An article by Krause and Pargament (2018) evaluates three hypotheses: a) reading the Bible lessens stress and strengthens hope, b) positive coping responses correlate to how often people read the Bible, and c) those who rely on religious practices, like Bible reading, have a more positive (hopeful) outlook regarding the future. Their comprehensive study gathered analysis from more than 2000 participants on their responses to a recent stressful event (within 18 months). In brief, the findings provide support for all three assumptions and identify the Bible as a meaningful coping resource with a “potential stress-buffering function” (Krause & Pargament, 2018, p. 1438).  Stressful Life Events, and Hope Assignment Paper

            The Bible exhorts believers in numerous places to not worry or fear (e.g., the fruits of stress). Commonly known scriptures include John 14:7, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you… Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid” and Joshua 1:9, “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go” (New International Version). Jesus told His disciples to not worry (Matthew 6:34) and rebuked them in the midst of what seemed like a logical place for fear—a storm. Jesus said, “… ‘You of little faith, why are you so afraid?’ Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm” (Matthew 8:26, NIV).   Stressful Life Events, and Hope Assignment Paper

One of the greatest traumatic events in history was the death of Jesus. The thought of what was about to take place caused Him to literally sweat blood in the Garden of Gethsemane (Luke 22:44). Jesus was beaten beyond recognition (Isaiah 52:14) and, on the cross, even asked “My God…why…” (Matthew 27:46a, NIV). The example I see in Jesus is that although He felt forsaken asked why (and does NOT get a response), He shows amazing trust at the end, “… ‘Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.’ …” (Luke 23:46b, NIV). Any time I am seriously struggling with “why” since our daughter was killed by a drunk driver in March 2016, I go back to the Word and find it as a resource for comfort. I think of Jesus’ example of complete surrender in the midst of great suffering and “why.” I am reminded that, because of the cross, God knows the stress of trauma first-hand and gives us permission to embrace it  and wrestle with Him through it. He understands our humanity, which is why He is our perfect intercessor (Hebrews 4:15).  Stressful Life Events, and Hope Assignment Paper

Although there are no easy answers, the Father does promise to not waste the difficulty and pain (2 Corinthians 1:3-4). It does not mean all the questions will be answered nor the stress/fear/doubt/anger/impact of trauma will be magically diminished. Nevertheless, Jesus provides assurance of help (Romans 8:26) and—most importantly—promises to never leave us when a storm comes (Matthew 14:30-31).

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Reference

Krause, N., & Pargament, K. I. (2018). Reading the bible, stressful life events, and hope: Assessing an overlooked coping resource. Journal of Religion and Health, 57(4), 1428-1439. doi:10.1007/s10943-018-0610-6  Stressful Life Events, and Hope Assignment Paper

ADDITIONAL DETAILS 

Stressful Life Events, and Hope

Introduction

Life is full of events, both positive and not so positive. Some life events are predictable and some are less predictable. You can prepare for some events, but others seem to come out of nowhere. Sometimes preparation is useful to know what to expect or how to act. Other times knowing how an event will unfold can lessen stress in the moment. But many of life’s events are unpredictable, so we don’t always know how we will or should react. Events that cause strong stress reactions are common early in adulthood; people usually experience stressful life events during this time period (e.g., getting married or having children). These stressful life events often lead to symptoms of depression, which can include feelings of sadness and hopelessness as well as being fatigued more easily than usual (and even sleeping more). In particular, people report higher levels of depressed mood and feelings associated with hopelessness after experiencing a series of strong negative life events before age 21 years old

Life is full of events, both positive and not so positive.

Life is full of events, both positive and not so positive. Some events are predictable and others seem to come out of nowhere.

You can prepare for some events, but others seem to come out of nowhere. Sometimes preparation is useful to know what to expect or how to act in an unexpected situation

You may find it useful if you know all the possible life’s events so that they don’t overwhelm you

Some life events are predictable and some are less predictable.

Some life events are predictable, while others are less so. For example, most people know that they will need to pay taxes when they get a job or start college. However, some events can be prevented and even predicted (for the most part).

Some stressors are unavoidable: if you have to wake up and go to work, then you have some stressors in your life that come with the territory of living on Earth. For instance: going through puberty and becoming an adult; getting married; having children—all these things happen to every person who is alive at any given time in history! But there are also things we can do about our reactions to these stressful situations that affect how well we function as human beings:

• We can learn how our bodies react during stressful times by paying attention during meditation sessions or yoga classes where instructors teach us how deep breathing exercises help us deal with anxiety levels associated with various situations in life (e..g., driving across town without making eye contact with another driver).

• In addition to learning what works best for ourselves individually when facing challenges related

You can prepare for some events and others seem to come out of nowhere.

