Stressed. Once I heard that
stressed spelled backwards is desserts, which is ironic because all I crave
when I’m feeling overwhelmed is some fresh chocolate chips cookies with a tall
glass of milk. Lately,
though, that word has become infectious and has caught on
to the vocabulary of every person I have come in contact with. It seems that we
have accepted stressed as the automatic answer whenever anyone looks depleted,
lethargic, or even when they act out in an inappropriate manner. We are all
just trying to work off some stress.
In a
sense, it’s great. We all relate to each other, and stress has a way of
lighting the fire beneath our feet. Plus people in high stress scenarios tend
to bond more easily with each other. Stress’ dark side is better known to most
of us though. It can be debilitating, causing your heart to race and filling
your stomach with those ghastly butterflies (definitely not the nice kind, we’re
talking more like moths for most of you). Sometimes the pressure we’re
constantly under can seem like tsunami waves that at any moment are going to
crash down, annihilating you in one fowl swoop. Currently that’s the boat that
I seem to find myself in and it’s exhausting. Luckily there is an answer, and
you have all probably guessed it already, but I’m going to share anyway: the
answer is Jesus.
Okay
cheesy, I know, but take a quick journey with me.
You are
sitting in a boat. It’s a small, wooden rowboat, but it’s a nice day and the small
waves that you drift over cause you no alarm. Occasionally a larger one comes
about, but it passes quickly and with it so goes your anxiety. You become
comfortable and you drift asleep. You are awaken by a large crash and you look
up to see that the sun has disappeared and in its place there are large
menacing clouds, darker than sin, with cracks of lightning brightening the sky.
This only shows you the deep water that sounds you crashing and cresting over
in monstrous waves. How did this happen? Weren’t we just drifting nicely
minutes ago?
Raise
the alarm, because with no land in sight and no one to contact, a full blown
panic attack is about to begin, adding your own salty tears to this dreaded
ocean of discontent. You frantically search around, in hopes that some miracle
can save you. That’s when you spot Him. There He is, sound asleep in the back
of the boat. Nothing seems to be alarming Him, and He doesn’t stir as yet
another bolt of lightning crashes and the boat shakes filling with water. You rush
over and hastily wake Him. You beg and plead, can’t He see you two are about to
perish? Can He not save you?
He
slowly awakens and with one simple swish of the wrist and a small command, the
waters calm and the sky is once again that beautiful, clear blue. He walks over
to you. You are quite considerably a mess: your hair is out of place, mascara
smeared, and let’s not even talk about your drenched clothes. He looks down at
you with loving yet exhausted eyes. He gently reprimands, “Why are you so afraid?
Do you still have no faith?” (NIV Mark 4:40). He smiles warmly. Finally in
typical Jesus style, He walks away (yeah, our Savior walks on water).
I hope
the next few weeks, months, years are not too stressful, but when you get to
that point when you feel like breaking, find Jesus sleeping in your boat. Go to
mass, spend some time in adoration, blow the dust off your bible, or just
meditate on the joys God has given you as well as the stresses. I promise
they’re here and I promise, He is not going to let you drown.
Sara Bushland is a Senior at Stephen F. Austin State University, currently serving as President of Kappa Upsilon Sigma. She is studying Rehabilitation Services with a Specialization in Orientation and Mobility, largely inspired by her youngest sister. Sara is fearless when it comes to grabbing people's attention on campus, loves coffee and braiding hair, and is pretty fond of #authenticrelationships! Feel free to e-mail her at sbushland@gmail.com!