Stress and the Bible, and Ways to Cope

Hello new school year! And hello stress and the constant feeling of sleep deprivation. As the new school year begins, we all begin to feel a little run-down already. With adjusting to getting up at 6 again, to making amnends to our schedules, to getting used to the pressures that the new school year always brings, everyone feels the wear on them soon. I find myself wanting to move on from this year already, when it's only just begun! I figured I'm not the only one feeling the stress of school, so i decided to look up what the Bible says about stress and relaxation: "Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. (John 4.1)" Jesus calmly assures us that we need only to believe in God and Him to find peace in our lives. For nothing can compare to the peace the Lord Himself can give to us. "Come to me all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you 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. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light. (Matthew 11:28-30)" God gives us many examples in the Bible all basically instructing the same thing: go to Him, love Him, believe in Him, and you shall find peace. In addition, to believing in God, coping strategies couldn't hurt. :] One suggestion I found, other than the obvious ones like stay healthy, excercise, and learn to manage your time well, is to try to find lots of humor in your everyday life. Laughing is not only healthy, but good for the soul. Good luck putting some of these strategies into use! And on a final note, remember, the Lord says, "Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. (John 14:27)"