1 Kings 19:5-7 “Then he lay under a tree and fell asleep. All at once an angel touched him and said, “Get up and eat.” He looked around, and there by his head was a cake of bread baked over hot coals, and a jar of water. He ate and drank and then lay down again. The angel of the LORD came back a second time and touched him and said, “Get up and eat, for the journey is too much for you . . . “
We live in a time of tension, pressure and anguish, which transform stress into an epidemic that silently kills and incapacitates thousands of men and women of all ages and social strata. What is stress? It is an adaptive reaction of the mind and body to the pressures of daily life when they surpass our physical and emotional capacity to resist. When the mind feels overwhelmed by pressures, it directs the body how to react to confront the pressure. We must face the changes that the mind directs. For instance, the body might produce more glucose (sugar) to supply necessary energy for mental and physical functioning to deal with the pressure. If that takes place over a long period of time, the body can develop diabetes, which affects all organs of the body and can lead to deterioration and death.
Living with stress long-term can also produce other illnesses, like arterial hypertension, cardiac problems, depression, anxiety, etc. The body is not designed to deal with high levels of stress for long periods, though the daily tensions of life are normal and necessary to keep us motivated. We must find ways to combat excessive stress. There are many causes of stress. If you have problems with your spouse, children or family members, those can be sources of tension. The same can be said for financial problems, issues at work, trouble with important friendships or in church. They all produce stress.
I suggest 5 things:
- Confront and resolve the problems that are causing you stress.
- Exercise to strengthen your body
- Find ways to have fun, laugh with trusted friends from church
- Make sure to get enough rest and eat well.
- Seek a relationship with God. Read the Bible. Pray. Attend church.
Do these things even if you don’t feel like it. What keeps our faith firm are not our victories, but rather communion and relationship with our God. That relationship is not easy to maintain under stress, because we have no desire to do it, but if we do, it will give us the confidence to continue forward. In the 1 Kings passage, God took care of Elijah. He fed him, helped him to rest, gave him water, and showed his presence. Through all of that, the prophet was strengthened and continued with his entrusted task. It is the same with you, friend. Allow Him to give you the strength to carry on. The Bible says you can “cast your cares on him.”
May God help you in what you’ve learned today.
Dr. Miguel and Irene Garita
Family Care Ministry, Mesoamerica Region
