As a college student, it feels like the only thing I know how to do right is worry. If there isn’t something in the present to worry about, I’ll be worrying about something in the future. If there isn’t something in the future to worry about, I’ll be worrying about something from the past. Sometimes it seems like stress is the only constant in my life, and therefore stress almost becomes my comfort zone, stress is the only part of me I can really control. Only now am I realizing how unhealthy this is, and how common this feeling is within students everywhere. I’ve been turning to scripture for my stress and found my 5 favorite bible verses when I am feeling unbearably overwhelmed:

• Matthew 6:34 “Never be anxious about the next day for the next day will have its own worries”
  • My biggest problem with worrying is that I worry about things that are so far off in the future that they should not even be on my radar for the day. Each day has its own set of small battles, fight those first. Take it day by day, there is a 100% guarantee that you will face something new tomorrow, but deal with it tomorrow. Be in the moment. Be present.
    
    
• Philippians 4:6-7 “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
  • Instead of letting our problems live and grow inside of our heads, turn to prayer and God will deliver you answers. God understands your heart in ways you could never imagine, and if you ask He will answer in ways you could not have ever imagined. Turn to The Word for stress relief instead of things of the world and you will find true peace.
• Psalm 56:3 “When I am afraid, I put my trust in you.”
  • Know that when you are scared, or fearful of what may come, God has designed this path specifically to fit you and would never allow you to step into a battlefield you aren’t armed to fight on. Sometimes, instead of understanding and accepting the bad as a building block for our faith, we get down on ourselves and ask the question “Why God? Why me?”, when instead we should be gracious for the opportunity to strengthen ourselves before the Lord and know that we are becoming better because of this pain.
    
    
• 1 Peter 5:7 “Cast all your anxiety on him because He cares for you.”
  • The power of prayer could move mountains as long as you let it. God has the power to bear our burdens, if we communicate those burdens to Him.
• 2 Thessalonians 3:3 “But the Lord is faithful, He will strengthen you and protect you from the evil one.”
  • Our God is so gracious and will forever protect us from the evil of the world, and He makes us strong enough to take on even the toughest of battles. Know that at the end of the day this is all part of His divine and wonderful plan for us. Do not worry, for worrying just brings upon us more pain that we would have otherwise endured.

Don’t take life too seriously. There is nothing we could stress that God has not already prepared us for. Deep breath in, deep breath out, you got this!