Not many people know stress like teachers do. There is always so much to do & no time to do it. Plus, we’re literally responsible for dozens of lives all day long – and not just keeping them from bodily harm (which would be hard enough) but actually making sure they learn something. And not just something but a lot of somethings. And not just math and English but good character too.

Add to the already daunting task the challenges of unmotivated kids and disengaged parents (or, possibly worse, helicopter parents), the pressure of assessments, and the responsibility to care for your own family and you’ve got the perfect recipe for a good old panic attack.

But while stress is common in the teaching profession, that doesn’t mean that it should be – especially amongst Christian teachers.

Let’s stop a moment and consider some truths that will help us stop stressing and get back to trusting Him through the challenges.

5 Truths to keep you from STRESSING OUT

1. You can’t do it on your own.
   
   You may be facing a task that seems impossible, something that you don’t think you can do. But that’s just it – you can’t. When we’re relying on our own strength, our own ability to figure it out, our own stamina to keep trying, we’re missing the whole point. God doesn’t want us to figure it out on our own. He wants us to realize how much we desperately need Him.
   
   I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. - John 15:5
2. God is willing & able to move on our behalf.
   
   Once we realize we can’t do it alone & we turn to God for help, then we can expect to see Him move. He may or may not do exactly what we expect. (He can see the full picture, after all, and often has a much better plan than ours.) But He will not leave us helpless if we confess our inadequacy and call out to Him. You can expect Him to show up and to do something through you that you never could have done on your own.
   
   Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen. - Ephesians 3:20-21
3. Fear & panic do not come from God.
   
   When we’re starting to stress out, whether it be from the size of our to-do list or the fear of the situation we’re facing, we must realize that fear is not from God.
   
   For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. - 2 Timothy 1:7 
   
   So let me ask you – if they don’t come from God, where do they come from? They come when we forget the truth – that God loves us, that God has placed us in this situation for a reason, that He is more than able to work in this situation, and that His plan is more important than our own.
   
   When the fear starts to arise, we must return to these truths – remember who God is and choose to trust His plan. As we realign our thoughts & turn our fear over to Him, His peace is able to fill our hearts.
   
   And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful. - Colossians 3:15
4. God has a reason for this challenge.
   
   How many times have we wished we didn’t have to speak to a certain parent, hoped that so-and-so would just be absent today, or imagined how amazing it would be to snap our fingers & see our to-do list magically completed?
   
   But we must remember that God has a reason for the challenges He brings our way. He may have a Divine appointment for us in the midst of a sticky situation. There may be someone we can speak to but only if He gets us out of our comfort zone.
   
   Or maybe He simply wants to help us grow – to teach us something through the challenge, to push us to a level we didn’t think we were capable of. To get us to the point where we look back & can’t believe how far He has brought us.
   
   So we will praise His name and bring Him glory.
   
   And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. - Romans 8:28-29
   
   For it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure. - Philippians 2:13
5. A moment of prayer can do wonders for your state of mind.
   
   So next time you’re stressed, panicked, or afraid, stop and remember these truths. But, most importantly, stop to pray. And while a quick SOS can certainly help, try instead to pause, breathe, and take a minute to truly connect with Him. Cry out for His help and pause to realign your thoughts and let His peace fill your heart.
   
   Be anxious for nothing, 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 minds through Christ Jesus. - Philippians 4:6-7 

We've only been able to scratch the surface of these important truths in this article, but in we dive deeper into what it truly means to trust God and teach with His peace in Teach Uplifted.

Join us to discover how to teach without all the stress and anxiety - even when things aren't going the way you hoped they would.

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