Coping with Stress

In this message from First Epistle of Peter 5:6–7, part of the series “It’s a New Year—What About a New Me?”, Bro. Don teaches that spiritual growth requires a godly response to stress by humbling ourselves under God’s mighty hand and casting our anxieties on Him. Emphasizing “Do not panic,” he outlines seven key principles: identification, knowing you are a child of God; dedication, seeking to please God above all; organization, living by priorities rather than pressure; concentration, focusing on Christ first; delegation, recognizing you cannot do everything alone; meditation, praying before reacting; and transformation, surrendering burdens to the Lord. The central truth is that stress increases when we try to control life ourselves, but peace comes when we trust God’s timing, surrender our worries, and allow Him to exalt and sustain us. By replacing panic with praise and anxiety with faith, believers can become a “new me” by responding to life’s pressures with humility, trust, and confident dependence on God.