Stress and Faith

Stress and Faith

Doctor, I know I worry about my problems way too much. But I just can’t stop. I’m nervous all the time, I worry constantly, and I never have any fun. It’s hurting my family and I fear it’s going to start hurting my health. What do I do?

This is actually one of the more common questions that I receive. Along with many other health practitioners, I believe that stress is at the cause of most of our problems. People get stressed and have heart attacks and strokes. They get stressed and then smoke, leading to emphysema and lung cancer. These are the top four causes of death in the United States today.

What do we do? Unfortunately, in modern times, most people seem to think that a pill has all the answers. Many patients are prescribed Xanax or Ativan, sedatives that are used for short-term relief.  Others are given Paxil, Remeron, or Zoloft, anti-depressants sometimes used for anxiety.  The problems are that the Xanax and Ativan are addictive, and the anti-depressants help only a bit, while having many serious side effects.  Both types of medications don’t solve the underlying problem: You can’t stop thinking about your problems, and you waste your life away worrying.

That doesn’t mean nothing can be done. A lot can be done. However, pills at best are only part of the answer. Exercising, meditation, tai chi, hobbies, and just getting good quality time with family can all be helpful diversions. But at the end of the day, I have many patients who say that they have tried many of these techniques, and yet they still worry, still have stress, and are wracked with anxiety.

The ultimate cure for stress is a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Surrendering your life and asking for forgiveness for all of your sins is essential. When you do that, you have a beginning foundation. Your relationship with God can then be developed over time through prayer, meditation on Scripture, learning His Word, and beginning a plan of action to do His Word. As James 2:17 says, “Faith by itself isn’t enough.  Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless.”

Therefore the prescription for stress is faith. It doesn’t happen in a day. Faith has to be cultivated by developing a plan of action. Only then can we effectively reach out to our Lord and Savior, who is always there for us. But with His saving grace, and our development of faith, stress can indeed become a thing of the past.