Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. James 1:2–3 (NLT)
Many people blame their stress levels on the pressure they face in life. They feel stressed out because of the pressure of school, work or family, and they begin to believe that the only way they will lower their stress is by lowering the amount of responsibility they have in life.
A lot of the pressure you face in life is healthy and shouldn’t be avoided. Of course, I’m not talking about the stress of tragic situations such as the death of a loved one, a divorce or a serious illness. These are not part of God’s plan for your life. However, some types of pressure in life are just a necessary part of growth.
For example, an athlete running a race faces pressure and it causes a physiological reaction. If he responds by using that extra energy and blood flow to burst out of the starting block, his stress response has been healthy. He’s used it to get better at what he does.
However, if he thinks the pressure is killing him and he needs to avoid it by bowing out of the race, he prevents himself from moving forward. He becomes drained instead of energized and overwhelmed instead of empowered.
If you try to avoid all stress–the pressure of getting good grades, staying true to your morals, being a good parent or making a living–you’ll never grow! Realize that because of Jesus, you have everything you need to be energized and empowered by the healthy pressure you face. Take advantage of the chance to learn and grow.