Should you indulge in news media or social media, you will discover our world is extraordinarily stressful. Sitting in contemplation, I view the vast panorama of history I’ve learned. Human life has always experienced forces applying stress.
A mid-twentieth century researcher called Hans Selye wrote, “It is not stress that harms us; it is our reaction to stress.”
That echoes the wisdom from early Stoic writers who taught that our freedom is that of choosing our response to stress.
Jesus first words to followers were, “Follow me.” His subsequent teaching seems to be a constant reminder, “Fear not.” His followers’ response to stress was to follow and trust.
Therapists teach mindfulness meditation to calm stress—probably most either self-inflicted or parent-inflicted. In my case, boss-inflicted (but that story requires more than a couple hundred words).
Following Jesus, we feel the surrounding presence of God—a force or source of energy that we can tap to help us through stressful times. Pausing then reaching for that source finds a marvelous antidote to stresses.
Faith Venture 
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