A Biblical Formula for Stress

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Stress has become a way of life for many today. We live in a world of stressed-out people. In the military environment, I have Sailors and Marines who come to me all the time who are really stressed out! With the long work schedules and constant deployments, it takes a toll on the body as well as the family. Some people claim that they need stress in order to function properly. They claim that they need stress to push them to excellence. But at the end of the day, they are still stressed out.

We are also living in an age of anxiety. Today we talk about burnout like no other time in history. There are more emotional disorders as a result of stress and anxiety than ever before. What can we do about it? Is it possible to live a stress-free life? Can we rise above the pressures of life?

Does Christ make a difference? Most Christians would say that He does. If He does, then what difference is He making in your life? Does Christ make a difference in how you handle the pressure and stresses of life?

In Philippians 4:4–7, the apostle Paul gives us a number of commands to follow and enlightens us as to the result of following those commands. We find in these commands the keys to stress-free living. As we put these principles into practice, our character is further transformed into the image of Christ. Let’s take a look at these five characteristics of stress-free living.

1. A Rejoicing Heart (v. 4)

God wants us to have joy! It is important for us to understand this and to realize that it is true. Not everyone believes this. In fact, some people view God as a killjoy. They see God as someone trying to keep us from having any fun.

But this is a wrong view of God. This should not be surprising, because there are so many wrong views of God. Most people do not really have a proper understanding of the true God. I remember hearing a close Chaplain friend of mine say that whenever someone came up to him and declared, “I don’t believe in God!” that he would reply, “Tell me what kind of God you do believe in; I probably don’t believe in that kind of God either.” The truth is that many people have mistaken notions about God. They get them from many places— sometimes even from Christians themselves.

But we know from the Bible that Jesus wants us to have joy. He tells us in John 15:11, “These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.” In other words, He has not come to take away our joy but rather to give us joy. In another place He says that He came to give us abundant life. He didn’t come to give us the capacity to merely exist. He came to complete our joy, to make it full!

Now, in our text we are told to rejoice always. Always? Is this possible? How can we possibly do this? If Paul means that we are supposed to rejoice for everything that happens to us, it is impossible. But that is not what he is saying.

In Thessalonians we are told that we should give thanks in everything. Again, we’re not told to give thanks for everything. We are told to give thanks in everything. There is a big difference. If I were to trip and fall down the stairs and break my leg, I might say, “God, thank You that I didn’t break my neck!” You see, in every situation there is something for which we can be grateful.

We can always be thankful for God’s mercy, for His grace, for His love, and for His perfect provision for every situation. We are blessed beyond what we realize.

What brings you joy? Think about that. Meditate on that. Focus on that. Write it down. Post it on your bathroom mirror so you can remind yourself of all that you have to be grateful for. And rejoice in it.

As you begin to rejoice, you will begin to be encouraged. Remember, there is always something for which to rejoice. Ask God to give you a rejoicing heart.

2. A Gentle Spirit (v. 5)

The word “moderation” is another word for a gentle spirit. We must develop a gentle spirit. Our gentleness is to be evident to all, characterizing our lives as followers of Jesus Christ. It certainly characterized Christ’s life.

Gentleness is not weakness. In fact, I really believe that gentleness is a characteristic of strength. It takes a strong person to truly be gentle.

Gentleness is a lack of striving, of arguing, of demanding, of manipulating. It shows strength of character. It shows that you have security in what you believe. When someone knows what he or she believes, there is no need to argue about it. If someone doesn’t agree with us, our faith is not shaken. There is no need to panic. We can be calm and gentle.

Gentleness also helps us communicate God’s truth to others. Notice that in 2 Timothy 2:24, 25 Paul instructs his young apprentice how to communicate God’s truth to others: “And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth.” You can’t argue people into Heaven or into believing the truth. And Jesus never tried to do this. He simply stated the truth and left it with the people. If they believed it, fine. If they did not, He did not shout it a little louder; He simply let them think about it.

When you argue, you simply escalate the stress. In Proverbs 15:1 we are told that “a soft answer turneth away wrath.” It takes two to argue.

Remember, a gentle spirit reflects the character of Christ, and becoming like Christ is the goal for every Christian. That is our calling. When the world looks at us, we want them to see something of Jesus Christ in our lives.

