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ber thee upon my bed, and medí–
tate on thee in the night watches"
(Psalm 63:5-6).
Here's another important prin–
cipie:
Know your strengths and
weaknesses and /ive within your
means.
Trying to be like someone
else causes stress if your expecta–
tions are beyond your capability
to achieve.
Analyze
your
strengths,
weaknesses
and limita–
tions. Don 't
take on more
than you can
comfortably
handle. Be
willing to
say
no
when
your time and
energy are a l–
ready in fu ll
demand.
Struggling
to "keep up
wi th
the
Joneses" will
also cause
endless stress
and strain.
The modern
misguided
and misdirected "rat race" is not
worth your effort, energy and
economic resources. The apostle
Paul's answer was, "Let your con–
duct be without covetousness, and
be content with s uch things as
you have" (Hebrews 13:5, New
King James Version).
He wrote to Timothy and said,
"But godliness with contentment
is great gain. For we brought
nothing into this world, and it is
August .1981
certain we can carry nothing out.
And having food and clothing,
with these we shall be content"
(1
Timothy 6:6-8).
Paul learned that whatever state
he was in- whether full or hun–
gry- he could be content and satis–
fied with the thought that Christ
was with him to provide the
strength to see him through his
problems (Philippians 4: ll-13).
Change Your Thinking
The second coping strategy is to
change your way of thinking.
Learning to think good and
uplifting thoughts is a key to
mental stability. As the apostle
Paul said, "Whatsoever things are
true, whatsoever things are hon–
est, whatsoever things are just,
whatsoever things are pure, what–
soever things are of good report;
if there be any virtue, and if there
be any praise,
think on these
things"
(Philippians 4:8).
fn a world
w.here there
is so much
negative
thinking, we
~
all need an
~
uplifting
~
mental out-
11
Jook and at–
~
ti tu de.
Avoid gos–
sip, degrading rumors and de–
structive criticism of others.
Focus your mind on good quali–
ties of others. Develop an outgo–
ing, helpful concern for other
people.
Also avoid, whenever possible,
personality connicts and explo–
sive situations that spark off
st ress. Attempt to understand
how others feel and be willing to
forgive their shortcomings. Intol–
erance of others often leads to
frustration and needless anger.
Keep yourself calm, cheerful and
pleasan t even if others can
't.
Learning the basic skills of get–
ting along with other people will
help reduce stressful living. Of
course, there is a time to speak
out
in
righteous indignation.
Dr. Hans Selye says negative
feelings "include hatred, distress,
disdain, hostility, jealousy and the
urge for revenge, in short every
drive likely to endanger your
security by inciting aggressive–
ness in others who are afraid that
you may cause them harm. " Posi–
tive feelings include
·~gratitude,
respect, trust, and admiration for
the excellence of outstanding
achievements, all of which add up
to goodwill and friendship"
(Stress Without Distress,
pp. 70-
71 ).
As negative emotions will pro–
duce damaging changes to the
body's chemistry, as Dr. Selye
explains in his book, the positive
emotions of !ove, faith, hope,
laughter and the determination to
live produce beneficia! changes in
the body. Dr. John Schindler says
s uch healthy emotions are "just
as powerful in the direction of
good health as the etfect of the
stressing emotions is toward bad
health"
(How to Live 365 Days a
Year,
p. 62).
Centuries ago the Bible re–
corded that emotions have a
direct effect on the body's health.
Proverbs 14:30 says, "A sound
heart [mind] is the life of the
flesh [body]: but envy [a harmful
emotion] the rottenness of the
bones." A negative emotion sueh
as envy will damage the physical
body.
On the other hand, positive and
pleasant emotions benefit the body.
"Pleasant words [or thoughts] are
asan honeycomb, sweet to the soul,
and
health to the bones"
(Proverbs
16:24). Further, "A merry heart [a
cheerful attitude] doeth good like a
medicine: but a broken spirit drieth
the bones" (Proverbs 17:22). Also
see Proverbs 15: 13, 15.
The contrast is clear. Good
emotions benefit the body's
health. Negative emotions and a
depressed atti tude damage the
functions of the body. Emotional
stress must therefore be avoided
to retain good health.
Make Wise Decisions
A third coping strategy:
Learn
how to make right and wise deci–
sions to solve problems.
Making
decisions is a trying experience
for those under severe stress. The
turmoil of indecision and confu–
sion increases tension and frustra–
tion. But we must make decisions
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