There is a part of me that hates stress,but there is another part of me that recognizes stress as a strengthening tool. Consider a tree, responding to incessant wind. The tree has to put down strong roots to overcome the wind, or it will be lost. In this parable, God is the caretaker, the stressor is the wind, and you are the tree. These verses are helpful.
1. God the Caretaker
Look to God, not your circumstance. There is an Indian tale about 6 blind men, who were asked to identify an object before them. One touched an elephant’s trunk and described a strong muscular snake. One touched its leg and described it as a large unyielding tree. A third man touched the tail, and described it as a small bony creature without a head. It is only when we can step back from our circumstance that we can see the big picture. God is more than sufficient to see the big picture and explain it to us. We only have to focus on Him.
Psalm 37:4 – Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.
Trust God. Think about every time that you put your trust in someone else. Why were you able to do that? Because the one you trust is competent, experienced, and better able to do what is needed to complete the task.
Proverbs 3:5-6 – Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; 6 in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.
2. Strengthen your roots 
(Build self-control).
Measured indulgence. Realistically, life is not about indulging. Indulging means letting go, not using discipline, and simply pursuing whatever makes us feel good. We need to limit how much we ‘give in’ to passions, so they do not become a temporary ‘go-to’ solution for our troubles. 1 Corinthians 9:27 – No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.
Measured routines. Exercise, meditation, prayer, devotions and journaling are examples of routines we should incorporate our daily life. It is when we get out of routine that we discover the stresses of life seem to be more apparent and will increasingly tear us away from a self-disciplined life. Galatians 5:22–23 – But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.
Proactive thinking. Our best mental discipline is to think about the right things. Worrying about the negative will never help. Philippians 4:8 gives a great consideration: “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things”. When our mind is derailed with one line of thought and there seems to be nothing else in mind, we are in a bad place. We need to think positively.
3. Stand firm against the wind.
Stressors are going to happen. We need only to do what we can, brace against the onslaught, and do not give up hope. Luke 21:19 says “Stand firm, and you will win life.”
Trust other people. While God continues to be the One in whom we trust, people can help too. My spouse is my best friend and confidante, but I can trust others also. We need to be willing to share, interact, train, and delegate tasks which we cannot do on our own. It should not be a matter of being too proud to ask for help. It needs to be a matter of practice. There is relief in sharing the pressure with someone you trust. Paul regularly sent delegates in his stead. One example is Philippians 2:25-28 “But I think it is necessary to send back to you Epaphroditus, my brother, co-worker and fellow soldier, who is also your messenger, whom you sent to take care of my needs. 26 For he longs for all of you and is distressed because you heard he was ill. 27 Indeed he was ill, and almost died. But God had mercy on him, and not on him only but also on me, to spare me sorrow upon sorrow. 28 Therefore I am all the more eager to send him, so that when you see him again you may be glad and I may have less anxiety.” Paul trusted his guy, and the people receiving him trusted and cared for him too. It was a good match. The core test and goal of a true servant is unwavering faith that their ministry in Christ will be fruitful.
Our way to handle stress requires biblical tools — so we can serve God all of our lives!
