Balancing Strategies
One of the primary reasons for "imbalance" in our lives is stress. The word stress has been used to describe a variety of issues. Usually, we think of stress negatively. Actually, stress is neither good nor bad. Stress is the body's reaction to the demands of life.
Difficult situations often lead to stress, and complaining about those situations is a natural response. Exodus 16:2 tells us the Israelite community "grumbled against Moses and Aaron." You've got to love these guys - the Lord had delivered them from slavery and it seems each time something didn't go their way, they cried out "Why us - just send us back to Egypt!"
When external events cause an emotional and/or physical reaction, the impact of that event greatly depends on whether you view it as positive, negative or neutral. What may be a negative stressor for one person may be a positive stressor for another.
Since stress is personal, its signs are different for each of us. If you live with high levels of stress on a regular basis, you may develop physical symptoms (headaches, backaches) or psychological symptoms (anxiety, anger) as a result.
There are three basic ways to cope with stress:
- Eliminate the stressor or change your response to it.
After you identify a stressor, try to reduce or eliminate it. If that is not possible, try to change how you respond to it.
Remember the Israelites? They didn't really want to return to Egypt, they just wanted life to get a little easier. When pressure comes your way, resist the temptation to make a quick escape. Instead, focus on God's power and wisdom to help you deal with the cause of your stress.
- Use the coping resources available to you.
Many times you cannot control the pile-up of stressors in your life. In these situations, you need to rely on all your possible coping resources.
Prayer can release our tensions in times of emotional stress. Trusting God to be our rock, salvation and fortress (Psalm 62:2) will change our entire outlook on life. Trusting the Lord to bring relief doesn't mean you simply sit back and do nothing. To keep your mind and body ready for what the world brings your way, you need to keep physically and emotionally healthy. Make the most of your personal and relationship coping resources.
- Develop new coping resources.
Identify and create additional coping resources. This will give you greater means to more effectively prevent and cope with stress.
There are three categories of coping resources: personal, relationship and spiritual. Personal coping resources are areas such as exercise and nutrition. Relationship coping resources focus on areas such as problem-solving, communication and flexibility. Spiritual coping is learning to trust God for those things He promises to supply.
Spiritual coping is not blaming God when things go "wrong" and then thanking him when things are "good." God's peace is different from the world's peace (see John 14:27). True peace from stress or worry, is not found in positive thinking, in absence of conflict, or in good feelings. It comes from knowing that God is in control. It is not enough to simply hear or read the Bible, or even know it well. To find peace that is beyond our mind's ability to comprehend (Philippians 4:7), we must also put it into practice. God's peace can guard your heart against anxiety, worry and stress, if you allow it too. I'm sure you've heard the old saying, "Let go and let God." That is easy to say, but not always easy to do. It takes practice, prayer and a willingness to admit when you've taken it back from God. I can tell you, the more you give over to God, the more you want to give. There is simply nothing like the peace that comes from knowing God is in control!
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