Whether you’re reading this article at the time it was written or years later, it is safe to say there is a lot going on in the world that can cause anxiety. Unpleasantness. Fear. Uneasiness. Confusion. Sadness.
Distress.
It’s not my intention to label you with these emotions or make you bear the weight of them if you don’t identify with one (or more) currently. The fact of the matter is we know in this world we will face tribulations (John 16:33), and we should not think it is strange (1 Peter 4:12) to encounter trials. What should be “strange,” or foreign to our character, is camping in the midst of our troubles. We can’t control how long we go through trials, but sitting in the midst of them in distress is not what the Lord tells us to do. There is no hope in distress. The only hope exists in our Lord, and in Him is where our focus should be.
Like so many other things in life and in our Christian walk, keeping our eyes on the Lord during hard times is easier said than done. Thankfully, we can go to His Word for guidance in how to do so. But first, let’s take a quick look at distress so we know how to identify this unwelcome guest when it determines to take over our minds.
What is distress?
Distress can be defined as a negative type of… you guessed it… stress, which causes feelings of worry, anxiety, sadness, and fear. No one is immune to distress; adults and children alike will go through periods of distress in their lifetime.
Many times, when you’re dealing with distress, you can begin to act out of character. Your normal, pleasant demeanor may become temporarily marred with sadness; there’s a little less pep in your step; perhaps you’re easily angered; or you lack the motivation you typically have because everything feels overwhelming. Have you been there before? I know I have.
What causes stress or distress?
Life events, trauma, and stress produce these real emotions that we have. Anything we face that causes us to cope with an unwanted reality can cause distress: a job loss, financial changes, a medical diagnosis, a traumatic event, loss of a loved one, or a big move. I’m sure each of us could come up with a list of things we’ve faced in our lifetimes that have caused distress. Even huge life changes that bring joy such as marriage, a new baby, or going on a missions trip can at times cause levels of distress. As exciting as these important events are, they contain so many moving pieces and can become simply overwhelming. Some may call this type of stress “eustress” instead of distress, since it’s related to more of a positive type of stressor. I think that even within these joyful, yet trying times, if we are not mindful we can easily fall into a level of being overwhelmed leading to anxiety and fear. While we can acknowledge and be aware of the negative emotions when they surface, the trick is to not succumb to them and camp out there. The goal is to cast those negative emotions to the Lord and refocus our eyes on Him because let’s face it— we will always move in the direction of our gaze.
So how do we refocus?
Grab your Bible and dive into Psalm 118 with me. It’ll be helpful to read through it in its entirety right now, before going through the rest of this post.
Seriously, go get your Bible! I’ll wait.
What to do when you’re distressed
Figuring out how to cope with stress can seem daunting; however, the Psalmist shares some beautiful truths about the Lord in Psalm 118. We also see vulnerability and a dependence on the Lord as he faces trials. This is where our hearts should land as well— focusing on His truths as we depend on the Lord in all things. If you’re like so many, and you’re wondering what to do when you’re feeling distressed, Psalm 118 sheds light on a few things.
1- Acknowledge His Character
Read: verses 1-4
Our daily tasks, our responsibilities, our stress level, our emotions, our circumstances— what is the common denominator? They all change. They may stay the same for a time, but eventually they will change. We’ll have new thoughts and emotions or we’ll find ourselves in new circumstances. The events and happenings of our lives are not constant, but the Lord is. He is eternally the same — steady, immutable, and reliable.
“Let those who fear the LORD say,
“His steadfast love endures forever.” ”
When a dancer, such as a ballerina, is doing pirouettes, she fixes her eyes on a certain spot while turning her body. When it’s time to turn her head, she’ll do so quickly in order to once again set her sight on the object she is spotting. This practice of spotting helps to prevent dizziness and leads to smooth, balanced turns.
What are we spotting? Or, more accurately, who are we spotting? When we are going through the turns and chaos of life, is our orientation regularly being fixed on our unchanging God? Or are we constantly changing our gaze and focusing in whatever direction seems helpful at the moment?
