Handling the stress of your life

"A heart at peace gives life to the body..." - Proverbs 14:30

Tension itself is not necessarily a bad thing. Remember the violin attains beauty in tone because of tension applied to the strings as the bow gently glides across their surface, but too much tension will snap the strings.

There are basically three responses to the stress of life today. The first is to try to ignore it. There is no help if you ignore stress and the accompanying signs of agitation and irritability that signal trouble. Many try to ignore tension as though their systems thrive on abuse. They are the ones who jump a foot into the air when you walk up behind them.

Some try to avoid tension. There is wisdom in learning to say "no" when you realize that to accept more responsibility will only subject you to added tension by involving you in activities that take your mind from the immediate problem.

Last and best of all, though, is learning to deal with tension. I would like to give you three guidelines to help you deal with tension effectively.

Guideline #1: Deal with your tensions by putting life in perspective. Is what you are so very nerved up over really worth the stress that you are taking? Ask yourself, "What difference will it make a hundred years from now? Or even ten years from now?" Chances are, you are overrating the importance of your concern. Whenever I walk through the ruins of ancient Rome or Athens or walk in the shadow of the pyramids in Egypt, I always have to pause and reflect upon the things that have so concerned me. Somewhere in the stillness of those ancient ruins, my soul cries, "It is not worth killing myself over this problem."

Guideline #2: Deal with your tension by getting proper exercise. When you sit at a desk or work without moving more than a couple dozen steps every hour, your muscles grow a little tighter. Tension is the normal response. Even a few minutes of physical exercise will relax you, and your mind will be very much clearer.

Guideline #3: Deal with your tension by learning to trust God with your difficulties and leaving the problems in His hand. We say we believe in the power of prayer, and yet we worry ourselves into tense balls of nerves. Stomach ulcers, heart trouble, and hypertension become the badges of our faith. Have you come to grips with the greatness of God? Or is God only a concept that has never invaded your heart and life? If you are a Christian, learn to accept the words of Scripture that say, "...God works all things after the counsel of His own will." (Ephesians 1:11, kjv).

Learning that we can trust God to be God breaks the tension habit and makes us realize that we are His children. When you are tense, get away from the lights of the city and sit down and look at the stars of the heavens. Remember the words of Psalm 147:4 that tell us God calls the stars by name, by the greatness of His might. Now tell yourself, "If God can control our world, if He can stretch forth the heavens, then He surely can help me with my problems." Yes, you can break the tension habit before it breaks you. - Resource reading: Psalm 46