Dealing with Stress

I really wanted to post this yesterday, but it was so late by the time I got home from church & choir that I just gave up.

Yesterday was the annual David L. Edwards Faculty Award for Service and Leadership presentation at DTS. This year marked the award’s 10th recipient, and on September 20 we will mark the 10-year anniversary of my dad’s “graduation” day. So it was appropriate that this year’s speaker at chapel was none other than Chuck Swindoll, the same man who preached Dad’s memorial service, and who was keynote speaker for the chapel service where the very first David L. Edwards Faculty Award was presented in 1998. Mike Lawson, one of my dad’s close colleagues in the Christian Ed. department, won the award that year. This year, the honoree was Dr. Eugene Merrill.

But that’s not really what this post is going to be about. Rather, it’s gonna be about Chuck. About his words and his message. About the rich truths he shared from God’s word. About the way I felt like he was talking to ME. And how I walked away from yesterday full, not just from a yummy lunch (and dessert) at Maggiano’s, but from the spiritual feeding I had received at the hands of a godly and gifted man.

His address was geared toward seminary students – and thoughts of preparing them for ministry and service. His message was on “Dealing with Stress” and he used 2 Timothy 4:9-18 as his text. While I don’t pretend to speak his words, below are the lessons he shared with us.
When dealing with stress, you should…

take at least one good friend with you. v 9
Paul, at the end of his ministry, was facing certain death at the hands of a cruel, violent, and evil dictator. In such a stress-inducing situation, his first request was for Timothy to come to him, and come quickly. Paul certainly understood God’s presence and the glory he was soon to receive, but for those final hours, he wanted – and needed – the companionship of a true friend, a true brother. Someone he could talk to, someone who could comfort him.
For those in ministry, taking at least one good friend with you guards against isolationism.

get over those who disappoint you. v 10
Demas had deserted Paul. Crescens had gone to Galatia. Titus had gone to Dalmatia. No doubt, that was disappointing to Paul in his hour of great need. But Paul knew there was nothing to be gained in harboring anger or malice toward these men.
For those in ministry, getting over those who disappoint you guards against bitterness.

be big enough to reach out and encourage those who are recovering from a fall. v. 11
Paul then instructs Timothy to bring John Mark with him. John Mark was a man who was a great disappointment to Paul. In fact, he and Barnabas parted ways over this young man. Barnabas chose to go with John Mark. Paul, disappointed, found a new companion in Silas and continued on in his journeys. But at the end of his life, he wanted to encourage John Mark, and restore him in a spirit of meekness.
For those in ministry, being big enough to reach out and encourage those who are recovering from a fall guards against pride.

keep feeding your mind on the great truths. v 12-13
Paul specifically requests that Timothy bring the parchments, “especially the parchments.” Paul showed us that in times of great stress, we can rely on those great truths to bring us comfort, peace, and relief. By living according to those truths, we can be examples of integrity in the midst of turmoil.
For those in ministry, feeding our minds on the great truths guards against laziness, hypocrisy, and personal duplicity.

watch out for those who will harm you. v. 14-16
Any time a person is in a position of leadership, particularly spiritual leadership, there will be those who will seek to destroy the very thing you are attempting to build. Chief of all destroyers is Satan himself, filling your head with doubts, disillusionment, and despair – causing you to doubt the very calling God has placed on your life. Don’t give in! Know that their day is coming when God will repay for what they have done.
For those in ministry, watching out for those who will harm you guards against disillusionment.

keep the Lord in full focus. v 17-18
Even in his darkest hour, Paul’s conviction in God’s strength and sovreignty was certain. He knew God was keenly aware of his situation and in control. His focus was not on what Nero might do to him, but rather what God had promised for him. He was fully focused on God and in His power to deliver Paul.
For those in ministry, keeping the Lord in full focus guards against failure.

May we all, as Christ’s ambassadors called to do His work whether we are in full-time ministry or not, heed these words of wisdom and follow them in times of stress. May God add richly to the hearing of His word. Amen.

A few pictures from the day:

The honoree, Dr. Eugene Merrill, his wife Janet, and Mom & me following the chapel service.

And with them in the Academic Dean’s office, following the ceremonial “sticking on of the honoree’s name onto the plaque”.