By Orlando Cabrera
Our 15-year-old son, Max, has this unique way of expressing his feeling and thoughts. And even with all that we have learned about autism spectrum disorder, we never cease to be amazed by what comes out of his mouth. One of the latest things we’re learning about from him is something he has deemed “octopus stress”. According to Max, octopus stress is the feeling you have when you are stressed out over multiple things at the same time. Those things may or may not be directly related to each other but they leave you feeling fearful, fatigued and/or stuck.
After Max shared this with us, I couldn’t help but think about the times in my life that I have felt exactly like that. Stress comes in many different forms and is a relentless enemy to our souls. As children of God, we were designed to find rest in Him. But the list of potential stressors can seem endless and can lead us away from resting in the Lord. Stress can disorient us and leave us feeling physically, emotionally and spiritually fatigued. And worse, it can feel isolating or shaming, like we’re ‘bad Christians’ for experiencing stress or anxiety.
Now there are all sorts of therapeutic approaches to stress and I believe there can be a place for those, but ultimately, the greatest agent of change in our lives is the Lord God Himself. We have a Shalom God, a God of peace and wholeness. One who has made peace with us through Christ and delights in dispensing His peace upon us through His Word and through His Holy Spirit. One of the greatest benefits of the Gospel of Jesus Christ is the fact that we are in covenant relationship with God. We are assured of His steadfast, covenantal love. Stress cannot change that fact, although stress would want to cloud our vision and make us to lose sight of that love.
Consider the power in the truth of Lamentations 3:22-23 “ Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” That same truth permeates the pages of God’s Word. The presence, power and promises of God are assured to every believer in Christ. They don’t shift or change. They are as certain as the rising and the setting of the sun.
But stress would want us to forget that.
So, here is some encouragement for those times when you feel “octopus stressed”.
1. Don’t let the enemy shame you in your stress. You’re not an illegitimate child of God or a failure as a Christian because you are battling stress and/or anxiety. Remember that our security with the Father does not rest in our activity and behavior but in the perfect work of Jesus. That’s the glorious grace and truth of the Gospel (Ephesians 2:8-9/Titus 3:4-5). Remember that God’s love for His children is unconditional (Romans 8:1) and He has not called us to a life of independence but dependence on Him (John 15). In Him we find our strength, sustenance, peace and hope. The enemy knows that and wants to keep us from receiving it.
2. Let stress be an onramp to intimacy with God. When we encounter stress, we want to run from it or rid ourselves of it. That’s totally a natural response. But here’s one that we would be wiser to employ. Let the things that burden or overwhelm your soul, fuel your need, desire and pursuit of God. One of things stress can do for the child of God is remind us of the fact that He has not yet made all things new. We are sojourners and pilgrims (1 Peter 2:11-12), and so we will continue to experience the pangs of sin even though we have victory through Christ and will ultimately be delivered from sin’s power and penalty. God is not like man, He doesn’t grow weary of our neediness or our cries for His grace and intervention. As a child of God, you are assured that the Lord will hear Your prayers (1 Peter 3:12/Psalm 4:3) and will draw near to you as you draw near to Him (James 4:8/Jeremiah 33:3). God is our greatest need, our greatest treasure and our greatest delight (Psalm 73:25).
3. Draw strength, comfort and encouragement from the Body of Christ, the family of God. This cannot be stated enough. We were made to live in community with God and with others. I know that in times of stress there can be fear or shame in sharing our experiences. Maybe we don’t want to be thought of as weak. Or maybe we don’t want to overwhelm anyone with our problems. But honestly, at the root of most of our excuses, lurks pride. The enemy would love nothing more than to keep us isolated. We become easier targets when we are (1 Peter 5:8). So as you run to God, press also into your Christian community. Remember that you are an integral party of the Body of Christ. Let others love you (1 Thessalonians 4:9), carry your burdens (Galatians 6:2), pray with you (James 5:16) and encourage you (Colossians 3:16/1 Thessalonians 5:11). And allow God to use you to do the same for others.
There is hope and there is peace, even in octopus stress. His name is Jesus.