How did Jesus handle stress?
What can we learn from him?
Jesus had his own daily news.
News of his healing spread.
People wanted to be healed by him.
Crowds pressed upon him.
Others wanted to trap him and kill him.
So what did Jesus do?
Jesus prayed.
Jesus understood the power of prayer.
Jesus started his day with God.
Mark 1:35 tells us:
“Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.”
This is how I like to begin my day too.
I sit with God to prepare for the day and the events I will face.
My first centering prayer sit is a must.
I need this sit.
It prepares me for the day.
It is non-negotiable.
Jesus Stepped Away
We also notice Jesus leaving the crowds to be renewed.
Luke 5:16 tells us that Jesus “often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.”
Jesus took vital time to be in communion with God.
He stepped away.
He prayed.
He was renewed.
We can imagine that some of this prayer was silent and wordless.
We can imagine Jesus being healed, nourished, and strengthened by God.
Jesus understood that he needed to remain connected to the power of God.
Jesus needed this inner maintenance to fuel the work God had called him to do.
That matters to me.
We Need Prayer Throughout the Day
Jesus did not only pray in the morning.
He returned to God throughout the day.
This is how he coped with the stress of the daily news and the daily actions required of him.
This is why I take a second, and sometimes third, centering prayer sit during the day.
I need this time to reset.
Refresh.
Reconnect to God.
Jesus serves as a powerful model of prayer.
We need prayer to begin the day.
And we need prayer throughout the day.
Into Your Hands
In the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus especially needed to cope with his news:
His upcoming death on the cross.
How did Jesus handle this stress?
He placed his life, faith, and trust in God.
“Father, into your hands I commend my spirit.”
When we face fear, stress, uncertainty, or news we do not want to receive, we too need to place our life, faith, and trust in God.
This does not mean we do nothing.
It means we trust God and then take the actions God calls us to take.
This is what we do during centering prayer.
Like Jesus, we say:
“Into your hands I commend my spirit.”
We sit with God.
We let go.
We trust.
We are healed and strengthened by Divine love and wisdom.
Then we get up from our sits and partner with God as we move through the day.
We act.
We trust God.
We take the next step.
Even when it moves us out of our comfort zone.
Even when we are afraid.
Because God is with us.
A Simple Invitation
How do you handle stress?
Where might God be inviting you to pause, pray, and trust today?
Would you like a simple way to begin sitting quietly with God?
I created a free guide to help you begin centering prayer and experience more peace, clarity, and a deeper awareness of God’s presence.
