All of us deal with pressure. I deal with it, you deal with it – it’s just part of human life. And it shows up in all kinds of ways, and it doesn’t ask for permission before it does. Sometimes it comes from things outside of us, like a boss at work who’s difficult to deal with, or an adolescent son who’s making choices that bring concern and tension into the home. Other times it comes through circumstances we never saw coming, like a financial obligation that suddenly lands on us.
Speaking of which… late last fall, I began receiving notices from my health insurer informing me and my wife that our health insurance premiums were going to be increasing. These notices seemed to come every other week, so we were anticipating having to pay more. But when the letter finally came disclosing what our new monthly payment would be – I nearly fainted! It was more than double what we had been paying! Talk about stress! And I immediately began cursing our government, the health insurance industry, the pharmaceutical industry, the medical history – all of it. “This is all just one big scam!”
Needless to say, I didn’t respond to it very well.
The Bible doesn’t ignore stress, in fact – it speaks to it directly. But it reframes how we’re meant to carry it. Instead of offering quick fixes, it points us to a different way of thinking, trusting, and responding. Some of my favorite Scriptures that all address the topics of anxiety, stress, and worry can be found in Philippians 4:6-7; 1 Peter 5:7; and of course, Jesus’ own practical teaching in Matthew 6:25-34.
What I appreciate most about Jesus’ wisdom in Matthew 6 is that He’s speaking to my own internal stress that comes from worrying about what might happen. I think for most of us – our stress comes from uncertainty about the future. It certainly was for me when we discovered how much our health insurance premiums would cost!
But the clearest, most human picture of how we’re to respond to overwhelming stress requires us to look back to an olive garden in Gethsemane some 2000 years ago. It’s here that Jesus teaches us how to respond to extreme pressure under real-time circumstances.
For the sake of brevity I will refer you to either Matthew 26 or Mark 14.
Reading the story of Jesus’ praying in the Garden, first we notice that He’s honest about His distress. The text says that He’s “deeply grieved” and “troubled,” even to the point of sorrow that feels incredibly overwhelming. Jesus doesn’t deny what He was feeling.
Biblically, stress isn’t dealt with by pretending everything’s fine. It begins with truthfulness before God.
Second, we notice that Jesus brings His stress directly to the Father in prayer. He falls on His face and prays, “If it is possible, let this cup pass from Me.” Ultimately, this shows us that bringing our desires, even our desire for relief, isn’t wrong.
The biblical response to stress includes pouring out exactly what you’re feeling and what you wish could change.
We also notice that Jesus ultimately surrenders His will: “Yet not as I will, but as You will.” Stress isn’t just expressed; it’s yielded. Jesus moves from “this is what I want” to “I trust what You want,” even when the outcome is painful.
Stress may sometimes be the very instrument in which God uses to accomplish His will for us.
Fourthly, we notice how persistent Jesus is in prayer. He returns to pray multiple times. How about us? How persistent are we? Releasing our stress to God isn’t always a one-time event. Sometimes it’s many times.
Our response to the stress we may encounter on any given day is largely determined by the level of persistence in our prayer life.
Even Jesus seeks support from others, although they fail Him. He asks His disciples to stay awake and watch with Him. While they fall asleep, His request itself shows that seeking godly support is part of a biblical response to stress. You’re not meant to endure everything in isolation.
One of the greatest gifts God gives us are godly friends who are willing to walk with us in times of trouble. If you don’t have them, find them and spend time with them.
Finally, we see Jesus rising with clarity and resolve. After praying, He stands and says, “Rise, let us go.” The stress hasn’t been removed, for the cross still lies ahead. But His posture has changed. He’s no longer overwhelmed. He’s strengthened to face what is coming.
Only through persistent prayer can God give us peace and clarity. It is the greatest tool, the sharpest weapon, that a Christ follower has. Use it!
So… in Gethsemane, we see a full, complete biblical response to stress. We have no greater model than Jesus Himself, and His example should encourage us.
May we remember this often, and without forgetting that the enormous stress He endured for us is far greater than any stress we could ever personally imagine encountering. Amen.
Former Blackout Artist 