Philippians 4:6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
There are several types of stress including Acute stress, Episodic acute stress, and Chronic stress. Acute stress is a sudden rise of stress level due to a stressful incident. A close miss of a head-on collision will inundate our body with cortisol and adrenaline causing acute stress. Though acute stress develops suddenly, it doesn’t last long. Episodic acute stress is frequent and regular bouts of stress caused by a constant rush, running late and being highly disorganized. This regular influx of the stress hormones will cause anger, irritability, rapid heartbeat, panic attack, heartburn, and other gastrointestinal issues. Chronic stress is a consistent state of being pressured and overwhelmed over long periods of time. The effects of chronic stress are lingering aches and pains, insomnia or inexplicable fatigue/weakness, anti-social behaviour, unfocused thinking, and the like.
Acute stress keeps us agile and alert. It prevents the brain from becoming rusty and improves performance, however, episodic acute stress or chronic stress causes chemical imbalance and damages in the brain. Harvard Medical School has published several research papers concluding that stress is the main cause for cognitive problems including Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.
Philippian 4:6 talks about episodic acute stress and chronic stress. It is a sin to be under constant stress. When we stress about our jobs, finances, mortgage or recession, our anchor is on our ability to make both ends meet. Stress about our spouse, children or their future makes us unconsciously ‘controlling personalities’. We become little “gods” and try to run their life. Every time we are anxious, apprehensive or suppressed by the undercurrent of worry about the future, finances or family, we are breaking the divine direction of the Lord, ’Do not be anxious about anything’.
Three tips to overcome anxiety and stress:
- Why?: Ask yourself ‘Why are you stressing’? If the answer is that you are late for an appointment, make lifestyle changes. Stressing, rushing, or honking does not ease the traffic. Our day doesn’t begin when we open our eyes, it begins when we put ourselves to bed the previous night. Instead of stressing, reorganize your life to stop this from happening again. Decipher the stress.
- What?: Ask yourself ‘What can you do about the situation’? Road rage doesn’t clear the traffic, it only exhausts the brain and upsets the mood. If there is nothing you can do to change the situation, use the time to worship. Use the time to praise and prepare rather than stress or fluster. Analyze the stress.
- How?: The simple answer to ‘How can we overcome episodic acute stress or chronic stress’ is to pray about everything. Dr Caroline Leaf, Neurobiologist and Scientist says, “It has been found that 12 minutes of daily focused prayer over 8-weeks period can change the brain to such an extent that it can be measured on a brain scan”. Pray, petition, and give the control into God’s hands. Trust God, don’t stress.
Praise and prayer are the best stress-relieving medications.
Psalm 34:1 I will bless the Lord at all times: His praise shall continually be in my mouth.
Prayer: Father God, may my spiritual gear never fall into stress mode but always be in prayer and praise mode. Teach me to replace stress with prayer and praise. Amen.
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