Stress is an inevitable part of life. No matter how much we try to control our circumstances, life’s challenges always find their way to us. In fact, it’s not about avoiding stress, but about building the resilience to handle it. When we shift our focus from evading stress to embracing and growing through it, we can transform the very things that weigh us down into sources of strength.
“Stop trying to calm the storm. Calm yourself. The storm will pass.”
This insightful quote reminds us that peace isn’t found in controlling the chaos around us, but in controlling our response to it. Life will always bring storms, but when we develop inner peace and resilience, we can weather anything.
Jesus’ Promise in the Midst of Stress
Jesus spoke to the realities of a challenging life in this powerful verse:
John 16:33 (NIV) – “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
Jesus acknowledges that we will face trouble, but He also promises us peace. Peace isn’t found in the absence of stress; it’s found in trusting Him through it. Instead of trying to eliminate our struggles, we must learn to walk through them with unwavering faith and inner calm.
The Mountain and the Valley Are Within Us
Often, we feel like we’re climbing an endless mountain of stress, or we find ourselves in the dark valleys of life that stretch on for what seems like forever. But what if the real obstacle we face isn’t external? What if the mountain we need to conquer is within us?
Jesus said:
Mark 11:23 (NIV) – “Truly I tell you, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in their heart but believes that what they say will happen, it will be done for them.”
We often interpret this verse to mean that Jesus is referring to the mountains of external circumstances in our lives—financial struggles, health issues, and relationship turmoil. But what if the mountain is within us? What if the obstacles, the doubts, and the fears that overwhelm us are the very mountains that we need to address?
When we trust the Lord, the mountain inside us—whether it’s fear, anxiety, or stress—begins to move. And with that trust, we gain strength to face anything ahead of us.
Becoming Like a Mountain—Unshakable and Strong
Scripture paints a beautiful image of what happens when we place our trust in God:
Psalm 125:1 (NIV) – “Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion, which cannot be shaken but endures forever.”
When we rely on God, we don’t just make it through stress—we become unshakable. The obstacles we face, rather than breaking us, make us stronger. Instead of trying to remove every challenge from our path, we learn to stand firm and develop a peaceful strength that allows us to grow through hardship.
Speaking of hardship, let’s look at the neuroscience of how stress affects the brain:
Going through hardship and stress isn’t easy, but it’s essential for building resilience, expanding our window of tolerance to stress, and strengthening us for future challenges. Here’s why experiencing difficulty helps us grow stronger:
Stress is a full-brain experience, engaging multiple regions that control emotions, decision-making, memory, and body responses. When we encounter stress, the brain activates a complex response to either confront or escape the challenge. Here’s how different areas contribute to our stress response:
- Amygdala – The brain’s alarm system; detects threats and triggers emotional reactions such as fear or anxiety.
- Hypothalamus – Activates the fight-or-flight response by signaling the release of stress hormones (cortisol and adrenaline).
- Prefrontal Cortex (PFC) – The thinking center; helps regulate emotional responses and make rational decisions under stress.
- Hippocampus – The memory center; assesses whether a situation is truly threatening based on past experiences.
While these areas all play key roles, two regions—the anterior cingulate gyrus (ACG) and the anterior mid-cingulate cortex (aMCC)—are especially important for how we experience and respond to stress. These areas act as a bridge between our emotions and logic, helping determine whether stress will overwhelm us or make us stronger.
Strengthening the ACG and aMCC
ACG: Facing challenges helps the ACG better regulate emotions and manage stress. With repeated, manageable stress, the ACG becomes better at handling tough emotions, allowing us to recover more quickly and feel less overwhelmed over time.
MCC: Overcoming hardship keeps the aMCC active, helping us build mental strength and the willpower to push forward, even when things are tough.
Expanding Our Window of Tolerance to Stress
When we face stress, we challenge our window of tolerance, which is the range of stress our brain and body can handle without feeling overwhelmed. By regularly managing stress in a healthy way (e.g., problem-solving and seeking support), our brain adapts and becomes more effective at handling future stress.
Building Confidence Through Overcoming Challenges
Every time we face and overcome a difficult situation, we gain confidence in our ability to handle stress. As we successfully navigate challenges, our brain becomes more efficient at responding, and we begin to trust ourselves more in future difficulties.
Learning from Hardships
Each hardship teaches us valuable lessons about coping, perseverance, and problem-solving. These lessons become tools in our mental toolbox, preparing us for future stressors.
Romans 5:3-5 tells us that ‘suffering produces perseverance; and perseverance character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit given to us.”
By relying on the comfort, strength and direction of the Holy Spirit, we equip ourselves to handle future stress more effectively, expanding our window of tolerance and further building resilience.
Stress isn’t just something to avoid—it’s a vehicle for growth. As we face challenges, our brain and body adjust, making us better equipped to handle stress in the future. The ACG and aMCC play key roles in helping us regulate emotions, push through adversity, and build resilience. Perspective is everything! We are fearfully and wonderfully made!
