Pastor Heather Perdue

Whenever I start feeling overwhelmed, I find success in managing stress and anxiety with Christian principles. Believe me, I’ve had lots of stress and anxiety in my life and have tried lots of things that the world promoted, but they just caused more stress and anxiety. Instead, surrender your worries to God; you will find strength and peace in Him.

When I’m trying to manage my stress, I like to turn to these Bible verses about stress and hard times.

• “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; 7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6–7
• “Casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.” 1 Peter 5:7
• “You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You.” Isaiah 26:3

What does the Bible say about being overwhelmed?

• “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” Matthew 11:28–30
• “…With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” Matthew 19:26
• “But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.” Isaiah 40:31

Which Psalms are best for comfort in difficult situations?

• “In the multitude of my anxieties within me, Your comforts delight my soul.” Psalm 94:19
• “Whenever I am afraid, I will trust in You.” Psalm 56:3
• “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” Psalm 46:1
• “The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust.” Psalm 18:2

What steps can Christians take to trust God more during stress?

If you’re asking what steps can Christians take to trust God more during stress, here are practical, faith-filled responses:

1. Prayer
   Talking to God through prayer is the best way to combat stress and anxiety. I heard that Susannah Wesley, the mother of Charles and John Wesley, had ten children, and when she was overwhelmed and stressed, she would sit at her kitchen table and throw her apron over her head. She had instructed her children, when they saw her do this, not to disturb her because she was praying. That’s one stress management technique I might need to try when I’m stressed in the kitchen at dinnertime.
2. Read God’s Word and Speak God’s Promises
   Stress and anxiety can’t get a foothold in my mind when I read the Bible and speak out God’s truth and promises. Anxiety speaks the lie that I’m on my own, dealing with the situation, but God’s Word reminds me of the truth that God is with me and has taken care of the situation. When Ruth Graham was overwhelmed by fear, the Lord told her to quit studying the problems and start studying the promises. That’s great wisdom, and the Bible is full of God’s promises to love us, heal us, help us, deliver us, prosper us, hear us, forgive us, and save us. With promises like that, how can we be anything but stress-free?
3. Praise God
   I also find that praising God lifts the heaviness of feeling overwhelmed and reminds me that God is able to take care of me and bring me through this situation. I find that praying and praising God regularly on a morning walk in nature helps me focus on Christ rather than on stress and anxiety. When I praise God for who He is, it reminds me that the Creator of the universe isn’t up in heaven wringing His hands with worry about my problem. He is God, and He’s not going to be anxious about my situation, so neither should I.

I hope these Christian principles help you manage the stress and anxiety you might be dealing with right now. Let me also encourage you to keep a balance between your spirit, soul, and body. Sometimes, in stressful situations, we tend to focus only on our emotions (soul), mistreating our body by eating unhealthy foods or neglecting exercise, or failing to take time to read the Bible or talk to God. When we get out of balance, we invite stress to become magnified. God loves you and is with you, so be encouraged to keep your mind on Him.

Check out Pastor Heather Perdue’s free teaching downloads: Born for This, Abounding with Thanksgiving, and Make a Choice to Rejoice. Explore our online shop for additional free teaching series and a two-year Children’s Bible Curriculum, designed for both the church and home. For more information, go to CharisChristianCenter.com.