The enemy of abundant life is chronic stress! How to be free from a life filled with stress!
What is stress? Stressful things are harmful and non-productive, increasing heart rate, a physical and emotional reaction. Stress is not inherently bad for you. It’s your body’s way of guarding you. Chronic stress is bad stress, worry, anxiety, constant fear, and flight is ongoing. Stress can cause high blood pressure, intestinal issues, headaches, panic attacks, irritability, and weaken the immune system. God never meant for us to be constantly under stress. Worry is meditating on a lie. Anxiety is imagining the worst outcome. Stress is an overloaded and overcharged heart.
“Stress releases hormones like cortisol and adrenaline! Major stress hormones include cortisol and catecholamines. Cortisol is considered the primary stress hormone. Catecholamines are a group of hormones that include chemicals such as epinephrine and norepinephrine. However, the term “stress hormone” is somewhat arbitrary, since no hormone is active only during stress. For example, cortisol regulates response and other functions, such as metabolism, inflammatory responses, and immune functioning. Likewise, the catecholamines, epinephrine and norepinephrine, play an important role in the following: heart rate and blood pressure regulation, blood sugar regulation, metabolism, mood regulation, and the sleep-wake cycle. ( Source: https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/) That’s a lot of information, so hang in there! Are stress, anxiety, depression, worry, and fear releasing chemicals that can affect our mental and physical health? God created our bodies, and He knows what will bring peace, health, and healing.
Proverbs 12:25–Anxiety in the heart of man causes depression, But a good word makes it glad.
Is depression a chemical or medical issue? That is the big question. Depression may turn into a chemical imbalance, but what causes it? Solomon tells us that anxiety, fear, and heaviness cause depression. It began as anxiety, fear, or guilt, or even hopelessness in the heart of a person! It began in their thought life. A good word vs. anxiety or fear, depression, and stress. God’s Word is good! Thoughts are made of words. They can be positive or negative. They can be demonically inspired. Stress is caused by many things: overwork, finances, relationships, evil in the world, health, children, marriage, and obligations. We are constantly thinking about those things that produce stress and impact our emotional stability, and even affect our health. The stress of guilt, regrets, and mistakes that we have made. The stress of rejection, feelings of unworthiness, and feeling neglected. (Heb. 4:16). We need to come to God. We need to receive his mercy and grace. That we are forgiven! We don’t have to do guilt. Guilt will bring us down and lead to condemnation. ( Rom. 8:1).
Jesus took and bore our guilt and rejection for us( Isaiah 53:4-5)- He experienced these for us! God has accepted us in the beloved who is Jesus! ( Eph. 1:6). All that matters is what God thinks about us! The stress of abuse, both physical and sexual, can be a one-time event or chronic. This creates a lot of emotional challenges and trauma! The stress of finances, how are we able to pay our bills? The stress of divorce, relationships, children, and purpose in life. The stress of marriage, conflicts, and communication. The stress of parenting and raising kids. The stress of politics and social unrest! Violence, destruction, and fear. The stress of offenses (James 3:16-17), unforgiveness, bitterness, every evil thing, and confusion. The stress of chronic sickness and disease. The stress of ministry, persecution, and serving at church! Being all things to all people. The pull of meeting people’s needs. The stress of religious legalism. The stress of work, obligation, demands, performance, and the fear of getting fired. Proverbs 13:12 hope deferred makes the heart sick One translation says unrelenting disappointments.
Apostle Peter speaks of corruption in the world in his writings: (2 Peter 1:1-4). This is corruption when we talk about ongoing unhealthy stress. You are partakers of the divine nature, and it is not stressful. There are promises to escape from chronic stress. Stress, worry, and anxiety are a thief that steal your peace( John 10:10)! In John 15:5, it tells us that abiding in the vine, which is Jesus, produces fruit, not chronic stress. Being independent from abiding in Him. He gives peace and not stress. He gives joy!!!! Jesus tells us: Mat 11:28-29-Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. To be heavy laden is being overloaded- overwhelmed, to burden or weigh down, to overcharge, to strain or stress. To overload something or someone is to bring stress. It’s not the will of God for us to be overloaded, stressed out, anxious, fearful, and worried all the time.
