I sat in my room during the one hour of my day that I can normally find peace and quiet and simultaneously heard the noise of a power sander in my kitchen and my baby in the room next door erupting in cries from his afternoon nap as a result of the noise.

The blessing was that within a few days I would have a beautifully painted kitchen. The downside was how that process was impacting me in the moment. I had a choice to make. I could allow the stress of the moment to steal my joy or I could comfort my baby and remind myself of the truth: that this was a temporary inconvenience and soon my kitchen would be a lovely and cheery yellow color.

A Biblical Remedy for Stress

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 reads, “Rejoice always. Pray continually. Give thanks in all circumstances. For this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus.”

Sometimes we make out God’s will to be elusive and mysterious – something that we must search for with the tenacity and sense of a bloodhound in order to find it. On the contrary, often God’s will is as simple as leaning our full weight into the present moment – focused with appreciation on the gifts before us rather than the frustrations that cause our cortisol levels to surge.

When you are walking through stressful circumstances, what do you need most? Peace of mind. The question is – how do we get peace of mind when we are stressed out?

God’s Word gives us the prescription in Philippians 4:6-7 “Do not be anxious about anything, 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 in Christ Jesus.”

Take Your Worries to Christ

Some questions and thoughts to ponder when you find yourself stressed out:

1) Am I praying about this or just steaming internally or venting my irritation on others?

2) Have I stopped to consider the good that could come out of this (or the good that is currently before me)?

3) Am I thankful for God’s many blessings or am I choosing to have selective focus on those things that are troubling me?

The secret to unshakable peace and lasting joy in the midst of stressful circumstances is clear: fix your eyes on Jesus and not on your problems. As a pastor of mine once said, “You can choose to get bitter or get better.”

What situation are you facing today that threatens to steal your joy? Where has your life lacked thanksgiving or a positive outlook? Take a few minutes today to stop. Pause. Thank God for the good. Petition Him about what concerns you. Rejoice in His friendship and entreat Him for His perspective of your situation.

Your circumstances may not change. But your heart can. And that is what makes all the difference.