Stress is defined as “pressure or worry caused by the problems in somebody’s life.” (See Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary, 6th Edition). Stress is something we cannot completely wipe out from our lives. As long as there are problems on earth, stress will often show up in our lives whenever problems mount up.
Experts have made us to understand that we
need some amount of stress to really thrive. Such amount of stress is necessary
to propel us to be up and doing and to be the best we can be.
But much stress is what experts say can be
detrimental to our health. The question, then, is: Since stress can be
detrimental to our well-being, how can we manage it to a level where we can
function optimally?
I found the answer in an article sent to me
via email by Charisma Magazine, a
Christian publication which I subscribed to its newsletter. Titled, “Rick Warren: Be Thankful in Tough Times,”
the article was written by Rick Warren himself. Warren is the founding pastor
of Saddleback Church in Lake Forest,
California, one of America’s largest and most influential churches.
Author
of New York Times’ Bestseller, The
Purpose Driven Life: What on Earth Am I Here For?, Warren, was
named one of the 100 Christian books that changed the 20th century.
Warren is also the founder of Pastors.com, a global internet
community for pastors.
Now, let me share with you four steps that Warren
stipulated we can take to manage stress effectively:
1. Don’t
Worry About Anything
The reason we should stop worrying about
anything is that worry does not change anything. Warren is of the view that just as we learn to worry, we can also
unlearn it. This means we have to consciously and constantly take control of
our mind by refusing to entertain worry. This is possible because as Jesus said
in Mattew 6:25-34 using the phrase, “take no thought” several times, we can by
constant practice stop worrying by choosing the thoughts we allow into our mind.
2. Pray About Everything
Phil. 4:6-7 says: “Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication
with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of
God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through
Christ Jesus.” Instead of worrying, we should spend our time praying to
God. If we pray as much as we worry, we would have very little or nothing to
worry about. God is interested in every detail about our life. And as such, He
said: “And call upon me in the day of
trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me.” (Psalm 50:15).
3. Thank God in All Things
When we pray, we should pray with
thanksgiving. As Warren puts it: “The healthiest human emotion is not love but
gratitude. It actually increases your immunities. It makes you more resistant
to stress and less susceptible to illness. People who are ungrateful are
miserable because nothing makes them happy. They’re never satisfied.”
We reduce our stress to the barest minimum
when we cultivate the attitude of being thankful in every situation we find
ourselves. I Thess. 5:18 says: “In every
thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.”
The situation you are in may not be pleasant; it may not be what you like,
but the Bible says: “this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.”
We must embrace this fact and give thanks to God in any situation we find
ourselves.
4. Think About the Right Things
Thinking, they say, makes the man. Prov. 23:7
says: “For as he thinketh in his heart,
so is he…” Thinking is a very effective way of reducing stress because they
way we think determine how we feel. And the way we feel determines the way we
act. Instead of indulging in worrying or allowing worry thoughts to rule us, we
should consciously and deliberately take control of our mind and start thinking
positively.
In Phil. 4:8, we are instructed: “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are
true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever
things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good
report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these
things.”
Finally, it is worthy of note that no matter
the intensity of your stress, it can effectively be managed and reduced to a
level where you can function optimally. Warren’s four-step approach is God’s
prescription for managing stress. And because it’s God’s prescription, it works
and will work if you practice it.
And as you practise this prescription, it is
my hope that you will overcome every stress that is mounting up in your life.
CFVL Easter Bonanza!
Welcome to CFVL’s 2016 Easter Bonanza. This Easter Bonanza, you have the golden opportunity to order all our e-books at a giveaway price of N1,000 for any copy of our e-books. Yes, for N1,000 only, you can order any copy of our e-books! Our e-books are highly researched, down-to-earth and well packaged. Just as you can’t find a trash among the articles we post on this blog. You will equally not find a
trash among the e-books we advertise here on this blog.
More importantly, our e-books are backed by our iron clad money back guarantee. This means that if after 30 days you are not satisfied with the content of our e-books, you can request for a refund of your money. And we will refund your money in a jiffy! No hassle! Now, you have the golden opportunity of reading details about our e-books before ordering them. Below are links to our e-books’ sales copies.
AND NOTE: The Easter Bonanza Price that you will pay for any of our e-books below is N1,000 only! CFVL is wishing you a happy Easter celebration. Click the links below to read details about our e-books before you place your order:
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10. Blogging for Profits
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14. A-Z of Snail Farming
15. LANDLORD’S TREASURY
16. TENANT’S TREASURY
17. SHAREHOLDER’S COMPANION
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Price
The Easter Bonanza price is N1,000 only and it will be valid till April 30, 2016, after which the price will reverts to their normal prices.
How to Order
Pay the sum of N1,000 only into any of the following accounts:
i. Bank: UBA
Account name: Adaji Sunday
Account number: 2015569824
Or ii. Bank: Zenith Bank
Account name: Adaji Sunday Enemaku
Account number: 2007552922.
After payment, text payment details to 07061016859. Remember to include the code of the e-book you are ordering in your payment details. Click the e-book link you wish to order to find the code of the e-book you wish to order.
The payment details will look like this: Name/email/amount/code/teller No./date/
Example: Sunny/conqueror.adaji30@gmail.com/N1,000/00000/00-00-00/
On confirmation of your payment, I will send it to your email box where you will download the e-book or print out and read.
