So. I thought I was going have a pretty chill semester this spring. Ha! Why do I never learn? I’ve never had a “chill” semester at Berkeley, and it’s certainly not going to happen in my last semester. With school having just started, I’m already thinking about the coursework I have for my classes and upcoming deadlines and research I have to stay on top of. It’s the same old story, I’m sure you all know. But in addition to whatever school stressors we have, we’re living with an ongoing pandemic. I don’t know about you, but I’m feeling stressed, overwhelmed and exhausted.
When I’m feeling this way, I tend to have a few favourite verses I turn to, ones I tend to read over and over again. You probably know the typical Bible verses too, the ones that mention to “draw strength” from God or have “faith” or “trust” in the Lord. While I cognitively understand what these verses are saying, practically it is hard to fully accept and believe it. Often, I’m looking at these verses, praying, but my head is still spinning from all the turmoil inside it. However, out of the mountains of verses I’ve looked at specifically for stress and anxiety over the years (as you may guess, I’m kind of an anxious person), there’s one in particular that’s really helped me. Here it is:
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.” - Philippians 4:6
So, what is it about this verse that makes it so helpful for me? It’s definitely not the “Do not be anxious” part. As I’ve established earlier, reading statements like that don’t actually make me feel any less anxious. No, the key thing in this verse is “by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.” When I pray while I’m feeling overwhelmed, I’m focused on what is wrong, what I need, life is terrible, etc. When I actively think about something to give thanks for, it puts a pause on some of those thoughts because I have to actively think of something good. Not to sound like an ungrateful brat, but I often find it hard to think of something I'm thankful for when I’m stressed.
But what I find is that usually the thing I’m stressed about is the thing I give thanks for. I just needed a shift in mindset. For example, one thing that I’ve been really stressed about for the last few weeks is leading my own research team this semester and managing everyone’s schedules so that I can a) get my data processed and b) make sure my URAP students are learning. And I’ve been racked with thoughts of: are these students competent enough? Am I competent enough to lead this? What if there’s no snow and I have zero data? And tons more other what ifs. But- what a blessing this is! I have a team of students that are helping me process data, I get to guide them as their mentor, and I have a great opportunity to grow as a leader. God has given me so much, and he will continue to provide me with the resources and strength I need. So personally, giving thanks when praying has been what works for me.
Now, I’m not saying that this is a foolproof method for dealing with your own stress. This is what works for me. And if you need to literally Google: “Bible verses that help you deal with stress” and click on twenty-three websites, go ahead, that’s what I did. I also want to include a really important note: some people have much more severe anxiety and actually need professional help. I used to think that not being able to handle my anxiety was because I didn’t have enough faith in God. In reality, I just really needed to go to therapy. If that’s what you need too, you shouldn’t feel like your faith or trust is lacking. And if what you need is just a friendly ear, then I’m here to listen. Send me an email at sabrina.chui@berkeley.edu.