Psalm 118 tells us the Lord is good and His steadfast love endures forever. These are constant— His mercy, goodness, kindness, and faithfulness are always there. When we remember this and acknowledge who He is, that His perfect character is 100% true 100% of the time, we are more likely to stay steady as we go through the turns of life.
2- Call out to the Lord
Read: verse 5
Fixing our eyes on the Lord during times of distress is what keeps us grounded. I’m sure I don’t have to tell you this, but distress can consume us if we let it. We can easily become so focused on our struggles that we forget the character of God. Then, we tend to view our circumstances from a disoriented perspective, and therefore make decisions and behave in ways that perhaps hinder more than help.
“From my distress I called upon the LORD; the LORD answered me and put me in an open space.”
Verse five, however, invites us to a different reality. Like the psalmist, we are to call out to the Lord in our distress. Go to Him in prayer. Seek Him; wait on Him. He has all the answers and knows the end from the beginning. We have the ability to surrender all to Him.
Here, the psalmist proclaims when he called out to the Lord, the Lord answered and, as the NASB says, “put me in an open space”. Other translations use the phrase, “set me free”. The idea of being set free from the strongholds of our troubles, worries and pain in the midst of our distress undoubtedly makes sense to you; I know it does to me. However, the concept of “open space” is one I wanted to contemplate.
At first thought, I realized open space implied a sense of liberty or freedom, as in being set free. But to offer more clarification, let me share that the Hebrew word used for “distress” in this verse means straits, troubles, pains, or narrow place.
Narrow place—- a place where we can feel stuck. There isn’t much wiggle room. We can barely move. We often don’t have a wide variety of ways to maneuver. We have limited freedom, if you will.
Recently our family vacationed at an indoor waterpark. Our kids were so excited about the plethora of water slides, big and small. I was happy to venture down most of the slides along with them, except the fully enclosed tubes. Being mildly claustrophobic, the thought of sitting in a completely enclosed, narrow tube (that is, a narrow place) did not sit well with me. Small spaces where it feels as if the walls are closing in, even for but a few seconds… no thank you. I had to explain to my kids that I was only game for the open slides; the ones where I could see my surroundings with a clear view of where I was heading as I ventured downward to the water.
Narrow spaces, whether literal or figurative, can cause a sense of entrapment and panic. If we aren’t careful, we can start to believe that we can’t see God or He can’t see or hear us, and that we can’t escape.
But God... When we call out to Him in the midst of that narrow place, He hears us, answers us, and sets us in an open space— one where we are free from those strongholds and our perspective is greater.
focus on Him during your times of distress
Sister, let’s not camp out in the land of distress. Instead of wondering how to cope with stress, we can realize that the Lord has all the answers! He is all we need.
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3- Hold your position
Read: verses 6-13
What better help exists than that of the Lord? Our opposition, whether physical, mental, or emotional, cannot stand against the Lord, which is why it’s important to let Him fight our battles. He comes alongside us as our helper and gives us the victory.
“The LORD is on my side as my helper;
I shall look in triumph on those who hate me.”
Verse six, in the ESV, says “the Lord is on my side”. If this is our position, knowing He has the power to set us free from the narrowing limitations that constrict us, why would we dare to step out of line? No, we must hold our position. We must throw water on the flames of fear. We must willfully trust and believe that our position is in the refuge and safety of the Lord. Even if we still feel surrounded by chaos and calamity, we are safe in Him.
We trust in no other name but Jesus. We relinquish the thought of relying on our own devices and power. Instead, we move solely in the name of the Lord and witness His powerful work in our circumstances.
4- Worship
Read: verses 14-18
Whether we are standing in the narrow strait or in the open space, it makes no difference. With the Lord on our side, fighting for us, we have reason to worship.
“The LORD is my strength and my song;
He has become my salvation.”
Even in the midst of our struggles, we can worship the God whose steadfast love endures forever. In fact, I’ve experienced that worship can stem from a deeper depth and conviction of our souls in the hard times. The pain is more palpable, therefore the worship is more meaningful.
