by Rev. Derek P. Elphick
I was having a conversation with my cardiologist recently, discussing the ubiquitous nature of stress, when he said something I really needed to hear. He could tell I was fishing around to try and get him to agree with me that surely I (and everyone else) should be able to find a stress-free life. He looked at me and said, "You know, even a hermit experiences stress." He had a point. Imagine the life of a hermit - all alone, no one to talk to, constant worries about food and shelter or getting sick, plus the mental torment of wondering if this chosen lifestyle is the best life has to offer. A life removed from all our perceived stresses in this world doesn't mean new stresses won't rush in to fill the void. It's human nature to tell ourselves that if we didn't have to deal with this person or that situation or that if we moved out into the country away from our problems, away from all the irritants and annoyances we are experiencing, that we would finally find "peace," by which we mean a life without stress. No, even a hermit experiences stress.
The Writings give a cautionary tale about those who remove themselves from society by renouncing the world (and the people in it) in an effort to find peace. This mindset leads to a "sorrowful life" because avoiding what stresses us out misses the whole point of why we experience trials and hardship (see Heaven and Hell 535, 528). Angels become angels by dealing with stress, not avoiding it.
We stress about the people we love and causes that are important to us because anything of value requires fighting for it. That's a good kind of "stress." The unhealthy kind usually happens when we become "attached" to our own ideas, attitudes, grudges, delights, habits, possessions and hold onto them so tightly we can't let go of them. This causes stress in the mind and, as a result, stress in the body. Taking care of our bodies through diet and exercise certainly helps reduce stress but at some point, we need to separate the wheat from the tares, separate the healthy (worthy) stresses in life from the ones that are making us weary and sick.
There is no such thing as a life without stress. We need the healthy tension between following the Lord and turning our back on evil. This is why the Lord calls us to "lose our life for His sake" (Matthew 16:25). What unnecessary stress can I let go of for the sake of the Lord? How can I unburden my life to better serve the Lord and others? Every stressful situation we encounter in life is an opportunity to ask the Lord to be more present.