Replacing stress with rest

Sometimes battling stress can feel like a never-ending cycle: some moments of victory, alternating with fear and uncertainty. Is it possible to break out of the cycle?

I’ve found that considering the unvarying goodness of God – and Jesus’ teachings and proofs of that goodness – leads us not just to momentary improvement but to a deeper rest, a more permanent peace of mind.

Jesus was tasked with the greatest work of all time – the salvation of humanity – and yet the Bible does not at all give the impression that he was mired in stress every day. Instead of lengthy descriptions of burdens, Jesus speaks of rest: “Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls” (Matthew 11:29, New Revised Standard Version).

How is this possible? The Bible describes it this way: “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning” (James 1:17). There are no fluctuations in the goodness and perfection that constitute God’s creation. God, infinite good, could never entertain even a sliver of darkness. As His children, we are spiritual and reflect the perfect goodness and peace of God.

That means we can’t be subject to cycles of good and bad. Peace, accomplishment, and victory – not stress, anxiety, and fear – are what we’re created by God to experience. The fact of God’s unvarying goodness means that peace is always our right – not just when a project is completed, but while the work is happening, too.

At one point I was enrolled in a graduate school program while also working full time. The school projects seemed intimidating, and I had constrained periods of time to complete them outside of my work schedule. I would stress about a looming assignment, complete it, rest briefly, and then worry about the next assignment – on and on throughout each semester.

This cycle wasn’t sustainable, so I turned to God in prayer. I contemplated the idea that what God gives us is good. It occurred to me that even during my busiest weeks, I still got all the work finished. That told me the stress and worry, despite filling much of my mental space, was actually a false narrative of sorts.

The stress narrative claimed that we are entities distanced from God, who may or may not have what it takes to complete our work. This was an opportunity to learn from Christ Jesus, who declared, “I and my Father are one” (John 10:30), and “I can of mine own self do nothing” (John 5:30). His identity as the Son of God was of course unique, but he proved that we, too, are united with God, and aren’t limited in our abilities. Instead, we reflect God’s good qualities in abundance.

Nineteenth-century thinker Mary Baker Eddy discovered through careful study of the Bible the system of laws, or Science, underlying Jesus’ teachings. In “Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures,” she writes of Christian Science, “Science says: All is Mind and Mind’s idea. You must fight it out on this line. Matter can afford you no aid” (p. 492).

I pondered in what way I needed to “fight it out.” My whole aim in enrolling in the program was to bless others through what I learned. Anxiety and fear of insufficient time kept me thinking of myself as a limited, material being. Instead, I needed to proceed from the basis of my true identity as a spiritual idea of Mind, God.

The thought popped into my head to completely stop schoolwork anytime I felt stressed about my workload. Instead, I would spend some time in prayerful study, learning more about God, the supreme cause, who is all-loving and supplies us with all we need to accomplish our tasks. Accompanying this counterintuitive idea was a feeling of hope and peace; that’s how I knew it was inspiration from God. I realized I didn’t need to endure fear’s bullying. As an idea of Mind, our identity comes complete with freedom, dominion, and joy.

These prayerful pauses never prevented me from finishing each week’s work on time. In fact, I felt greater lightness and joy as I completed the work. Within a short time, the stress stopped showing up altogether. I moved through the rest of the program with a new confidence and delight in working with others, too.

There is a way forward and out of seemingly endless stress cycles. Following Christ Jesus’ lead, recognizing the freedom that comes with being God’s children, opens a way bursting with light, goodness, accomplishment, and yes, even rest.