Stressed-out people tend to be more aware of their own stress, which can make them less able to handle stressors that come out of nowhere. If you’re feeling overwhelmed by a life event or stressor, try these tips:

• Practice self-compassion. Remember that everyone experiences hard times and feels tense at times, even if they don’t want anyone else to know about it! Being kinder towards yourself will help you be kinder towards others when things get tough—and it’ll also make the situation more manageable overall.

• Take care of yourself first. When we’re dealing with an intense situation, our bodies are going through physiological changes as well—so if you aren’t getting enough sleep or eating right (or both), then those changes might affect how well you perform in other areas of life as well! You should always take care of your health first before anything else; this includes taking time off work or otherwise unplugging from stressful situations when necessary so that they don’t become overwhelming over time.”

Sometimes preparation is useful to know what to expect or how to act.

Sometimes it’s useful to know what to expect or how to act. For example, if you’re about to give a presentation at work, consider preparing for it ahead of time. You might also want to do research on your topic so that you know what questions people will have and how they might respond when they hear what you have to say.

If possible, try not only preparing in advance but also helping others prepare in advance—this way everyone feels more confident about their role in handling stressful situations like job interviews or family feuds!

Sometimes knowing how to expect an event will unfold can lessen stress in the moment.

When you know what to expect, the situation can feel less stressful. You may be able to prepare for it and act in advance of the event occurring. Knowing that a stressful life event will unfold can lessen its impact if you’ve planned ahead of time.

But many of life’s events are unpredictable, and it’s hard to know how we will or should react.

Life is unpredictable. We can’t always be prepared for what comes next, and it’s hard to know how we will or should react. Some events are easy to predict; others aren’t so clear-cut. For example, if your boss asks you a question about a project at work, it may be obvious which way the conversation will go based on whether or not he has already expressed his opinion about the issue in question—but if one of your friends tells you that she wants to have lunch with another friend from college but doesn’t tell you why (or even who), then no matter how much experience with people generally makes things seem like they happen more often than they really do (and therefore makes them seem more predictable), these kinds of situations aren’t necessarily as straightforward as they appear!

Events that cause strong stress reactions are common early in adulthood.

Stressful life events can be common in early adulthood. These events are often associated with significant changes in one’s life, such as marriage or job loss. They may also include the death of a close relative or friend, divorce, moving to a new city or country, and so forth.

The symptoms of stress reactions depend on the type and severity of the event:

• Anxious feelings (e.g., nervousness)

• Withdrawal from others (e.g., isolation)

• Feelings of guilt or remorse about past actions (e.g., self-blame)

People usually experience stressful life events in early adulthood.

People usually experience stressful life events in early adulthood. Stressful life events are those that are emotionally charged, painful and difficult to cope with. They may include a death of a family member or friend; being fired from a job; divorce; moving away from friends and family members; having an illness or Injury that affects your daily routine (e.g., losing one’s spouse); the death of pets or other animals you care about; financial problems caused by economic downturns such as the Great Recession (2008-2009), etc…

Stressful life events can lead to symptoms of depression if they continue over time without proper treatment options available through medical professionals who specialize in this condition at hospitals such as Mayo Clinic Hospital located in Rochester MN USA where patients may seek out assistance for their mental health needs including: anxiety disorders like generalized anxiety disorder GAD), panic disorder PDD) obsessive compulsive disorder OCD), social phobia SPSO).

These stressful life events often lead to symptoms of depression.

Stressful life events can be a major source of stress, and they often lead to symptoms of depression. Depression is a serious health condition that affects people from all walks of life.

If you experience stressful life events and feel like your mood has become more depressed or agitated, it’s important to talk with your doctor about the possibility that you might be suffering from some type of mental illness. It’s also important to know that treatment options exist for those who are experiencing symptoms associated with depression: medication and therapy may be able to help relieve them over time!

So far as people go through a series of strong negative life events, they report more severe symptoms of depression.

The more stress you experience, the more severe your symptoms of depression will be.

This is because people who experience stressful life events often report more severe symptoms of depression.

In particular, they report higher levels of depressed mood and feelings associated with hopelessness.

In particular, they report higher levels of depressed mood and feelings associated with hopelessness.

Depressed mood is defined as experiencing sadness or a feeling of low energy for most or all days for at least two weeks in a row. These feelings can last for months and may interfere with daily activities. Feelings associated with hopelessness are characterized by the belief that life has no meaning or purpose and there’s nothing you can do about it.

Conclusion

So, what do all these life events have in common? They’re stressful and they happen early in adulthood. And, as you might expect, that’s when it’s most likely for someone to experience symptoms of depression. The best thing to do is prepare yourself for these life events by identifying your own symptoms of depression early on so they don’t get worse!