by Joyce Kramer
The use of the term stress has grown in popularity during this century, yet men and women have experienced stress throughout the ages. Stress is an integral part of the biological scheme of living organisms, a defense mechanism upon which survival may depend. While we do not face danger from life-threatening prehistoric animals in a hostile environment as did our primitive ancestors, the pace of living in our modern world creates other types of stress.
What is stress? Stress is mental or physical tension resulting from a feeling of pressure or urgency. Although stress may seem to be created by events, conditions or persons, this is not generally the case. It is our response to these apparent stress producers and our belief about their potential power to harm us that creates stress. Our reactions are then experienced through our thoughts and feelings, nurtured by our mental images and expressed through our words. Prolonged stress becomes destructive to peace of mind and health of body.
In addition, stress is considered to be physical pressure resulting from the effect of force exerted within or upon a thing. The stress factor is considered in the structure of bridges, tunnels and tall buildings. In order to be safe and functional, they must be built to withstand weight, wind, snow, vibration and other elements that create pressure. From another perspective, to stress is to place emphasis upon something. These varied approaches to the concept of stress are related to the reaction of the mind and body to the challenging ups and downs or vicissitudes of life.
From what began as a defense mechanism, stress has become known as the leading cause of mental, physical and emotional illness. The research of Dr. Hans Selye, foremost authority in the study of stress, determined that sickness and disease result from one’s inability to adapt to life and its pressures. He depicted the result of stress as wear and tear within the body which brings about negative body conditions. The accumulation of physical and psychological stress responses over a period of time takes its toll on the body in the form of stress related diseases. Dr. Selye wrote, “After exposure to stress, resistance to infectious disease is usually diminished.” In view of his finding, it is easy to see the importance of learning to overcome destructive stress.
Dr. Paul Roach of the American Institute of Stress relates that the mind and emotions have a profound influence on the immune system. When thoughts and feelings are destructive, the immune defenses are lowered. In an optimistic, cheerful state of mind, the immune defenses are bolstered. Without a doubt, we have within us the possibility of restoring the body to a state of wholeness.
Overwhelming evidence links stress to a wide range of illnesses from headaches and high blood pressure to ulcers, multiple sclerosis and cancer. The first step, in overcoming these diseases is the acceptance of the truth that the work of your immune system is directly related to your patterns of thought and emotions. Stress reduces the body’s ability to resist infection and maintain its defenses. Through this knowledge you can understand how important it is to change your thoughts and emotional patterns so that your defense mechanisms are activated in a positive way. Physiological changes follow psychological changes for the mind and body work together as a whole.
Whatever pulls at you, emotionally or physically, requiring you to adjust your balance, constitutes stress. Some common causes of stress are reaction to events in our troubled world such as war, homelessness, hunger, economic changes, pollution and the threat of catastrophic illness. Personal causes originate from problems within or with family members, job insecurity, disappointment in love, or the loss of someone or something important. Stress is generated by changes whether planned or unplanned. Retirement from a fulfilling job, death of a spouse or family member, an addition to the family, the necessity of relocating and illness, all create a sense of insecurity which leads to stress. Whatever the cause of stress, the results are the same.
Unattended destructive stress can take a strong hold in your thoughts, feelings and life. Learning to identify stress in its early stages will enable you to quickly take action to overcome it. Without positive action problems will be created. It is important for you to become alert to stress. Some indicators of stress are anxiety, restlessness, inability to concentrate, hesitancy in making decisions and avoidance of responsibility. Feelings of loneliness, depression and fatigue often come from an accumulation of stress. An increase in smoking, the use of alcohol or drugs, insomnia or too much sleep are also danger signals.
Now that you are aware of the destructive potential of stress, its outer causes and signals, the next step is to make up your mind to overcome it. Since stress is not a power of itself but the result of your beliefs about and reactions to the world around you, it is possible for you to overcome it.
Consider putting into practice the following ideas if you would like to overcome stress.
Seek Knowledge and Understanding. Every person experiences stress from time to time, therefore it is very important that we learn to overcome it so that it does not exert its destructive potential in our lives. By learning about the nature of stress, its underlying causes and symptoms, we are prepared to deal with it.
At the beginning of his reign, King Solomon, desiring above all else to be a good ruler, prayed that God would give him an understanding heart. He prayed, “Give thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people that I may discern between good and evil.” (I Kings 3:9) Solomon prayed for the ability to see beyond outer facts into the heart of things.
Hosea, a prophet of Israel, was very concerned with the terrible conditions of his people. He observed that they had turned their attention from God and were controlled by outer materialistic beliefs. He expressed his frustration over their plight, lamenting, “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.” (Hosea 4:6) Unnecessary pain and suffering result from a lack of knowledge and understanding. When one does not understand the nature of God nor has knowledge of the spiritual principles upon which life is based, he becomes victimized by his own ignorance.
Seek knowledge and understanding of God. Through disciplined study, thought, prayer and communion with God in the silence of your being, you will learn more of God. By understanding His character and His nature, you will build a firm foundation upon which to rely.
Seek knowledge and understanding of yourself based on your permanent identity. Your permanent identity is your spiritual nature, connected with God, filled with potential for self-expression. Jesus Christ lived according to His permanent identity
and encouraged us to leave our nets and follow Him. (Matthew 4: 19) We are called to leave behind us the limited sense of being only human, give up dependency on things of the world and others and follow the inspiration and guidance of His Spirit.
