How to Overcome Stress

Stress is a response to pressure or threat.

Stress is a response to pressure or threat.

The stress response is also called the fight-or-flight-response. It's an automatic response that prepares us to deal with danger.

Under stress we may feel tense, nervous, or on edge.

The stress response is physical, too. Stress triggers a surge of a hormone called adrenaline that temporarily affects the nervous system.

But a situation doesn't have to be physically dangerous to activate the stress response. Everyday pressures can activate it, too.

As a result, when you're nervous or stressed you might feel:

Your heartbeat or breathing get faster

Your palms get sweaty

Your knees get shaky

The stress response is also called the fight-or-flight-response.

It's an automatic response that prepares us to deal with danger.

Think about a warrior running down the battlefield with a sword in hand yelling and screaming at the enemy. The kind of scream that makes the enemy question whether or not they should mess with this guy. There is so much adrenaline pumping through their body that they can do things that seem super-human.

He (or she) takes the sword, swings it and knocks down several people

This is an example of stress causing the necessary adrenaline to do something about the problem in front of us.

But a situation doesn't have to be physically dangerous to activate the stress response.

Everyday pressures can activate it, too.

Parents - when the person that cares for us, tell us to do chores in the house

Siblings - when your brother or sister takes your things for the millionth time

Classmates - when that classmate can’t stop making jokes about your clothes

Catalyst Leaders - what the Catalyst leader tells you to put your phone away and pay attention… (oh snap)

We experience stress in many different areas of our lives and we don’t even realize it.

Even in these situations (which are hardly life-or-death), the stress response activates to help you perform well under pressure. It can help you rise to a challenge and meet it with alertness, focus, and strength. Facing these challenges — rather than backing away from them — is a part of learning and growing.

Psalm 56:1–4 NLT

O God, have mercy on me, for people are hounding me. My foes attack me all day long. I am constantly hounded by those who slander me, and many are boldly attacking me. But when I am afraid, I will put my trust in you. I praise God for what he has promised. I trust in God, so why should I be afraid? What can mere mortals do to me?

When the challenge is over, the stress response lets up. You can relax and recharge, and be ready for a new challenge. 

Pressure

We experience stress and anxiety in many different areas of our lives and we don’t even realize it.

Psalm 56

We are pressured to do well in sports, school, extra curricular activities

We are pressured be accepted by friends

Do well in sports, school, extra curricular activities

Fight or Flight Response

sports

We are pressured to compare on social media

school

extra curricular activities

We are pressured about what comes next

We are pressured to compare on social media

Stress is based in fear… fear that we’ll never measure up.

Never measure up

Stress for a prolonged period will turn into anxiety.

Stress and anxiety are two different things.

Stress for a prolonged period will turn into anxiety.

Stress goes away when the thing stressing us out is no longer present.

Stress and anxiety are two different things.

Anxiety doesn’t normally go away.

Stress goes away when the thing stressing us out is no longer present.

Stress is meant to help us respond to danger or things that threaten us.

Anxiety doesn’t normally go away. Its the constant reintroduction of the thing that stresses you out.

What are the warning signs?

How do we know when we’re experiencing anxiety?

How do we know that we’re experiencing anxiety?

A pressure in your chest that makes it hard to breathe

Inability to turn your mind off and get some sleep

Knots in your stomach that make it hard to focus on anything else

Tough time relaxing and feeling like you’re always “on edge”

The stress response is also called the fight-or-flight-response.

It's an automatic response that prepares us to deal with danger.

But a situation doesn't have to be physically dangerous to activate the stress response. Everyday pressures can activate it, too.

But a situation doesn't have to be physically dangerous to activate the stress response. Everyday pressures can activate it, too.

In short, God created us to rise above the pressures of life and do the things we’re called to do.

Anxiety can be a problem if it sticks around for too long.

What can we do about it?

David faced more stress and fear then most of us ever will.

Not all Psalms are poems. Some are more like journal entries or blog posts.

David was captured by the Philistines. At the time, David didn’t know what would happen next. He wrote:

Psalm

Psalm 56:1–2 NLT

O God, have mercy on me, for people are hounding me. My foes attack me all day long. I am constantly hounded by those who slander me, and many are boldly attacking me.

There are several different types of literature in the Bible. The book of Psalms is like a book of poetry. But in some places, it’s more than poetry. It’s like a journal, written by real people who gave us specific insight into what they were feeling.

David names the thing that is stressing him out.

is a poem written by David, who was probably the most famous king of Israel. We’re told that this psalm was written when David was captured in Gath by the Philistines.

David starts by getting specific.

At the time, David didn’t know how the situation would work out and this is what he wrote:

Psalm 56:1–2 NLT

O God, have mercy on me, for people are hounding me. My foes attack me all day long. I am constantly hounded by those who slander me, and many are boldly attacking me.

Notice what David does here. He names the thing that is stressing him out. David starts by getting specific.

o Be merciful to me, my God, for my enemies are in hot pursuit; all day long they press their attack. My adversaries pursue me all day long ( NIV).

But David doesn’t end there . . .

Psalm 56:3–4 NLT

But when I am afraid, I will put my trust in you. I praise God for what he has promised. I trust in God, so why should I be afraid? What can mere mortals do to me?