With every challenge we overcome, we expand our window of tolerance, build our confidence, and become more capable of handling whatever life throws at us. Embracing stress as an opportunity to grow makes us stronger, more resilient, and better prepared for life’s battles. Through this process, we not only survive—we thrive.
Why We Need the Lord in Our Battles
Both of these regions—our emotional control center (ACG) and our resilience center (aMCC)—have their limits. The ACG can become overburdened with worry, and the aMCC can lose its strength, making us feel powerless. When our own mental and emotional capacities fail, we need something greater than ourselves to sustain us.
This is where the Lord steps in. Isaiah 40:29 says, “He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.” When we feel overwhelmed by stress, God’s strength is limitless. He carries what we cannot. Allow these Scriptures to support your mindset in facing stress in your life:
When you are overwhelmed with fear: His peace surpasses all understanding (Philippians 4:7).
When you feel weak: He renews our strength so we can “run and not grow weary, walk and not be faint” (Isaiah 40:31).
When we face battles beyond our control: He reminds us: “The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still” (Exodus 14:14).
Our brain is beautifully designed to protect us by steering us away from discomfort, prioritizing our well-being. However, when we face life’s big mountains and dark valleys, our brain and nervous system can easily become overwhelmed. It’s completely understandable that we reach a point where we feel exhausted and drained, especially when the weight of stress feels too much to carry. Acknowledging these struggles is important—our minds and bodies are simply doing their best to cope. This is why we are called to rely on God—not just on our own strength, but on His. In life’s highs and lows, stress may test us, but with God, we don’t just endure—we overcome.
The Battle Is in Your Mind, but the Battle Belongs to the Lord
Stress doesn’t just impact our external circumstances—it often starts within our minds. Our thoughts of fear, worry, and doubt create mental mountains that feel impossible to overcome.
2 Corinthians 10:5 (NIV) – “We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.”
The true battle in our lives is often in the mind. But the good news is that we don’t have to fight alone.
2 Chronicles 20:15 (NIV) – “…Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God’s.”
While we must take responsibility for our thoughts, ultimate victory comes from God. When we surrender our worries and anxieties to Him, He strengthens us to face them with peace and resilience.
Renewing the Mind for True Transformation
Resilience isn’t just about willpower or positive thinking—it’s about rewiring our brains for strength and peace.
Romans 12:2 (NIV) – “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”
Through neuroplasticity, our brains can form new neural pathways, and we have the power to train our minds to respond to stress in healthier ways. As we choose to focus on God’s truth and peace, we activate areas of the brain like the ACG, which allow us to navigate stress with strength and resilience.
Using scripture to rewire the brain with neuroplasticity involves repeating and meditating on Bible verses that promote positive thought patterns and emotional resilience. For example, when feeling anxious or overwhelmed, you might repeat Philippians 4:6-7:
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.”
As you meditate on this verse, your brain can form new neural pathways, shifting from a pattern of anxiety to one of peace and trust. By regularly focusing on these truths, you can retrain your brain to react with calmness and faith in stressful situations, promoting emotional resilience and reinforcing a positive mindset in line with God’s promises. This process of meditation and repetition fosters neuroplasticity, helping your brain adopt healthier, more constructive responses over time.
When we trust in God and reframe stress as an opportunity for growth, we don’t just endure—we become stronger, more adaptable, and more capable of overcoming whatever life throws our way.
Ultimately, the way we think shapes our reality.
Proverbs 23:7 (NKJV) – “For as he thinks in his heart, so is he.”
If we see ourselves as victims of stress, we will always feel overwhelmed. But if we see ourselves as overcomers, capable of handling whatever life throws our way, we begin to embody that strength.
The Key to Thriving in Stressful Times
Instead of trying to avoid stress, let’s shift our focus to getting better at handling it. Science and Scripture align in showing us how to do this:
Recognize the mountain is within you – The real obstacles often come from our own thoughts and emotions.
Trust that the battle belongs to the Lord – You are not alone in this fight; God is with you.
Become like the mountain – When you trust in the Lord, you become unshakable and strong.
Strengthen your brain – Stress, when handled correctly, strengthens the Anterior Cingulate Gyrus, helping us regulate emotions and build resilience.
Renew your mind – Challenge negative thoughts and replace them with truth. Ask yourself, “is this thought true? Is it absolutely true. If it isn’t, what is the opposite?”
Train your brain – Use the power of neuroplasticity to rewire your response to stress.
Focus on resilience, not avoidance – Life won’t stop being hard, but you can get stronger.
In the battles of life, our brains are equipped to help us fight, but we were never meant to fight alone. God calls us to rely on His strength, not just our own. Through the mountains and valleys, stress will challenge us, but with Him by our side, we don’t just endure—we overcome. The storms will come, but when we quiet our souls, trust in the Lord, and train our minds for resilience, we will stand firm with an enduring calm strength. No matter how high the mountains or deep the valleys, with God, we can face any challenge, knowing that through His strength, we are more than conquerors.
“Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors and gain and overwhelming victory through Him who loves us.” Romans 8:37
Blessings, my friend. May you be transformed by the renewing of your mind, embracing the calm strength of resilience, and learning to get good at stress through God’s peace and guidance.
Marly