Scripture Text: Mark 6:31

Have you been experiencing stress after stress, and you've asked yourself this same question several times: how can I cope with stress?
Good news. There's a solution for you!

Many books today focus on self-improvement, which is not bad. Unfortunately, much of the advice being dispensed through television, radio, and print these days is highly unreliable. It's based on popular opinion or current thinking. These ideas are mere today's "pop psychology" that will be easily discarded next year for a new approach or therapy. Only the Bible can be relied on completely to provide truthful insights into the causes and cures for our personal problems.

God's Word has stood the test of time. Jesus said, "You will know the truth and the truth will set you free!". We can get lasting freedom from any form of stress by building our lives on the Truth.

However, it's not enough to simply tell you that the Bible is the answer. It's important that we show ourselves how the Bible provides solution to stress of life.
Apostle Paul said, "Everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and encouragement of the Scripture we might have hope" (Romans 15: 4). God gave us these to teach and encourage us.

How Can I Cope with Stress?
Jesus Christ was constantly under pressure. There were gruelling demands on his time; he rarely had any personal privacy; he was constantly interrupted. People misunderstood Him, criticised Him, and ridiculed Him. He had enormous stress, which could have made Him cave in. But as we look at the life of Christ, we quickly discover that He remained at peace under pressure. He was never in a hurry. He was always at ease. He had calmness about His life that enabled Him to handle enormous amounts of stress. How did he do this successfully? The answer can be simply stated: He based His life on sound principles of stress management.

If we understand and apply these eight principles in our lives, we will experience less pressure and more peace of mind.

Principle 1: Identification
Know who you are.

Jesus said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life" (John 8:12). " I am at the door" (John 10:9 KJV)); I am the way, the truth and the life" (John 14:6); "I am the good shepherd" (John 10:36). Christ knew who He was.

The first principle for handling stress in your life is to know who you are. This is critical to stress management because if you don't know who you are, someone else may try to tell you who they think you are. If you don't know who you are, you will subconsciously let others manipulate you and pressure you into believing you are somebody you aren't. A lot of stress in life results from our hiding behind masks, living double lives, being unreal with others, or trying to be somebody we're not. We feel insecure and are coerced to perform and confirm.

To balance stress of life, you need to find an internal balance of who you are. You must be able to say: And I know who I am by knowing whose I am. I am a child of God. I was put on earth not by accident, but for a purpose. God has a great love for me. He is willing to accept me. He Has a plan for my life, and because he put me here, I am significant. And because He put me here, I am significant. You must continue to know who you are so that insecurity won't hinder you until you address the stress issue.

Principle 2: Dedication
Know whom you are trying to please

The second principle of stress management in the life of Christ is found in John 5:30: "By myself, I can do nothing; I judge only as I hear, and my judgement is just, for I seek not to please myself but him who sent me."

This second principle means that you cannot please everybody because, by the time one group becomes pleased with you, another group gets upset with you. Even God doesn't please everybody, so it's foolish to try to do something that even God doesn't do!
Jesus Christ knew whom He wanted to please; it was a settled issue with him: "I'm going to please God the Father." And the Father replied, "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased" (Matt. 3:17 KJV).

When you don't know whom you're trying to please, you cave into three things: criticism, competition and conflict. But if you "seek first the Kingdom of God and His Righteousness," then all the other necessary things of life will be added unto you (Matt. 6:33 KJV). This means that if you focus on pleasing God, it will simplify your life. You will always be doing the right thing- the thing that pleases God- regardless of what anybody else thinks. Don't blame others for what you chose to do by yourself.

Principle 3: Organisation
Know what you are trying to accomplish.

Christ's clue to the third principle of stress management is: "Even if I testify on my own behalf, my testimony is valid, for I know where I came from and where I am going " (John 8:14).

Knowing what you want to accomplish is the principle behind planning your life and setting priorities. If you don't follow this principle, you will be pressured by others to do what they think is important, not what you think. Either you choose to live by priorities or by pressure. There are no other options. Either you decide what is important in your life or you let others decide what's important in your life. Only by doing this can you accomplish your goals without stress.

