Overcoming Stress Through Prayer

A devotional is an in-depth Bible study. A typical devotional should take you anywhere from 5 to 15 minutes to complete. Download and print a PDF version of this devotional for yourself, or use it with a friend to create an engaging discussion.

This Bible Study was inspired by the The Limits of Unbelief from the “Believe” series.

Opening Questions

• How are you handling the predominant stresses and emotions in your life?
• Are they overwhelming you or are you overcoming them?

Bible Study

What are you stressed about and overwhelmed by?

The seed cast in the weeds represents the ones who hear the kingdom news but are overwhelmed with worries about all the things they have to do and all the things they want to get. The stress strangles what they heard, and nothing comes of it.

Mark 4:19-19 (MSG)

Do you have a list of things you “have to do” and “want to get”? These tend to be the very things that distract us from God and stress us out. Stress, emotions and desires choke out God’s Word. It takes spiritual work to not allow this to happen in our lives.

Which persistent stress, emotions and desires are overwhelming you and distracting you from how God wants you to live? Identifying these is the first step toward overcoming them.

Where are you turning to deal with your stress and emotions?

As pressure and stress bear down on me, I find joy in your commands.

Psalm 119:143 (NLT)

The ability to enjoy life comes not from avoiding pressure and stress but from turning to God and his Word for comfort, guidance, solutions and faith.

Where do you turn to when you feel pressure and stress? Is it to God or somewhere else?

Choose to overcome with God and prayer

28 “Come to me all of you who are tired from the heavy burden you have been forced to carry. I will give you rest. 29 Accept my teaching. Learn from me. I am gentle and humble in spirit. And you will be able to get some rest. 30 Yes, the teaching that I ask you to accept is easy. The load I give you to carry is light.”

Matthew 11:28-30 (ERV)

God provides a solution for our stress. Jesus promises to give us rest and a lighter load if we learn from him by allowing him to teach us. This takes humility.

Have you been trying to learn from Jesus and the Scriptures or have you chosen to keep doing things your own way?

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:6-7 (NIV)

God promises that if we pray to him about everything we feel, he will give us a peace internally regardless of what life is throwing at you externally.

Are you praying through what you are anxious, stressed or overwhelmed by, and praying about why these things have such a grip on you?

Make time today to pray to God about all you are anxious, stressed or overwhelmed by. Express to him all that you think, feel and desire and what you are grateful for that he already has done and can do.

Then choose a scripture you will hold to that helps you please and stay focused on God rather than letting your anxieties and stress lead you away from him.