Sister, is He truly your strength and your song? Do you believe that He is your salvation? Then sing!
Let us praise Him, for although we may be pressed down, He will not allow us to be consumed by what we’re facing. The quicker we come to a heart of worship— even in the midst of distress— the quicker our perspective changes.
The amazing thing about worship is that it’s multifaceted. It praises God, allowing Him to get the glory; it redirects our hearts back to the throne of God, giving us the ability to see through the clouds and focus on our Savior. And, our personal worship also blesses others in that it gives testimony to what God has done, so they too may be drawn in to witness the power of our great God.
“But as for me, the nearness of God is good for me; I have made the Lord God my refuge, so that I may tell of all Your works.”
Sing a new song, bless the Lord, and live a life of worship.
5- Rejoice in His Presence
Read: verses 19-24
Where else would we go? Where else should we be, but in the presence of the Lord? As we’re journeying through hard times or seasons of distress, the most important thing we can do is continue to seek the Lord. Here is the ultimate “self-care”— it’s called surrender! Surrender your will, your thoughts, your struggles, and your ways unto the Lord, and continually sit in His presence. Cast every weight unto Him and He will care for you.
“Open the gates of righteousness to me; I will enter through them, I will give thanks to the LORD.”
Allow me to share another thought on worship, for herein lies its power: the more we worship, the more of a desire we have to be in His presence. And, the more we are in His presence, acknowledging His character and seeing Him move in our lives, the more we will worship. This continuum is only broken when we fix our eyes on someone or something other than the Author and Finisher of our faith.
Being in the Lord’s presence, whether by prayer, sitting quietly at His feet, being in the Word, or by whatever means the Lord is calling us to in the moment, gives us the opportunity to see and acknowledge the ways the Lord has answered our prayers (verse 21). When the Lord calls these things to mind, don’t brush them off; instead, think on them, notice His faithfulness, and trust Him more deeply.
Sister, you, like me, have the choice to either continue to wonder what to do when you’re feeling distressed, or to plant your feet in His presence and proclaim,
“This is the day that the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.”
Yes, this day. A good day, or a hard day— it is still a day the Lord has made. Just as the day of our Lord’s sacrifice on the cross— the chief cornerstone, who was rejected— it was the day the Lord had made. We can rejoice in it.
He is still sovereign over this day. He has ordained it, and it is not outside of His plan. And, because we’ve already learned that His goodness, kindness, and faithfulness endure forever, we can trust Him in this day.
6- Encouragement & Praise
Read: verses 25-29
It may not be easy, but by the grace of God and in His strength, we can bring encouragement to those around us during our times of distress. We look again at the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus— one day, entering the gate while being praised and blessed with Hosannas, and a short time later becoming the sacrifice for all mankind. Several verses in this Psalm give us that prophetic vantage point. No doubt this should remind us that God is the LORD (verse 27) and we are to bless Him.
“The LORD is God, and He has made His light to shine upon us.”
We invite others to join us in blessing Him, for His light shines on us, He saves us, and He alone is the one who brings prosperity.
When we spend time in His presence, worshiping Him and meditating on what He’s done for us, it’s easier to turn our eyes outward to encourage others with these same truths. From the viewpoint of His presence, we see more clearly all of the marvelous works He’s done, not just what He’s personally done for us.
And so, this ending brings us right back to the beginning— expressing our thankfulness and acknowledgment of His character. Notice the personal claim in verse 28. The Psalmist proclaims to the Lord, “You are my God.” He is the Lord, yes; but, if you have received the free gift of salvation, then He is YOUR God. Will you praise Him, exalt Him, and bless Him like no other?
When you’re feeling distressed, sister, remember that He is good. You have reason to thank Him. He is on your side, and His steadfast love endures forever. Allow Him to pluck you out of the narrow and set you in the open space. The right hand of the Lord does valiantly (verse 16).
So let it be.
Life events, trauma, and stress produce real emotions that we have. Anything we face that causes us to cope with an unwanted reality can cause distress. So what can we do about it?