Radical Relaxation: Your 5-Day Stress Release Planಮಾದರಿ

Stress, the Slow Poison

As an operating room nurse, I witnessed an endless number of patients count down as they’d drifted off to sleep. Each patient surrenders at a different number depending on how quickly the medicine takes effect in their bodies. Whether through IV or inhalation, no one escapes this part of the procedure that is designed to render you unconscious before your surgery.

Whether or not you’ve had an operation, there’s something else none of us can escape - the harmful impact of stress. Stress acts as a slow poison that seeps into our minds, bodies, and spirits, taking effect at varying rates as it attempts to render us unconscious to the lives God designed for us to live.

Stress tries to steal, kill, and destroy your energy and your peace; it affects how you think, how you relate to others, and even how you experience God. Over time, the constant pressure of stress can lead to emotional exhaustion, spiritual disconnection, and even physical illness.

But Jesus never intended for us to carry these heavy burdens alone. He invites us to lay them down at His feet, cast our anxieties upon Him, trust His care, and embrace the rest He freely gives. Casting your cares on Him is an act of faith, a surrender that acknowledges that we are not in control, yet we’re assured that He is.

The enemy wants you weighed down, believing that stress is just a part of life. However, God’s word tells a different story—one of peace, rest, and renewal. Jesus’ invitation to “come” is for you today.

Reflection: What burdens are you carrying today? Are you willing to release them into God’s capable hands?

Prayer: Father God, I confess that I’ve carried more than I was meant to. I surrender my stress, my worries, and my fears to you. Thank you for caring for me and offering me rest. Teach me to trust you more deeply and to release what’s not mine to bear. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.