Four Steps to a Stress-Free Life

Written by Danielle Rehor

Today’s world has been consumed by constant busyness. What does the Bible say about this problem? How can we combat the stress of this lifestyle?

Life is full of stressful occurrences. School can seem too much; work can engulf us; and additional responsibilities may clutter our “plate.” Sometimes life can become overwhelming! But the Bible gives us very simple steps in order to avoid stress and keep the pressure from getting too intense. Some of the most helpful advice is found in three verses in the book of Philippians—which the apostle Paul actually wrote in a very stressful situation: being in prison.

Philippians 4:6-8 reads: “ Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Finally brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.”

Let’s analyze these verses and see how they can help those of us who live in today’s busy world.

1. Be anxious for nothing.

Easier said than done, you might be saying. However, God promises throughout the Bible that He will always provide for us (Hebrews 13:5). Jesus Christ gives very valuable instruction on being anxious (or worrying) in Matthew 6:25-34. We should be working hard to overcome anxiousness, since Jesus said that focusing on “the kingdom of God and His righteousness” should help us overcome worry (verse 33).

2. Let your requests be made known to God.

If our worries and stress still linger after reading God’s promises, we may need to specifically take our concerns to God in prayer and ask that He help us with them. We know that in God’s infinite wisdom, He will be able to provide for us better than we ever could, so taking this step should ease our stress.

3. With thanksgiving.

Another great way to get perspective is to thank God for His blessings in our lives. By focusing on what He has done for us—as opposed to what we are currently facing—we are able to look at our lives more from God’s perspective. Instead of worrying about what we don’t have, we can be thankful for what we do have. This should provide increased confidence that the issues at hand can be solved.

4. Meditate on the good and true.

The final step to provide peace of mind is to meditate on what is good and true. Sometimes we create a state of stress because we have become too wrapped up in the negative aspects of life—bills, homework, work schedules, etc. By taking time to focus on the good, true, pure, noble aspects of life, we can distance ourselves from the negative. This can help us look at our lives from a different perspective and be more positive.

Sometimes we neglect focusing on these four steps when we are busy, but those are the times when we really need the guidance of God’s Word. “Whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope” (Romans 15:4).

For further insight into the issues of worrying and anxiety read: