5 Stress Management Tips from a Christian Perspective

Stress management is important because daily stress exacts a heavy price on our overall health. It can cost us dearly in our work, relationships, physical health, and even spiritual wellbeing. We can all use more stress management tips to help manage our stress loads.

Two Types of Stress

Not all stress is bad in your life. You need some stress to push you toward meeting your goals. A little bit of stress related to a deadline can serve as a motivating factor. So, your goal should not be to eliminate this good type of stress, but cut out as much bad stress as possible.

Bad stress is the kind that takes more than it gives. It is fueled by adrenaline and cortisol, hormones that work well in short-term situations but wreak havoc on our minds and bodies in the long term. We need to learn to control what we can about bad stress, so we limit its impact on us.

Let’s look at a couple of examples. Some stressful situations just happen to us without our control – your car gets wrecked; you receive an unfavorable diagnosis; or a pipe freezes and bursts, flooding your house.

These situations would be stressful to anyone, but your level of stress can be controlled by how intentionally you respond to these situations. You can admit that the situation causes you stress and take steps to actively manage it. Or you can allow your emotions to get out of control and cause you additional stress over the same situation.

Some stressful situations can be prevented. You may be taking on more work than you can manage, spending more than your budget allows, or procrastinating your work tasks. These situations all cause stress, but they can be prevented by employing techniques of stress management. You can learn ways to control this type of stress by adapting your responses and strategies.

5 Stress Management Tips

It is just not possible to prevent every stressful trigger in your life. But you can learn how to manage your responses to all types of stress so that your behaviors will be modified. By doing so, you will reduce the impact of stress on your physical, mental, emotional, relational, and spiritual health. Here are five stress management tips for you to try.

Manage What Is Yours

You probably have more control over your stressful situations than you realize. The best way to take stock and manage what is yours is to write down everything that causes you stress. Do not leave anything out – write down all the big and little things that trigger your stress throughout the week. Once you have this list, highlight the ones related to bad stress. Then look at which of those items can be preventable and write down ideas for preventing those situations.

Commit the unpreventable stress items to prayer. Each time you think about those situations, turn them over to God in prayer and trust that he will help you manage them. You can also look at the good stress items and thank God for using them as accountability factors in your life.

As you go through your week, devote most of your attention to the preventable stress items. Manage what is yours honestly answering what you can do about those situations. Even if you can only make minor changes, that decision is within your realm of control, and it can start making a difference in your overall stress level.

Here is an example. If you and your spouse are constantly arguing about a certain topic, you can commit to taking a different approach to reducing your stress. You may want to practice active listening without giving any feedback of your own to gain an understanding that you have not had before.

Or you may need to take a break in the middle of the argument to go regroup and come back with a clearer head. A Christian counselor can help you strategize ways to deal with preventable stress situations.

Practice Christian Meditation

You have probably heard about the physical, mental, and emotional benefits of meditation. But it is even more powerful to meditate on the truth of God’s word if you are a Christian. The Bible tells us that God’s word is living and active and has the power to change us. If you think slowly and carefully about the truths in God’s word and how they apply to your life, you can grow in your relationship with Him and begin to eliminate stress.

The word “stress” is not used in most Bible translations. But you can look at the related problem and find a Bible verse on which you can meditate. For example, if you are worried about finances, you can meditate on Matthew 6:25-34 aboutGod’s provision, particularly verse 33: “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” (Matt. 6:33, NIV)

Another way you can manage your stress with Christian meditation is to find verses that point you toward a virtue to pursue. For example, if you struggle with anxiety, you can choose verses that remind you to pursue peace, such as “You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you.” (Isaiah 26:3, NIV)

Your chosen verse will have a greater effect on you if you meditate on it throughout the day. You can write it out on a sticky note and place it where you will see it often or save it to your phone as a screensaver where you will see it over and over again.

When your stress is triggered, go back to your verse, think carefully about it, and make it into a prayer that draws you more deeply into God’s presence. With practice, you will be able to manage your stress through this strategy.

Prioritize Self-Care

An essential part of stress management is caring for yourself. Many people who deal with stress put their own needs on the back burner. However, if you prioritize self-care on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis, you can make a significant difference in your overall stress level.

You need to engage in activities that bring you joy. Write down little things you can do every day as simple mood boosters. Then make a list of things that you can do on a weekly or monthly basis to refuel and recharge. Put these commitments on your calendar just as if they were doctor’s appointments. You can look at self-care as preventive medicine for your mind, body, and soul.

Choose a Healthy Lifestyle

A constant stream of adrenaline and cortisol due to stress can wreak havoc on your body. But you can counteract these negative effects by choosing a healthy lifestyle as often as possible. By choosing healthy habits, you can reduce your risk of chronic and life-threatening diseases.

A healthy lifestyle includes enough sleep. Sleep is the time when your brain sorts out everything that you have thought about during the day and files it away in the correct places. It is also when your body rids itself of toxins that have built up partly due to the stress you are facing.

Engage in nightly rituals that will alert your mind and body that it is time to sleep. This may include using essential oils, skipping caffeine and alcohol use, reading a book instead of looking at a screen, and lowering the temperature in your bedroom. Some people also benefit from using white noise machines and sleeping masks to improve the quality of their sleep.

Other ways to choose a healthy lifestyle include eating a balanced diet full of fruits and vegetables. Do not forget to add nuts and healthy oils, which have trace elements that can boost your mood. Exercise is another way to boost your mood and counteract stress. If you cannot get a thirty-minute chunk of exercise every day, break it up into three ten-minute sessions. Your body will thank you for this investment in your health, which will also help reduce your stress.

Pick Your Battles

You need to pick your battles wisely in your stress management strategy. Try to eliminate all areas of preventable stress to reduce the daily and weekly battles you face. This may involve delegating tasks to others, avoiding interactions with certain people who trigger your stress, or getting input from mentors or counselors who can advise you on what to do.

You already know that you will have some stress you cannot prevent, so you may as well pick your battles for the unpreventable stress. A Christian counselor can help you employ strategies for personal and spiritual growth, so you will have stronger systems in place to handle the stresses that come your way without warning. You can always put on the armor of God as described in Ephesians 6:10-18 to face your daily battles of stress with greater victory.

Christian Counseling for Stress Management

If you are looking for stress management strategies that you can apply to your unique situation, consider meeting one on one with a Christian counselor who can review all the stress triggers in your life. Your counselor can advise you on what stress is manageable and which stressors you can eliminate. Schedule your free initial consultation with a qualified Christian counselor today.