“So God created man in His own image, in the image of God created He him; male and female created He them.” (Genesis 1:27) Can you accept that this refers to you? Your permanent identity is created in the image of infinite wisdom, unfailing love, unlimited power and divine intelligence. You are more than flesh and blood. You are greater than your thoughts, feelings and experiences. Your permanent identity enables you to give direction to your life. The knowledge of your permanent identity and understanding its nature is the enduring foundation upon which a dynamic, powerful life can be built.
Look to God for Help. Stress is a sign of estrangement from God, originating from the belief that you face life alone. You have no need to depend solely on human resources to overcome stress. The power of God is within you and is greater than any destructive force. Jesus Christ promised, “Lo, I am with you always.” (Matthew 28:20)
Ask God to help you. Asking denotes a willingness to receive that which is asked for. We are promised that if we ask, believing, we shall receive. Our Scriptures instruct us to “Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and show thee great and mighty things which thou knowest not.” (Jeremiah 33:3) These words do not suggest a maybe or perhaps but contain the definite assurance that God will respond.
There is no thing or no one other than God that is infallible and all powerful. By looking to God our help will be forthcoming. John Greenleaf Whittier wrote, “The simple heart that freely asks in love, obtains.”
Give Contemplative Attention to That Which You Desire. Many people find it easy to worry, to look at the experiences of life from a depressed, fearful and negative point of view. By so doing their lives follow the direction of their fears and worries, becoming filled with negative conditions and experiences.
A simple explanation for this phenomenon is, “thoughts held in mind produce after their kind.” What we contemplate or view with continued attention gradually comes to pass in our world of experience. Plotinus, philosopher of mysticism in the second century said, “You will create the objects of your contemplation, as mathematicians image and draw their figures. You will gaze within and the figures of your material world will take being as if they fell from your brooding.”
Notice what you contemplate. Are the objects of your contemplation worthwhile? Do you want to see them manifesting in your body, your life, your world? Unguided contemplation can be dangerous if based on fear, worry or any type of negation. Paul in his letter to the Philippians suggested to the new Christians to THINK on those things that were honest, just, pure, loving and of good report. By giving attention to such qualities, one’s life can be expected to follow that pattern.
Learn to Say NO and Stick with It. A common problem that we encounter is our tendency to waver between opinions. We think we have made up our mind, then someone comes along with an argument, making us feel guilty about our choice, and we change it. We take on more than we should, lose control of our time, do things we really do not want to do and thereby create stress.
When we allow ourselves to be subject to the whims or opinions of others, we may do things we feel uncomfortable doing, spend time in ways we do not care to and as a result internal pressure builds. We create our own dilemmas when we let others determine what we do.
Determine your personal priorities and stick with them. Organize your time so you fulfill these priorities. By having a clear sense of direction you become less subject to the whims of others, and can more easily complete the things you set out to do. Say no to personal whims that would distract you from your goals. Although there are times when we may have to put our priorities aside temporarily, they are easily resumed when the emergency is over. Assert your God-given wisdom to say no when it is appropriate. Affirm His strength to stick to it even when you are being pressured.
Do What You Feel You Should Do. Failure to do what you sincerely feel you should do causes stress. Stress is produced when you believe one way and live another. For example, a person who knows the difference between right and wrong, yet succumbs to pressure and does wrong creates a great deal of stress. Compromising ideals in order to be accepted, holding on to something or someone because you fear the consequences of change can have devastating effects.
The habit of procrastination produces stress. It is frequently easier to evaluate, to analyze and think about something we must do, rather than do it. It is very easy to become lazy and inactive.
Control Your Feelings. It is easy to get caught in a pattern of negative feelings and allow them to dominate you. Negative feelings act like a small snowball that you start rolling downhill. By the time the snowball gets to the bottom of the hill it is very big. In like manner, what starts as a feeling of self-pity is nurtured by supporting thoughts, remembered experiences and beliefs of neglect until it grows strong and powerful.
It is well to remember that your feelings are yours. Only you should guide and direct their path. Since your feelings come from prolonged thoughts, you can change them by changing your thoughts. By placing your thoughts on what is worthwhile and productive, your feelings will soon correspond. You are greater than either your thoughts or feelings and you have the power to give them direction.
Handle Problems Lightly. Problems occur as a natural part of the challenge of living in the world. Problems provide you with the opportunity to grow in understanding and often require you to draw upon little-used inner resources. Most problems are not as life-threatening as they first appear to be. There is no need to be overwhelmed or discouraged by a problem for every problem has a solution.
Problems are much more difficult to solve if you dramatize their negative aspects. Problems are magnified by talking about them, eliciting sympathy and/or advice and by giving them attention.
When a problem appears in your life, pray for guidance so that you will know what to do to solve it. Claim that, The clear unclouded mind of Jesus Christ dominates my thoughts, my feelings and my actions. You can then be assured that you will handle your problem with ease. The stress of unresolved problems will be eliminated.
Free yourself of destructive stress by taking the following steps:
1) seek knowledge and understanding
2) look to God for help
3) give contemplative attention to that which you desire
4) learn to say no and stick with it
5) do what you feel you should do
6) control your feelings
7) handle problems lightly
You will enjoy lire to the fullest when you avoid destructive stress, and gratefully move forward to fulfill your purpose for being.