The Antidote for Stress

“Have no anxiety at all, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, make your requests known to God. Then the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.”

Philippians 4:6-7

The antidote for stress. In the simplest terms, stress is just a fact of life. But when we are in the thick of things, it is easy to get distracted by our circumstances, forget to pray and ‘invite God in.’ When things are hectic and stressful, we often have little time to focus on prayer. It is often the farthest thing from our minds. Truth is, that that is when we need God the most. It is easy to forget that He is in our corner, and will fight our battles for us—but we have to do our part, too. When we are feeling the most stressed, overwhelmed, vulnerable, weary–struggling just to keep our heads above water—That is when Jesus is the closest to us—and when we need Him the most.

In the course of my work as a Chaplain, I have noticed that many of the people I work with either have personally lived with some form of anxiety, depression, or addiction, or have a loved one who has. This observation has piqued my interest and led me to research the topics of stress, depression, and anxiety, as they seem to be so prevalent and interconnected.

 

You Are Not Alone!

Though no one is exempt from experiencing stress, depression and anxiety in this life, it is noteworthy that the incidence of depression in the US has skyrocketed during Covid-19 to epidemic proportions. Especially in light of the following daunting 2020 statistics, it is important to remember that depression and anxiety are both highly treatable mental illnesses. If you or a loved one are feeling stressed, weary, anxious or depressed, you are not alone. According to NAMI, The National Alliance for the Mentally Ill, 2020 statistics reveal that:

• 21% of U.S. adults experienced mental illness (that includes depression and anxiety) in 2020 (52.9 million people). This represents 1 in 5 adults.
• 5.6% of U.S. adults experienced serious mental illness in 2020 (14.2 million people). This represents 1 in 20 adults.
• 6.7% of U.S. adults experienced a co-occurring substance abuse disorder and mental illness in 2020 (17 million people)

 

When Stress Is Just Too Much

When stress goes awry, and one experiences anxiety and/or depression, they may feel isolated and alone, and even pull away from activities they enjoy, and other people. They may sleep excessively, become distant, feel sad, and/or anxious and cry often, even becoming irritable, making it difficult for others to reach them. It may also become difficult for them to focus and concentrate, making even simple daily activities like bathing, picking up the house and fixing dinner for the family difficult. Changes in sleep and appetite may occur, and are two very important signs of clinical depression. If you or someone you know has these symptoms, and they last longer than 2-3 weeks, regardless of age, it may signal clinical depression and it is important to seek medical attention.

 

Prayer: The Antidote for Stress, Depression & Anxiety

Just as stress is on a continuum, so are our responses to it. Everyone handles stress in their own way. For some people, it is very hard, if not impossible, to pray when overwhelmed by stress or when depressed. For others, it can be quite a challenge just to get out of bed in the morning and get dressed. For others, stress may lead to becoming a workaholic. Some turn to self-medicating through drug and alcohol abuse in response to excess stress. Here are 7 faith-based ways to help you deal with stress, depression and/or anxiety:

• Pray and invite Jesus, God’s Only Son, in before things seem to get out of control.
• Try to spend time with people you enjoy being with.
• Ask your Christian friends and family to pray for you during stressful times.
• Start a daily Gratitude List. Prayer and gratitude to God are the keys to inner peace.
• Do something you enjoy every day.
• Volunteer or do something kind for someone else every day.
• Thank God for all your blessings, and ask Him for His help—It is the quickest antidote to heal anxiety and depression.

Philippians 4:13

 “I have the strength for everything through him who empowers me. “

 

Some people say prayer and faith in God are a waste of time–nothing more than a sign of weakness. But there is much they do not understand about the Love of God. The power of prayer is strong, enduring, and healing. Prayer really does change things for the better! In fact, it is the antidote for stress.

“The fervent prayer of a righteous person is very powerful.”

James 5:16

Turning to God in times of difficulty is a sign of strength rather than weakness, and it is important to do so before calling friends for advice, encouragement, or comfort. Try turning to God before taking that first drink or pill to ‘cope with stress,’ or before reaching for unhealthy comfort foods to calm your inner turbulence. Our God is an accessible, loving, kind and merciful God who delights in helping us. But we need to reach out to Him and ask for whatever we need.

 

God Is With You

God is with us in every circumstance. Our Creator and Savior, He is the very reason for our existence. For in Him we have our hope and purpose. We need to try to depend on Jesus at every juncture in our daily lives—especially in times of stress—and pray with confidence for His intervention in our lives. For He is the Great Healer, Comforter, Protector, Guide, Counselor, Lord and Savior and Friend–The Greatest Hope the World Has Ever Known!

 

Prayer Changes Things!

When you pray to God, in the name of Jesus Christ, big things happen. These prayer outcomes are based on God’s provision of His grace—Unmerited favor. How He answers our prayers is also dependent on the level of belief of the person or people who are praying. We need to put all ego and agenda aside, and replace them with humility. The more you believe Jesus is who He says is in the Holy Bible, the more He will intercede on your behalf. There is great excitement in knowing that God loves you unconditionally, and beyond your comprehension; that He will bear your burdens and stress, and is fully accessible to you. And it is very healing.

 

When you turn to God and trust in Him, He is ever-ready to help you. He will relieve your stress, refresh and rejuvenate you, change hearts, pave the way, and heal your relationships—all for the asking. Perhaps it’s time to pray, ask God for whatever you need, and wait with anticipation to see what He will do next for you in your life!

© Copyright 2022   |   Adele M. Gill

~*~
THE INSPIRATION CAFÉ with Adele

BLOG & PODCAST

 BLOG:

https://www.theinspirationcafeblog.net/blog/

MAY PODCAST

https://www.theinspirationcafeblog.net/podcasts