If you read Nia’s article last week, here is her advice on how to cope with stress. Enjoy and know that you are not alone!
Prayer– God promises to give us peace beyond our understanding, but in order for Him to do His part we have to do ours. That means pray! Have you ever noticed in the Bible before Jesus healed someone he always asked ‘what is it that you want?’ We need tell God what we want.
Meditate on Scripture– I have become more dependent on scripture while in this stressful situation. It’s no coincidence that all of my verses since the beginning of October have been about stress. Here are some of the scriptures I like to meditate on:
Blessed is the man who keeps going when times are hard. After he has come through them, he will receive a crown. The crown is life itself. God has promised it to those who love him James 1:12 (NIRV)
Peace I leave you, my peace I give you I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. John 14:27 (NIV)
Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7 (NIV)
Admit You have a problem – Admitting I need help has never been easy for me, because it felt too much like a “me problem” to concern other people. I also feel weak owning up to my problem because everyone else seemed to have it all together. Remember, the sooner you own up to your problems, you’ll save yourself a lot of pain. Just because other people look like they have at all together doesn’t mean they really do.
Listen to music – I like to listen to songs about overcoming a battle. It doesn’t matter if it’s Christian or secular as long as I can relate to it because keeps me going. I also like to listen to songs that talk about comfort during a rough period because they speak to me.
Take care of yourself – The apostle Paul says that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, which you’ve received from God. Therefore, we must take care of our bodies as well as our spiritual growth. Exercise, drink a lot of water and try to eat healthy.
Know your limits – Know what you can and cannot take, it’s okay to say no.
Set up priorities – When I have so many things to do, I prioritize what is most important to get done first. Then I am more prepared and don’t waste time on things that aren’t as important or run out of time for things that need to be done right away.
Don’t be afraid to take breaks – Recently, I’ve been dealing with sore throats. All of the talking and singing for rehearsals for the play and my arts school presentations have taken a toll on my voice. My mom encouraged me to stay home and rest. I didn’t like her advice but knew she was right and I needed to rest. I would not get better or do a good job if I could not talk. It reminded me of the previous point “take care of yourself”. I’ve always felt guilty whenever I take breaks but when we have a busy schedule, we have to take breaks so we can recharge.
In conclusion, even though there are times I feel this season will never end. I always hear my mom’s voice reminding me that God is on my side and with His peace, strength and wisdom, I will do well and will make it through. And, so can you!
Nia (pronounced “Nye-ah”) is an aspiring actress and author. She is a student at Westerville central High School and Fort Hayes Perfoming Arts School . During her free time, she loves reading, writing, and listening to music, and is passionate about bringing the Kingdom of God through the stories she writes and the characters she portrays on stage.
