A fisherman sets out for the day. He pushes off the shore in his fourteen-foot aluminum boat. He has his tackle box, and the gas tank is full. He’s not going too far this morning as he still has some yard work to do before the party this weekend. He’s glad he took his wife’s advice and took the day off from work. Work has been stressing him out lately.
Cape Cod, MA is beautiful this time of year. He knows the exact spot in the channel where the fish will be biting this early in the morning. He sets out the frozen squid on the front bench so that it’ll be thawed by the time he drops anchor. Today’s going to be a good day, he hopes.
Within a few casts, he pulls in a healthy sized striped bass. It’s a keeper. He’ll have some bragging rights for sure as he grills a few filets on the BBQ later. “I knew it,” he says to himself with a smile, “thanks, Lord, for giving me this time away from all the stress.”
He puts a little extra bait on the hook this time, checks that his sinkers are still intact, and drops the setup over the side of his hollow boat and thinks, “This is the life.” He opens his little red Igloo cooler, cracks open a brewski, and leans his head back to bask in the rising sun.
He’s startled out of his semi-slumber by the fishing line which is letting out so fast that he wouldn’t be surprised if it started smoking. His heart races as he thinks, “Woo hoo, I’ve got a whopper!” He starts pulling and fighting whatever took his bait. He begins to perspire. It feels like he’s hooked a submarine for crying out loud. Fifteen minutes pass and the line suddenly goes slack as if whatever’s been swimming away from him has gotten tired of this and has decided to come investigate the source of its irritation.
About that time, he sees a fin coming right towards his boat. Well, at least he knows it’s not a submarine, but it might as well be, given its hulking mass. Heck, at this point, he would’ve preferred it. Just last night he caught a news report of yet another great white shark sighting in the area, but was multitasking at the time the news clip was aired. Where was that sighting, he thought? Could it have been in this channel where he was fishing? Gulp.
“Why did you have to pick my bait?” he screams as panic sets in. Just a moment ago, the great white descended under his boat and he noticed how the water was just clear enough and the sun was at just the right angle for him to see the enormity of this beast. It was at least the size of his boat, he thought. His mind flashed back to that famous scene in the movie Jaws when Chief Brody said, “You’re gonna need a bigger boat.”
Have you ever faced a situation like this, where you went fishing and landed a bigger catch than you knew what to do with? When I was a kid, it was freshwater snapping turtles, often too cranky and problematic to pull into a small boat. What about life, in general? Have you ever “gone fishing to relax” only to end up stressed out? I have.
Stress seems to pursue the weary. Ever notice that? When you’re most tired and in need of rest, it seems like the world makes a concerted effort to exacerbate the situation. There’s hope.
Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.
Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world. And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.
-1 Peter 5:6-10
For perspective’s sake, if it happens, then God has ordained it. If God allows it, then it must have a purpose, and a good one at that. In the case of coping with stress (aka suffering), the best thing to do is to adopt God’s perspective on the situation.
Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.
-Romans 5:3-5
Deliverance is but a change of perspective away. I firmly believe this. One moment you’re looking down the throat of a shark in dread and the next you’re admiring its beauty. What you have to remember is that God loves you and uses stressful situations to sanctify you. I’ve seen too many shut-ins who think that if they just avoid life (e.g., they never leave the shoreline or cast a line) they somehow are better for it. This is a lie which stunts their spiritual growth and sometimes develops into full-blown phobias.
Fear should never govern a person’s resiliency. God is with you, my friend.
What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?
-Romans 8:31-32
There are a lot of sharks in the water. Life is full of situations that threaten to harm us; however, we have the greatest advantage of all. We have the holy, sovereign God of the Universe looking after us. Thanks, Dad!
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.
-Philippians 4:6-9
The secret to handling stress isn’t, as they say, turning up the intensity to match your opposition; rather, it’s about a change of perspective. Stress will overwhelm the person who doesn’t understand this critical point. The secret isn’t digging your heels in; rather, it’s about transcending your circumstances. This is where true strength lies.
Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.”
To the contrary, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.”
Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
-Romans 12:17-21
What does it mean to “overcome evil with good”? Well, when it comes to stressful situations in your life, it often means to just do what’s good – focus on Christ, the transcendent One. I’d be willing to bet that whenever you’re stressed out and at your wits end, you’ve lost sight of Jesus Christ. It’s a very good thing to focus on Him, especially when life is trying to get the best of you. He is your strength.
I can do all things through him who strengthens me.
-Philippians 4:13
Have you ever thought that maybe the strongest thing you can do is to cut the line? The last thing you want to do is try to pull a shark into the boat with you or, even worse, jump into the water, its natural domain, where it has every advantage over you. Do none of this, for it is to your own peril. Instead, cut your losses, transcend your circumstances, and find another place to fish for the day. Smile and thank God for the sun on your face and for perspective that sets you free, for it is by grace that He gives you both.
Love in Christ,
Ed Collins