Stress Inside and Outside // Stress Busters, Part 2

Sometimes stress is triggered by other people or circumstances – things out there, many of which we don’t have any control over. Other times, it’s something that we bring on ourselves. Whichever of those two it happens to be, you and I, we need to know how to handle stress.

 

The Stress of Circumstance

I wish I could tell you that there is something that you could do to avoid every stressful situation and circumstance in this world. Wouldn’t it be fantastic? But it just wouldn’t be real. Because no matter who we are, where we live, how young or old we are, how rich or poor we are … there are going to be those days when tough, difficult, stressful situations and circumstances arise.

Sure, some stressful things are avoidable. We’ve been talking about those already in this series that I’ve called, "Stress Busters". And when it comes to dealing with needless, avoidable stress – I’m definitely all for that!

But some stressful situations are totally unavoidable, and they’re the ones that we’re going to chat about for a few minutes today. Because it seems to me that the trick isn’t to hide our heads in the sand and pretend that we can make them go away. The trick is flourishing amidst the stress.

Now, you might think that’s a crazy idea! Flourishing amidst the stress? Get off the grass, who are you trying to kid? I know … I know that’s what some people are thinking right now. But this isn’t my idea. It’s something that Jesus came up with. It’s something that He said to His disciples right at the most stressful point in His relationship with them.

He was soon to be crucified – the plot to kill Him was well afoot and His disciples could feel it. Not only was Jesus threatened, but they were probably wondering: well, are we going to be next? When they come to arrest Jesus and nail Him to a cross, are they going to do the same to us? There can’t be any greater level of stress than that.

So right at that point, right at that moment, this is what Jesus says to them:

The hour is coming, indeed it has come, when you will be scattered, each one to his home, and you will leave me alone. Yet I am not alone because the Father is with me. I have said this to you, so that you may have peace. In this world you will face tribulation. But take courage; I have conquered the world. (John 16:32-33)

So, the persecution is coming, they’re about to be scattered, running in fear for their lives, and Jesus tells them in this world you will face persecution. The original Greek word there that sits aback of the English translation for "persecution" is thlipsis, it means pressure, stress – literally it means to have the life squeezed out of you.

Just fantastic Lord, they must have been thinking. Thanks for that, just what we needed to know. A promise from God right in the moment when we’re in fear of our lives and Jesus tells us – in this world you will have the life squeezed out of you. Perfect!

But Jesus doesn’t leave it there. He goes on to say: but take courage, be of good cheer, don’t worry, because I have conquered the world. All this I’ve said to you so that in Me you might have … peace.

The exact opposite of stress. Which would you rather have in your life – peace or stress? Well, peace obviously! But here’s the nub of what Jesus is saying – you can have that peace, right in this place where the life is being squeezed out of you.

Did you get that? Jesus is saying – look, you won’t always be able to avoid the pressure, in fact one thing is for certain, you will have pressure, you will feel squeezed. But in the middle of that you can have confidence and peace, because I have overcome the world – something they would just see in a few short days later when Jesus rose from the grave and appeared to them.

And