Stress – Worry and Anxiety

Stress is one of the most commonly heard words in our times. About 70 years ago, this word was not widely familiar to most people. In those days, during engineering works such as the construction of bridges and large buildings, the word “stress” was often used when one load or weight was placed upon another. They would say, “This work will be under stress.” Gradually, the word became widely used, and today it is commonly associated with the mental, health, financial, and relationship-related worries that people face in their lives.

A man named Robert, who served as a bishop of a church in Ireland, once shared a personal experience. He said that he was constantly troubled by one worry or another. At one point, although his legs were perfectly healthy and functioning well, he began to worry, “One day I may become paralyzed, and both my legs may stop working.”

Because of this fear, whenever he sat down, he would often pinch or scratch his legs to check whether they were still functioning properly or whether he had become paralyzed.

He became so accustomed to checking his legs that one day, while sitting at a dinner with others, he suddenly had the thought, “Let me check my legs once again.” He pinched the legs beside him, but he could not feel any sensation.

Immediately, he became frightened and cried out, “Just as I have always feared, I have become paralyzed! My legs will no longer work!”

Then an elderly woman sitting nearby said to him, “Bishop, you pinched my legs. Those are not your legs!”

There are many people among us who are troubled by unnecessary thoughts and countless worries just like this.

Let us consider why Jesus emphasized in His first sermon, “Do not worry.”

Worry can lead to many kinds of health problems, mental struggles, failures, and, most importantly, it can cause a person to move away from faith. Therefore, we need to remember the words spoken by our beloved Lord Jesus.

Matthew 6:25–28

“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes?

Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your Heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?

Can any one of you, by worrying, add a single moment to your life?

And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet even Solomon in all his splendor was not dressed like one of these.

If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will He not much more clothe you—you of little faith?

Therefore, do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the people who do not know God run after all these things, and your Heavenly Father knows that you need them.”

As children of God, the assurance He has given us is truly great. When we have received such a wonderful divine promise, if we still give room to worry, we are only bringing loss upon ourselves.

Therefore, let us depend on our God in faith—the One who carries our burdens day by day—and come out of every form of worry.

Let us move forward into a peaceful and joyful life, trusting God completely, and live as witnesses for our Lord.

Philippians 4:6

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.”

Let us surrender every worry into the hands of God, trust His care, and walk forward with faith, peace, and confidence.