An Unpopular Opinion about Stress: It’s Helpful.
In today’s fast-paced world, stress seems to be an unwelcome companion for many of us. It doesn’t take long after we wake to feel the stress of the day’s agenda and responsibilities move us from resting to rushing. It’s as easy for us to say we are stressed as it is to say we are busy. It has become normal to be stressed. But what exactly is stress and what is it doing to us?
A Definition of Stress
Stress is an emotional or mental state resulting from real or perceived pressures and demands.
Prolonged stress can lead to mental, emotional, and physical exhaustion, leaving us overwhelmed and burnt out. It doesn’t just affect us personally—it can also strain our relationships and spiritual well-being.
Yet even though stress often carries a negative connotation and has negative effects, stress itself is a neutral response to life’s challenges. Read the definition above again and you will see that the emotional state isn’t described as negative. What if stress isn’t always the villain we make it out to be? What if stress can actually be helpful for us?
Is All Stress Bad?
Surprisingly, not all stress is harmful. Stress can be a powerful motivator, helping us achieve goals and feel accomplished. This positive form of stress, known as eustress, is a natural part of life. It happens during exciting experiences like riding a roller coaster, running a race, or starting a new job. Eustress is short-term, focusing our energy and enhancing our performance. It’s an example of how God designed our bodies to help us succeed.
Other stress can also be helpful. Deadlines, exams, or fitness goals create pressure that forces us to make changes and accomplish things. This kind of stress motivates us to take action and achieve what’s needed. So not all stress is bad—God has wired us to respond constructively to pressure.
However, there’s more to the story. Many of our problems stem not from eustress but from distress—the negative kind of stress. We all know this type well, yet rarely do we try to understand it. Mostly, we just try to endure it. Most of us would say, “I want less stress in my life.” You probably resonate with that statement.
We’ve seen how the positive form of stress helps us. But what if I told you that the negative form of stress can play an even more crucial role in our lives—not just to enable us to get stuff done, but to orient our hearts to the Lord?
We feel stressed when we rely too heavily on our own understanding and drift away from trusting God. If we understand that this is why we experience negative stress, then when we feel it, we will recognize that we need to pause and realign to come back to a place of dependence on and trust in God. Think of stress as a warning light that an unhealthy shift has happened, and an adjustment needs to be made. This mindset can change the way you approach stress and can help lead you to deeper dependence on God.
The Hidden Blessing of Stress: A Call to Depend on God
Stress can often feel overwhelming because we’re trying to handle everything on our own. But that’s not how God designed us. He allows stress to remind us that we’re not meant to carry life’s burdens alone (2 Corinthians 12:8-10). When we feel overwhelmed, it’s often a sign that we’re relying too much on our own strength and understanding rather than trusting in God’s sovereign plan (Proverbs 3:5-6). Stress, then, becomes a signal pointing us back to God’s provision and control (Philippians 4:19). He is in charge, so we don’t have to be (Exodus 14:14).
Stress can be good insofar as it draws you back to a dependent relationship with the One who tells you not to fear because everything is under his control (Isaiah 41:10). He is your strength in the face of temptation. True peace comes from trusting in God’s care, provision, and providence.
The next time you feel stressed, ask yourself: Am I leaning on my understanding, or am I resting in God’s peace? The answer may guide you toward a more balanced and peaceful life. God might be using stress to draw you closer to him. This deeper perspective can help you navigate stress more effectively, offering the opportunity for both relief and spiritual growth.
This podcast was originally written for New Growth Press, the publisher of the book I’m Stressed: A Path from Pressure to Peace. Pick up your copy of the book and learn more about how to live well in a world of stress.