Notice what David does here. He names the thing that is stressing him out. David starts by getting specific. • But David doesn’t end there . . . o When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. In God, whose word I praise—in God I trust and am not afraid. What can mere mortals do to me? ( NIV). • David moves the focus from what’s making him afraid to the God he trusts. His circumstances don’t change, but his focus does. • When life doesn’t change, the one thing we can change is what we do with—and how we respond to—the stress and anxiety that life brings. We can bring it to God. o Think of it this way: When we’re stressed or anxious, it can be helpful to name WHAT, WHY and WHO. • Note: The Interactive happens here! See the Truth portion of your Teaching Script for details. • There are tools to take on anxiety.

NIV). • David moves the focus from what’s making him afraid to the God he trusts. His circumstances don’t change, but his focus does. • When life doesn’t change, the one thing we can change is what we do with—and how we respond to—the stress and anxiety that life brings. We can bring it to God. o Think of it this way: When we’re stressed or anxious, it can be helpful to name WHAT, WHY and WHO. • Note: The Interactive happens here! See the Truth portion of your Teaching Script for details. • There are tools to take on anxiety.

David moves the focus from what’s making him afraid to the God he trusts. His circumstances don’t change, but his focus does.

When life doesn’t change, the one thing we can change is what we do with—and how we respond to—the stress and anxiety that life brings. We can bring it to God.

Think of it this way:

When we’re stressed or anxious, it can be helpful to name WHAT, WHY and WHO.

We can name the WHAT (point to “WHAT”). We can name the WHY (point to “WHY”). And then we can shift our focus and name WHO God is (flip the poster over to the “WHO” side).

We can name the WHAT (point to “WHAT”). We can name the WHY (point to “WHY”). And then we can shift our focus and name WHO God is (flip the poster over to the “WHO” side).

There are tools to take on anxiety.

Personal Story

Growing up, I wanted to sing a song in the main service. We would have this time after worship during the offering called, “special music”. It was a time for a creative song that wasn’t necessarily a worship song but something that encouraged everyone.

I grew up loving music and learned to play the piano and guitar at age 15. I loved getting to worship and felt all my stress melt away when I would close my eyes and just sing with all my heart.

I had been involved in a Youth-led worship team for years before I was given an opportunity to audition a song for “big church.”

I remember going up to the front, and

Our Lead Pastor loved gospel songs so I picked one that I liked and practiced every day.

My biggest challenge: I was deathly afraid of what others thought of me. I grew up with the idea that I wasn’t good enough, but that’s a story for another time.

In the church I grew up in, there was this level of perfection that you had to attain in order to get the privilege of singing or playing instruments in the main service. If you’ve ever been a part of a big church, they don’t let just anyone up on stage.

I don’t know why but the Worship Pastor would spend time helping others improve but wasn’t interested in helping me. I never confronted him which gave me some serious stress over doing anything on stage in my church growing up.

Our Lead Pastor loved gospel songs so I picked one that I liked and practiced every day. His opinion of me was very important.

Then the day came when they agreed to let me audition. I was so excited.

I was so nervous, but the audition went well and one of the Worship Team leads gave me some feedback and it was good.

Then the day came to do the song.

I was so nervous I thought I might pass out, but I moved forward with the idea that, “this stress will soon be gone once the song is over.”

I anxiously awaited my turn to go out on stage. I was handed a microphone and I went out there. The song started and I took a deep breath and with everyone watching, I started singing.

I realized that no sound was coming out of the sound system. The sound person hadn’t turned my microphone on.

I looked down at the Pastor and just kept singing. What else was I going to do?

Eventually he came up and handed me another microphone but by then half the song was over.

After that experience, I didn’t want to sing another song in the main service. It was just too traumatic. I forced myself beyond the fear and stress and the end result wasn’t what I pictured.

The desire to worship God in large groups didn’t go away and neither did the anxiety around the experience. There were a few people close to me that would make comments about my singing or something about the Youth-worship team that cut deep because I already had this fear.

Years later God called us to leave that church and plant ourselves in the Graham area.

I took a Worship Pastor job at a small church and worked through my fears and eventually came to grips with it. There were many people there that made comments but it didn’t bother me as much.

I wouldn’t say I’m over it completely now, but I can tell you that the stress and adrenaline that takes over doesn’t happen until right as I go on stage. I remember to slow myself down and take a breath. If I can get past the first few lines of the sermon or song, I feel comfortable enough to keep going.

For me, the secret was to care less about what others think and if it bombs, just move on with your life. Something will always go wrong, it’s the nature of being human. We are flawed, it’s why we need Jesus to save us. On our own we’re useless, but He makes all the difference.

There is no one-size-fits-all cure

Psalm 121:1–2 NLT

I look up to the mountains— does my help come from there? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth!

There is no one-size-fits-all cure for stress

There is no one-size-fits-all cure

There is no one-size-fits-all cure

There are lots of good and acceptable tactics to help us cope.

If your stress or your anxiety has begun to take over, we want you to know that church— this church—is one of the safest places to talk about it.

And if you have a conversation with your small group leader today, I’m guessing they won’t be surprised at all. They’ll encourage you, and they’ll help you figure out the next step.

LANDING

Remember, there are tools to take on anxiety.

You don’t have to do life alone. One of the enemy’s biggest tools is to make use feel alone. The reality is, we’re not alone.

There are ways forward. And there is a God who is absolutely crazy about you and will be with you through it all.