Understanding the rhythms of grace is what can free us from the cares of life, which incidentally choke or put a stranglehold on the Word of God. We feel suffocated by life. We can’t breathe. In Isaiah 30:15, it tells us: For thus says the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel:“In returning and rest you shall be saved;In quietness and confidence shall be your strength.But you would not,.” We have to take God’s prescription for rest. It is our choice. Do you know lusting is doing what you want to do apart from God? The stress of doing things in your strength. Trying to solve your problems! Apart from Jesus, we can’t do anything. Overcoming stress and finding rest is a daily fellowship with God! This is what we are called to do. Phi 4:8 -9-Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things. The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you. What are you thinking and meditating on? Burnout comes from stress, anxiety, fear, and worry. It is a lack of fellowship and prayer with God!
John 14:27– The fruit of abundant life will never grow in the soil of stress. “My peace I give unto you, Jesus said, “Let not your heart be troubled!” Don’t let it be agitated, disturbed, fearful, intimidated, unsettled, distraught, or apprehensive. Salty soil can’t grow anything! The good news is that the Prince of peace lives in us. The fruit of the Holy Spirit is peace ( Gal. 5:22-23). People are on all sorts of medicines for anxiety, stress, and depression. I can understand that and have compassion for those struggling. I have been there. There is no condemnation in taking medicine! God delivered me from depression! I’m not saying medicine is wrong. If it helps, take it. Yet we should seek God and trust Him and His Word to bring more health and healing, so we don’t need all that medicine. One of the keys to overcoming this was changing my thoughts. The way we think and what we meditate on matters when it comes to emotional health! . His Word is medicine, life, and health to us. ( Prov. 4:20-22). Apostle Peter gives us some free advice: 1 Peter 5:7-7 Casting the [32]whole of your care [all your anxieties, all your worries, all your concerns, [33]once and for all] on Him, for He cares for you affectionately and cares about you [34]watchfully. [Ps. 55:22.] Also, the Psalmist tells us this: Psalm 55:22 Cast your burden on the Lord [releasing the weight of it] and He will sustain you; He will never allow the [consistently] righteous to be moved (made to slip, fall, or fail). [I Pet. 5:7.].
Proverbs 4:23 tells us to guard our hearts constantly, especially from stress! Get into peace, the peace of God that passes all understanding, even when you don’t understand!
A life of prayer and fellowship with God and His Word is a stress breaker. Philippians 4:4-6 (NKJV)-4 Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!5 Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand.6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; A thankful heart goes a long way in eliminating wrong stress. In Isa. 28:11–12– I believe Isaiah is prophesying about the baptism in the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in tongues, which can produce spiritual rest that affects our mind, will, and emotions! For with stammering lips and another tongue He will speak to this people, To whom He said, “This is the rest with which You may cause the weary to rest,” And, “This is the refreshing”; Apostle Paul tell us this: 1 Corinthians 14:4a (AMP)4 He who speaks in a [strange] tongue edifies and improves himself…, Praying in tongues, in the Holy Spirit regularly can keep us in the peace of God!
In conclusion, there are practical things to eliminate unhealthy stress, such as exercise, taking walks, learning to be still, and uncluttering our lives. Taking deep breaths can help, refocusing, and putting things in God’s perspective. Taking up a new hobby. I have found journaling to help as well. God wants you to walk in His peace, His abundant life, free of depression, anxiety, worry, and fear. 1 John 4:18 (NKJV)-18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love. If God’s love drives our fear! It can drive out depression, unnecessary stress, fear, and anxiety. We need to think and meditate on God’s love and His goodness. Proverbs 23:7a (NKJV)-7 For as he thinks in his heart, so is he. What we constantly think about can determine our future. Will it be full of peace, abundant life, or constant stress?
- 2 Timothy 1:7 (NKJV)-7 For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. ( a disciplined mind).
- Psalm 18:6 (AMP)-6 In my distress [when seemingly closed in] I called upon the Lord and cried to my God; He heard my voice out of His temple (heavenly dwelling place), and my cry came before Him, into His [very] ears.
- Psalm 4:1 (NKJV)-1 Hear me when I call, O God of my righteousness! You have relieved me in my distress; Have mercy on me, and hear my prayer.
In Christ’s love;
Brent and Linda Bushen
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