As Christians, we are not exempt from problems, challenges, and the difficulties of everyday life, and the stress these can produce. The difference, however, is that we have the Christian hope, grounded in our personal relationship with God, our salvation through faith in Christ, and the promise of an eternal future in heaven. We know how the story ends, even when we are in the middle of a difficult chapter (1 Thessalonians 4:13–18). We also know that God has a purpose in everything we experience, and He has promised to work all things together for our good (Romans 8:28).

In John’s Gospel, we read within the same verse that Jesus told His disciples—and His followers of all time—that in Him they would have peace and that “in this world you will have trouble.” He then went on to encourage them to take heart because He has overcome the world (John 16:33 NIV). History shows that times of hardship, calamity or adversity have often resulted in great courage, sacrifice, and progress. As English author Caleb Colton (1777–1832) wrote, “The purest ore is produced from the hottest furnace, and the brightest thunderbolt comes from the darkest storm.”

An ancient Greek story is told of a soldier under Antigonus (382–301 BC) who had a painful disease that was likely at any time to end his life. In every campaign, he fought at the forefront of the hottest battle. His expectation of death at any time made him fearless and led him to court death on the martial field and do heroic deeds.

His general, Antigonus, so admired the bravery of the man that he had him seen by a renowned physician, who cured him of his malady. From that moment on, the valiant soldier was no longer seen at the front lines. He avoided danger instead of seeking it and sought to protect his life instead of risking it on the field. Whereas his tribulation had taught him to fight well and with great courage, his quest for safety undermined his usefulness as a soldier.

The Bible teaches that “trials show the proven character of your faith, which is much more valuable than gold … and will bring praise and glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed” (1 Peter 1:7 NET). Were we instantly relieved of some burden, or healed of some disease, or set free from some worry, we might miss out on how God intends to work through these to fulfill His good purposes in each of our lives (Philippians 2:13 NIV).

Dealing with life’s challenges

When the challenges of life feel overwhelming and we just can’t seem to keep up with everything on our plate, where do we look to find the strength and hope we need? The answer is found in our relationship with Jesus, who promises us not only eternal life in heaven, but that He will be with us every hour of every day until we get there. He has promised us a future of hope, joy, peace, freedom, and everlasting love. The Bible tells us to “think on these things”—the noble, just, true, praiseworthy and excellent things (Philippians 4:8 NIV).

God is for us, He is with us, and best of all, God is in us and will never leave nor forsake us (Hebrews 13:5)! Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross delivered us from the weight of sin and qualified us to “share in the inheritance of the saints in light.” God “transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption,” and Christ is now in us, “the hope of glory” (Colossians 1:12–14, 27). God loves us and cares for us and is with us through everything we face in life.

During a time of great uncertainty, while facing the prospect of war in 1939, in his Christmas address King George VI of England quoted the preamble to the poem God Knows, written by Minnie Louise Haskins, that continues to speak to us today. “And I said to the man who stood at the gate of the year, Give me a light that I may tread safely into the unknown. And he replied: Go out into the darkness and put your hand into the hand of God. That shall be to you better than light and safer than a known way.”

Jesus is the light of the world, and He promised that if we follow Him, we will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life to guide us (John 8:12).

Taking time with the Master

When it seems like there is much more to be done than there is time to do it, it is easy to get under pressure. At such times, we can find ourselves putting aside spending time in God’s Word and prayer and communion with Him.

Like Martha in the Bible, we can become “anxious and troubled about many things.” Jesus gently reminded Martha that “but one thing is necessary,” and that is “the good portion” that will never be taken away from us. What is that good portion? Martha’s sister, Mary, exemplified it as she “sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to his teaching” (Luke 10:38–42).

Stress can hinder us in a number of other ways as well. It can make us more likely to make mistakes or poor decisions. It squelches our inspiration. It can make us irritable and difficult for others to work with. It can take the joy out of life and be counterproductive on so many levels.

Learning to recognize when we’re starting to get under pressure and taking positive steps to counter it is an important habit to build. This starts with bringing all our cares and burdens to the Lord in prayer and seeking His help and guidance. The Bible says to “give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you” (1 Peter 5:7 NLT).

When we feel under pressure, often the first thing to get crowded out of our schedule is the very thing we need most—our daily time of communion with the Lord and reading His Word. We have to spend time with the Master, and commit all our worries about yesterday, with its mistakes and failures, and all our concerns for today and the future to God.

The Bible instructs us to “cast your burden on the Lord, and he will sustain you” (Psalm 55:22). As we commit to taking quiet moments of prayer throughout the day and spending time communing with God and reading His Word, this will lighten our load. We will find that as we come to Him with our heavy burdens and place our trust in Him, He will give us rest for our souls and renew our hope and joy (Matthew 11:28–30).

Think about it…

  • There is a saying that “life is a marathon, not a sprint,” and the Bible tells us that it takes perseverance to run the race marked out for us, as we keep our eyes fixed on Jesus (Hebrews 12:1–2 NIV).
  • No matter how busy you are, remember the formula Jesus gave: Seek first the kingdom of God, and the rest will be added to you (Matthew 6:33).
  • Take time to commune with God, read a chapter from the Bible, commit your day to Him, and “He will direct your path” (Proverbs 3:6 NKJV).

What the Bible says…

  • Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:6–7 NIV).
  • The Lord is my shepherd; I have all that I need. He lets me rest in green meadows; he leads me beside peaceful streams. He renews my strength (Psalm 23:1–3 NLT).