A Stress Management System

In order to write down thoughts I have for future blog posts, I keep a notebook in Evernote of Blog Ideas.  I can access it from my phone, so I can quickly jot down the germ of an idea for future nurturing into a post.  I was looking through that list today and found one from 2014.  Ten years ago I recorded a thought that says, "Philippians 4 as a way to handle stress."  I kind of remember someone saying that, so I wrote it down to explore later.  Today is later.

Here is Philippians 4:4-9, one of my favorite passages in the Bible.  How can this be a way to handle stress?

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice.  Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near.  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 your minds in Christ Jesus.

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.  As for the things that you have learned and received and heard and noticed in me, do them, and the God of peace will be with you.

• Rejoice in the Lord - Find joy in the Lord.  I can imagine that looking outside oneself in a time of stress and focusing on God with joy could be a way to manage stress.
• Let your gentleness be known to everyone - In my mind, I'm hearing "kindness" - Treat everyone with kindness.  Because I know from experience when I do the opposite, my stress levels do not go down, I think treating people with kindness could help with stress.
• Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God - Instead of worrying, place your anxiety in God's hands.  It's easy to say but hard to do.  Have you ever been successful at this? Sometimes I can be, and it does bring a peace that settles like a blanket around you.
• Focus on what is excellent - I've experienced this in my own life. When my younger son was born with a shoulder injury, we focused hard on helping his recovery. That's not a bad thing, but I forgot to remember all the other things about our child that were excellent. This verse changed my focus (although not my determination to help him).

And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.