stack up and become too much. Too much gets loaded on the "life plate" and you can't finish the meal. I get stressed all the time, its natural and normal. It's just part of everyday life when we live in a fallen world. But what is the best way to deal with stress? For me there are three approaches I want to share, that have helped me and might help you. 

The first is to get out and exercise, and not just once, but make it most days. Now this can consist of light walking all the way through the more heavy-duty workouts. Whatever works for you, the key is to get out of your usual environment, and get the body working. It has been shown that even 10 minutes of walking and breathing deeply of fresh air can greatly improve a person's health (and lower stress levels!). 

The second technique is to talk about it with someone I trust. It can't just be anyone either. Just anyone cannot help you...it has to be that special person (parent, spouse, sibling, best friend). Someone who knows you well and understands you. Find someone who will listen and not immediately try and 'fix you'. Sometimes the talking is all we need to do, to get it out.

The third technique is so easy. Pray and read the Bible. Prayer is our way of saying God, I need your help right now! And reading the Bible provides assurance, help and inspiration. Every time I need help I open my Bible and somehow all the answers are there...you find new Bible verses each time with new and inspiring content as well as your favorite old helpful Bible verses. It's just that simple.

The thing with stress is that it never lasts, not that sometimes the thing that is stressing you disappears, but our ability to handle the stress changes. And God works with both, He sometimes removes the stressor and other times changes us so we can handle the stress. In either case, He is always growing us up to be more like Him. Every struggle...every challenge...every trial...and every stress is what will determine who we are and who we will become.