Life seems to move faster. The demands seem to get heavier. And the problems seem to get bigger. Stress affects all of us in different ways and it comes from different directions. But when stress is constant and not released, researchers say that it results in anxiety, depression, digestive problems, headaches, muscle tension, and heart disease. Obviously, monitoring stress and finding relief from it is something that needs to be on our radar. What’s fascinating to me is that recent research points in the same direction that the Bible has prescribed for thousands of years.

In a 2021 study published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, researchers found that “experiences of awe transform the meaning of daily stresses.” In fact, greater experiences of awe led to lower levels of daily stress. Dr. Virgina Sturm, one of the lead investigators, explained why: “One of the key features of awe is that it promotes what we call ‘small self,’ a healthy sense of proportion between your own self and the bigger picture of the world around you.” Awe engages your senses and focuses you on something outside and bigger than yourself. Their suggestions for cultivating awe were mostly related to nature and trying to notice the beauty and wonder that’s around us, but what could inspire more awe than God Himself?

The Bible addresses this same theme. God is regularly seen as calling people to Himself. He wants us to see Him and recognize Him, not only in the beauty of His creation but, more directly, in a personal relationship of wonder and reverence. And He promises that there is rest in His presence. Then, as now, people often choose stress over the rest that God invites us to. Isaiah 28:18 puts it like this: “God has told his people, ‘Here is a place of rest; let the weary rest here. This is a place of quiet rest.’ But they would not listen.” We find rest in a relationship with God when we reflect on His strength and the depth of His care for us. The reminder of His power replaces the panic we feel about our weaknesses and limitations. The knowledge of His concern for us assures us that we’re not alone. And the wisdom that He provides gives us direction when we can’t see the way forward. We experience awe.

Another passage in Isaiah gives further insight into how stress results from ignoring God in our lives. In Isaiah 30:15, God issues another invitation to rest saying, “In returning and rest you shall be saved; in quietness and in trust shall be your strength.” The people were facing a huge threat that felt overwhelming, but God assured them that the solution was to come back to Him. When we’re quiet in God’s presence and trust Him to do what’s right, we lay down our frantic worrying and allow our racing thoughts to focus on the God who has the power and wisdom to make things right. Too often, though, we think that we know better. We short-change time with God and awe in His presence and take matters into our hands.

In Isaiah’s day, the people rejected God’s invitation to rest in Him. They tried to solve the problem themselves by saddling up their horses for war, but God warned that trusting in fast horses would only ensure that their enemies would be faster (Isaiah 30:16). He concludes by saying, “A thousand shall flee at the threat of one; at the threat of five you shall flee, till you are left like a flagstaff on the top of a mountain, like a signal on a hill” (Isaiah 30:17). He’s saying that you can have an army of a thousand people, but without God, even one enemy soldier can be enough to make you retreat. Without quiet time in God’s presence, you can feel alone, and your problems can feel daunting. Take time to cultivate the awe that you need to deal with the stress in your life.

If there’s something that has helped you to experience awe toward God, share it in the comments so that we can all learn from it.

In awe of Him,

Paul

P.S. If this is new to you and you think it’s something you’d like to explore, I’ve written a free, 12-week course called The Unstuck Life that walks you through the essentials of Jesus’ teachings in daily, bite-sized messages that you can read or watch by video. To learn more, click on the image below.