God offers peace in the midst of stress

It's no secret that chronic stress — wherever it comes from — zaps the body and saps the spirit.

Spring is such a time to feel joyful with warming weather and longer light and birds in love and flowers bravely blooming. But this spring so far has been chilly, slow to get moving.

Then the national news is screaming tragedy every day. The heart cries out, “Stop! I have enough to deal with in my own small world.” The mind is tired, tired, tired.

This is one effect of stress — feeling physically and mentally fatigued. According to Mayo Clinic, there are quite a few others. Stress attacks the body with headache, muscle tension, sleep problems, stomach upset, and chest pain. It invades one's mood with restlessness, anxiety, irritability or anger, sadness or depression, lack of motivation, and feeling overwhelmed.

I saw stress in action on a morning walk this week. There were four deer nibbling the greening grass in a clearing as I came hightailing down a dirt road. They stopped eating, lifted their heads, and stared. Their bodies tensed, not knowing what threat I was to them. Deciding I was safe, they resumed browsing.

But as I looped back they went through the same scenario — and this time concluded the tension wasn't worth it. They moved away, farther into the trees. Maybe the browsing wasn't as good, but peace tasted better.

Comfort and peace are two things everybody needs. People seek it in many places — and often those places keep shifting and coming up empty. Stress is still right there hanging on like a pit bull with its jaws locked.

There's a place I go in stress that doesn't shift — a promise God placed in the Bible for peace and comfort. It reads, “For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Another way to say it, “But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us.” There is no other peace and comfort that speaks to the human soul like knowing I am genuinely and forever loved.

This is what God offers. It's why He cared about coming into this world. Walking in our midst to make known a love that outlasts earthly groans.

Without challenge there is no conquering. Stress can and does make possible personal growth. But chronic stress that depletes has forgotten God. This stress that won't let go says there is no help — no hope.

Except there is. The minute I remember who it is who cares for me, that's the moment debilitating stress loosens its grip. And peace and comfort are right there waiting.