By Jessica Brodie
When you get stressed out, where does it impact you? Do you become an emotional wreck, lashing out at people? Do you get an upset stomach or headaches?
For me, stress makes me clench my shoulder and neck muscles, so much so that I become one rigid, knotted mess. Once, a massage therapist said it felt like my neck had taut cables or wires instead of tendons beneath my skin! I try to manage this with regular exercise, good sleep, and lots of stretching. But in seasons of intense work, even my best preventative efforts are no match.
Last week was an especially hard week, as my husband was out of town, my daughter was sick, and I was in production on the Christian newspaper I run, which also happened to feature an entire redesign in this edition, complete with a new logo, fonts, and styles. Add that I was behind on writing my articles for the paper and editing all the news copy, and you could say I was on overload. I’ve also been busy trying to promote the release of my debut Christian contemporary novel, The Memory Garden, which comes out May 6. Guess what took the back-burner? All the stretching and exercise I usually do that helps keep my tension at bay.
When Friday rolled around, I’d had a tension headache for three days that turned into a migraine, and it felt like the muscles in my upper back and neck were so tight they would shatter like glass if I made one false move.
It took lots of rest, extra sleep, and intentional stretching to get back to normal. And you can be certain I’m going to try my hardest not to let my stress get the better of me next time.
Have you been there, like me? Have you ever experienced such emotional pressure that you physically hurt from all the stress?
Tension and worry are horrible for us, physically, emotionally, and spiritually. I think that’s why the Bible urges us over and over again: Don’t worry. Rest. Be still. Stop and simply be, knowing that your needs are handled by the Creator himself.
For we do worry—and it’s so hard not to, isn’t it? Even if we have the hope and joy of Christ in our hearts, as I do, many of us still grow concerned and anxious about their capacity to make ends meet, fulfill commitments by their deadline, or care for those under their protection.
Still, it’s important to understand that just because we have a natural tendency to worry doesn’t mean we should. Put another way, Jesus’s urging not to worry isn’t a suggestion—it’s a command.
“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid,” Jesus said in John 14:27 (ESV). And in Luke 12:22, Jesus said, “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat, nor about your body, what you will put on.”
He also had powerful words about the danger we face when we let the cares of the world distract us. In the Parable of the Sower, Jesus shared how sometimes when seed is scattered, it falls into thorny soil, but the thorns choke the seed, and it doesn’t grow as it should. The seed in this analogy is the word of God’s kingdom, he explains, and the thorns are the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches. These worldly cares and temptations “choke the word, and it proves unfruitful” (Matthew 13:22).
I’m not saying my tense muscles are choking God’s word from my life, but they are a symptom of stress and a big sign I’m letting today’s concerns manage me instead of the other way around. Like the “check engine” light signals something isn’t right with my car, sometimes these symptoms and signs are a great indicator that I need a tune-up, too.
If you notice you experience stomachaches, headaches, grumpiness, or tense muscles because of work overload, consider whether those are signs that maybe your work or daily pressures are taking too much emotional priority in your life. Maybe you, like me, need to manage your time better or carve out intentional rest time every day to rein in your tension. Maybe you need to work on actively, intentionally surrendering your cares and concerns to the only one who can do anything about them: Jesus Christ.
A prayer: Lord, you know the cares of my heart and the pressures that concern me. Help me not to worry about them or to let the pressures keep me from important self and soul care, whether that’s good sleep, proper exercise, or daily prayer and quiet time with you. I love you, Lord. Amen.
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I'm so excited to share with you some news that is extraordinarily close to my heart—and the long-awaited answer to a prayer. My Christian contemporary novel The Memory Garden releases this spring! The paperback comes out May 6. If you’re interested in joining my launch team to help spread the word about the book, I’d love to have you! You'll enjoy exclusive bonuses for launch members, including weekly videos in our special Facebook group, and be eligible for weekly prizes throughout the launch. You'll also get to read the book early. Click here to join the team.
Thanks to my Patreon sponsors: Matt Brodie, Emily Dodd, Jane, Marcia Hatcher, Frances Nwobi, Kathleen Patella, Billy Robinson, Yancy Rose, and Lanny Turner.
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