Articles
When Life Is Too Much
There is plenty going on in the world right now to cause stress for just about any living being. Generally speaking, adult life is going to be stressful enough, but then each individual has to deal with his or her personal stresses that come their way — work, family, traffic, taxes, inflation, politics, and a host of other things that should remain private to them. It is no less stressful for the young folks, either, with school and all the variations of stress-inducing interactions of social life, keeping up grades, maybe a part-time job, and all the extra-curricular sports and events [teenage angst is a real thing]. Regardless of what we may think or what we have experienced, 70% of teens say anxiety and depression is a major problem among their peers [2018 Pew Research Center].
I obviously cannot give a one-size-fits-all solution for every problem, but I do believe God’s word — the Bible — gives us a solution to the general anxiety and depression we may encounter in everyday life. For those who of you who doubt, there is nothing I can say in the following couple of pages that will change your mind, but for those who are willing to give it a try, I would ask that you consider the following whenever life is just too much to handle.
Get to Know God. Bear with me for a little and consider some points before I get to why this is a part of the solution.
First, it is not news to many that, today, fewer and fewer people have a knowledge of what is contained within the Bible. While the vast majority of people polled profess to be ‘Christian,’ [polls regularly report about 70%], the reality is they really only have some vague idea of what a Christian is and what it means to be a Christian; but not knowing what the Bible says, it would be highly unlikely someone ignorant of the Scriptures would somehow do and believe the things necessary for one to truly be called a Christian — a disciple and follower of Jesus Christ.
To alleviate much of the stress, anxiety, and even some forms of depression, getting to know God is important because all the solutions our Creator gives us are going to be based on taking His word for it — trusting Him. Another, more familiar, term is one we use often: faith. No, I don’t mean the modern dictionary’s definition of faith [i.e., belief without evidence], but rather belief based on the evidence and testimony that has been preserved for mankind within the Scriptures. Make no mistake here, though: There is no faith without the Scriptures.
How do I know that? Because that is what the Bible itself says: “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Rom. 10:17). And what is faith? Again, the Scriptures tell us: “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen” (Heb. 11:1). In other words, we believe in things we have yet to see, but because evidence has been provided, and enough to cause belief. John tells us that the things he wrote were sufficient to cause belief in Jesus as the Christ and Son of God (John 20:30, 31). Paul tells us that there is ample evidence in the natural world to point to God’s existence, to the point we are plainly “without excuse” (Rom. 1:20), so we cannot claim there is no evidence.
So, how does knowing God alleviate stress, anxiety, and general depression? It is by knowing God, knowing who He is, knowing what He has done, and knowing what He has promised! When we get to know God, we find He does not lie (Titus 1:2; Heb. 6:18), so everything He says is absolute truth. And what has He said to those who are His? He has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you” (Heb. 13:5). He has said that the faithful have “an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven” (1 Pet. 1:4). We find that this God of the Bible is called “the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God” (2 Cor. 1:3, 4).
It is this God whom the psalmist knew, and knew well, who would comfort him in his trials and anxieties. Knowing God, he could write, “The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears, and delivers them out of all their troubles. The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart, and saves such as have a contrite spirit” (Psa. 34:17, 18). He could write, “Cast your burden on the Lord, and He shall sustain you” (Psa. 55:22). And he could write, “In the multitude of my anxieties within me, Your comforts delight my soul” (Psa. 94:19). He could write this with confidence of finding comfort from God because he knew God.
If you are one of the growing number of individuals who, today, know little to nothing about God and what is contained within the Scriptures, it may seem far-fetched to believe in a life beyond this earthly one, where there is no trouble and strife. But may I ask what the world offers for consolation to the anxious, depressed, and those who see no hope in their lives? Nothing. The world thinks this life is all there is, so happiness is what life is all about; and when we fail to find it, and when we know of nothing else, of course life seems meaningless and downright depressing! This life is all there is? What a depressing thought, indeed! God gave us hope where there was none, and with that knowledge of Him and His promises, it is possible to endure through the lowest of lows. No, there is no promise of a stress-free life; that is another misconception of what it means to believe in and follow God. He never promised a life without stress or anxiety; what He did tell us is He will be with us through it all.
Pray to God. This, of course, is contingent on us getting to know God and giving our lives over to Him [becoming a Christian] because prayer is reserved for those who are His people. He certainly will hear the prayer of the one seeking Him (Cornelius, as an example, Acts 10:1-6), but the prayers we find within the Bible are offered up mostly by those who are His faithful followers, and who also urge the faithful to pray. The apostle Paul urged the disciples of Philippi to “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” (Phil. 4:6, 7).
Jesus made the great invitation, “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matt. 11:28), and for those who do, the faithful disciple is exhorted, “Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you” (1 Pet. 5:6, 7). Yes, the God who created all things and maintains it all cares for you. I honestly cannot think of a more comforting thought than that!
I cannot promise — because God did not promise — that following Him and His ways will eliminate all stress, anxiety, and depression. But I can tell you that if you get to know God like the psalmist did, follow Him and follow Jesus as did the faithful disciples of the first century, you will find great comfort and relief from the everyday stresses of life simply because you have hope of something far better than this world can ever offer. Set your mind above (Col. 3:1, 2), not here on earth. — Steven Harper
