Feeling Stressed? The Biblical Remedy to Unrest

Stress, or anxiety, is often rooted in a failure to trust in God. If we’re apprehensive about trusting God with our families, agendas, financial burdens, and deepest wounds, we are voluntarily signing up for an unhappy invasion of stress. When we’re uncomfortable with waiting on His perfect timing to guide our lives, and we willfully seize the reigns to self-direct, we are asking for more anxiety. Edging God out to expropriate the parts of our lives we feel most troubled about will only result in more stress. Remember, as Christians, we long ago surrendered our rights to be autonomous. We relinquished our “freedom,” which was really enslavement to sin, and adopted the new system centered on God’s sovereignty.

 

God is sovereign. He is omniscient. He has a plan for even His most disoriented followers. When we are disillusioned with derailed ambitions and shattered hearts, God is there. When grief seems unbearable and economic difficulties, insurmountable, God is in control. In our times of vulnerability, if we build our castles on the sands of self-accountability, we are setting ourselves up for ineluctable failure. We are answerable only to the Creator of the universe; so let us stop living as if we were accountable only to ourselves.

 

Take a look at these verses to see how God meets our needs when we release the vise grip around our self-sufficiency and place our trust in Him:

“Know that the Lord is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.”–Psalm 100:03 NIV

“Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.” –Proverbs 3:5-6 NIV

“Nothing in all creation is hidden from God. Everything is naked and exposed before his eyes, and he is the one to whom we are accountable.” –Hebrews 4:13 NLT

“Submit to God and be at peace with him; in this way prosperity will come to you.”–Job 22:21 NIV

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” -Matthew 11: 28-31 NIV

“For I am the LORD your God who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you.” –Isaiah 41:13

“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” -Romans 8:28 NIV

“He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.” –Psalm147:3 NIV

“I sought the Lord and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears.” –Psalm 34:4 NIV

“Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.” -Colossians 3:15 NIV

“For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.” -2 Corinthians 4:17 NIV