What is stress? Webster’s defines it as a “a state of mental tension and worry caused by problems in our life.” Winston Churchill had a different perspective. He believed that the things we worry about almost never happen and that this anxiety is caused by things that we should not trouble ourselves over.

“When I look back on all these worries, I remember the story of the old man who said on his deathbed that he had had a lot of trouble in his life, most of which had never happened,” Churchill said.

You see, it doesn’t matter what you are going through or what troubles you are experiencing, worrying about the matter will not change the outcome. When the dust finally settles and you look back with a clearer mind absent of anxiety, you will laugh about the experience and think to yourself, “all my worrying was wasted energy.”

The demands we put on ourselves can create more pressure than we know how to handle. Have you ever thought that you wasted a lot of energy and had too many sleepless nights, just to come to grips with the fact that things worked out to your good? Too much stress will drive you off the edge, or as my mother would say, “drive you insane.” When we are in touch with a higher power God, we can have faith that He is capable of resolving our troubles.

Emotional strain or tension resulting from adverse or very demanding circumstances is not healthy from a physical or relational prospective. Many of us struggle with stress at work and in our personal life. So, like any problem, stress requires a strategic approach to conquer, or at least manage. Stress is real, but we always have a choice. We can let it consume us or we can learn to control it. Here is some helpful advice:

1. Don’t allow anxiety and stress to take control of your thoughts. Your thoughts are personal matters; however, when anxiety becomes a controlling factor, you will have a tendency to lash out at others.
2. Don’t allow anxiety to control your feelings; an emotional reaction to something maybe negative and cause you not to trust another when it may not be warranted.
3. Finally, don’t allow anxiety to control your behavior to such a degree that you don’t see or believe in all of the positive character strengths you have.

Remember that positive living without anxiety and stress adds values and dignity to our behavior. We live in a secular culture that contributes to our sense of inner worthlessness. God can provide a moral and spiritual compass against the timeless bedrock of His Words that He would help us through troubled times. So, do yourself a great service and stop worrying about things that may or may not happen. And Never Give Up! Never Give Up! Never Give Up!

By Chaplain Ghosten

chaplain@lhp.net

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