Principle 4: Concentration
Focus on one thing at a time

If you find yourself pulled in different directions, then you will be under stress. Several people tried to detour Jesus Christ from His planned schedule. They tried to distract Him from His goal in life. " At daybreak, Jesus went out into a solitary place. The people were looking for him and when they came to where he was, they tried to keep him from leaving them" (Luke 4:42). Jesus was going to leave, but they tried to make Him stay. Jesus responded, "I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns also, because that is why I was sent" (Vs 43). He refused to let less significant issues divert him.

Principle four of stress management tells us to concentrate. Jesus was a Master at this. Even though everybody had a plan B for Him, Jesus told them: "Sorry, I must keep moving towards my goal." He was persistent and focused. If you have 30 things on your to-do list, pick one at a time. After you finish one, go to another one. When you concentrate your efforts, you will be more effective than when you diffuse them. Don't let others make you tense, stressed or irritated. Focus!

Principle 5: Delegation
Don't do it all by yourself

One day, “Jesus went up on a mountainside and called to him those he wanted, and they came to him” (Mark 3:13). He appointed twelve men, whom He designed as disciples, so that they might be with Him and He could send them out to preach. In other words, Jesus delegated His authority.
The reason why you get uptight and tensed is because you think everything depends on you. You think if you let go, the world will fall apart, but it won’t. Jesus appointed and trained His disciples so that they could share His load. He delegated His work by getting others involved. The reasons people don’t like to delegate is because of perfectionism or insecurity. Either they believe that other people cannot do it better or they are afraid that another person might take up their responsibility. To be effective, you must get other people involved like Christ did and get some stress out of your life by doing it all.

Principle 6: Meditation
Make a heart of personal prayer

Jesus often got up “very early in the morning, while it was still dark... and went off to a solitary place” to pray (Mark 1:35).
The sixth principle of stress management is to make a habit of personal prayer. Prayer is a gigantic stress-reliever. It is a God's-given tool for letting off our anxieties. No matter how busy Jesus got, He made time for prayer. A little quiet time alone with God can be a decompression chamber for life’s stresses. We talk to God in prayers, we tell Him what’s on our minds and let Him talk to us as we read the Bible. We should look at our schedules, evaluate our priorities, and wait for instructions. Form the habit of a daily devotional time. Be silent before God. Many people don’t hear from God because they can’t be silent for a moment. It’s either they are busy watching TV, listening to music, or lost in their own thoughts. “Pray without ceasing” (1 Thess. 5:17). Periodically stop through the day and recharge your batteries.

Principle 7: Recreation
Take time off to enjoy life.

Once Jesus’ twelve men gathered around him and reported all that they had done and taught,. “Because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, ‘Come with me by yourself to a quiet place and get some rest’” (Mark 6:31).
Principle number seven for stress management is to find time for relaxation and recreation. Jesus looked at these men who had been working and told them that they deserved a break, and should take time off. So, they got into a boat, rowed to the other side of the lake, and went out to the desert to rest. One reason why Jesus could handle stress is that He knew when to relax.
Rest and recreation in life are not optional. In fact, rest is so important that God included it in the Ten Commandments for man to rest on the Sabbath. God Himself rested on the seventh day after creation for six days. God knows and understands that our physical, emotional and spiritual constitutions demand periodic breaks. Phillips said in Matthew 11:19, paraphrased, that Jesus came “enjoying life”. Paul also wrote that God Has richly provided “everything for our enjoyment” (1 Timothy 6:17).

Principle 8: Transformation
Give your stress to Christ

The eighth principle of stress management is one that Jesus didn’t need because He is the Son of God, but we need because we’re merely human. Jesus says, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light” (Matt. 11:28–30). So, the final principle of stress management is to give your stress to Christ. When you give your stress to Christ, He will transform your lifestyle from stressful to satisfying.

If you have never committed your life to Christ, you need a transformation. Give your life, with all its stresses, to Him and say, “Lord, please give me a new life. Replace the pressure I feel with the peace you offer. Help me follow your principles of stress management; in Jesus’ name, I pray, amen.”.

God bless you in Jesus Mighty Name.

Peace!

Culled from: God’s Answer to Life’s Difficult Questions: Rick Warren