3. An Unanxious Attitude (v. 6a)

Another essential element in developing a stress-free lifestyle is cultivating an unanxious attitude. Scripture says, “Be careful for nothing.” The exhortation is basically “do not be anxious about anything.” In our culture of anxiety, here is another command that sounds impossible.

What do you worry about? What are your anxieties? People worry about so many things today. They worry about their jobs. They worry about money. They worry about their marriages. They worry about their children. They worry about the past, the present, and the future. They worry about paying their bills. They worry about their investments. And they worry about their retirement. They worry about their health. They even worry about their relationship with God.

How much good does worry do? The simple answer is none—none whatsoever. The truth is that you generally can’t change the thing that you are worrying about. All your worrying is wasted. Jesus told us in Matthew 6:25, “Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?” The real antidote to worry is simple trust in God. God loves you. God is in control. God wants the best for you. You can trust Him with your life and with your fears. So why worry? Trust God instead!

An unanxious attitude grows out of faith in the goodness of God. As we relax and rest in God’s perfect plan for our lives, we will find that worry and anxiety disappear in the light of His love.

4. A Prayerful Lifestyle (v. 6b)

In order to really be free from anxiety, however, we must develop a prayerful lifestyle. This is what makes an unanxious attitude possible.

The message is simple: Don’t panic—pray! Take the time that you would spend worrying and spend that time in prayer. Replace worry with prayer. Pray so much that worry has to take a number and stand in line.

We are exhorted to pray about everything. In other words, there is nothing too small to pray about. We are never bothering God with things too small for Him to be concerned about. And we are encouraged to come to Him and cast all our care upon Him. First Peter 5:7 states that we are to “[cast] all [our] care upon him; for he careth for [us].”

The way you cast your cares on him is by prayer. It is through prayer that we lay our burdens at Jesus’ feet. It is much like the release we get when we share a need or burden with a friend. Even sharing the burden makes a difference. A load is lifted from our shoulders. And so it is with God. Sharing our burden in prayer rolls that burden off of our shoulders onto God’s.

So don’t worry about anything, but pray about everything. Prayer must become a lifestyle for us, not simply an emergency response to a crisis situation. Prayer, you see, brings us into communication with God. By prayer we come to know God personally. By prayer we come to be able to hear His voice. Prayer changes things, and it changes you. And prayer makes things happen. God answers prayer.

James 4:2 states, “Ye have not, because ye ask not.” One of the major reasons people do not receive what they need from God is that they do not ask God for what they need. We need to ask. And we need to keep asking until our prayers are answered, either by a no or by a yes. Remember, there is nothing too big for God to handle or too small for you to pray about.

5. A Peaceful Mind (v. 7)

The result of all of this is peace—a peaceful mind, which is a rare thing in our world. We live in a world of turmoil. All you need to do is take a brief look at the nightly news. Bad things happen. They happen every day, everywhere, in our town, in our neighborhood, and to people we know. They happen to us.

But for Christians there is a promise of peace. It is a peace that transcends all understanding. In other words, this is a peace in the midst of turmoil. It is a peace that enables us to rise above the circumstances. Listen to the words of Jesus in John 14:27: “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give to you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” Jesus wants us to have the kind of peace that sets us apart from others in the world. He wants us to have a peace that amazes the world. He wants His peace in us to be a testimony of His reality and His power. The key is found in Isaiah 26:3: “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.”

Perfect peace comes when we keep focused on God. We must fix our attention on Him, not on our circumstances. We must pray, read His Word, meditate upon His promises. Verse 7 also promises that God’s peace will “keep [our] hearts and minds.” The word translated “keep” is a military term that means “guard.” It means to set up a garrison around. In other words, God protects our hearts and minds like an army protects its vital resources.

A peaceful mind is a testimony to the world of God’s power in our lives. It is the result of a rejoicing heart, a gentle spirit, an unanxious attitude, and a prayerful lifestyle. It is the opposite of the stress-filled life that many live today. Is there a lot of stress in your life today? You can live a stress-free life by trusting Christ for everything.

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LCDR Robert Spivey, CHC, USN (Naval Nuclear Power Training Unit, Ballston Spa, NY)

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(Originally published in FrontLine • November/December 2009. Click here to subscribe to the magazine.)

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Photo by Mubariz Mehdizadeh on Unsplash