Too Blessed to Be Stressed: Is There Any Truth to This Christian Cliché?

"How are you today?” 

“Too blessed to be stressed!”

If you’ve spent time around church folk, you’ve probably heard this exchange. And if Christian lingo isn’t your thing, maybe you’ve rolled your eyes and thought, No one is too blessed to be stressed.

Let’s be honest—most of us wish we could live with less stress. Wouldn’t it be great to unplug from the tension, the demanding schedule, and all the pressures that come with life? Of course it would.

But while preparing a message on stress, it hit me: some stress is unhealthy and harmful, yes—but not all stress is bad. In fact, some of it might be necessary.

There’s a kind of stress that actually sharpens us, stretches us, and strengthens us. And then there’s the kind that drains us and wears us down.

You might assume the difference between good and bad stress is simply the type of stressor involved. But I’m not sure that’s actually the case.

Stress Wasn’t in Eden—But the Potential Was

Did God create stress intentionally? If you go back to the garden of Eden, you won’t find any evidence of stress. There was work to do, but not what we’d call "toil." There was relationship, but no tension, no strain. Eden seems like the ideal stress-free environment.

But as C.S. Lewis once implied, if you give two people choice, purpose, and love—even in a perfect environment—you also introduce the potential for stress. In other words, Eden wasn’t stress-free because the environment was flawless. The factor that kept potential stress from becoming actual stress was not the environment, but rather man's unhindered relationship with God.

Adam and Eve’s constant fellowship with God shielded them from the effects of stress. But when that fellowship was broken in the fall, everything changed. The garden felt unsafe. Relationships became unstable and untrustworthy. Adam and Eve hid. God Almighty searched.

Since then, we’ve been dealing with stress caused by scarcity, insecurity, broken relationships, physical ailments, financial strain, and, of course, the burden of living outside a perfect relationship with the Creator.

Over time, we’ve tried to make sense of stress—studying it from every angle: psychologically, physically, emotionally, and socially.

What Hans Selye Observed—And What He Called It

One of the first people to study stress in depth was Hans Selye. He was a medical researcher in the 20th century who first introduced the concept of stress as a biological and psychological phenomenon. He noticed that people responded to stressors in different ways. Some people seemed to buckle under the pressure, while others seemed to thrive under the exact same conditions.

To explain this, Selye introduced two simple terms: eustress and distress.

Eustress (from the Greek prefix "eu," meaning good) is helpful stress. Yes, you read that right — helpful. You’ve experienced this as energy that you might feel before giving a speech, or the butterflies before a big opportunity. It’s still stress—but it leads to growth and contributes to success. 

Distress is the opposite. This is the stress that overwhelms us and throws us into anxiety, fear, and eventually exhaustion. It is not helpful. It hinders success. It also hinders health, emotional well-being, and stability. 

At first glance, it would seem like some events produce eustress while others produce distress. But researchers now believe something different: it is not the event that determines eustress or distress, it's the response of the person experiencing it! 

According to a 2024 article from Medical News Today, eustress is more likely to occur when people feel supported, capable, and equipped. Distress, on the other hand, occurs when people feel alone, uncertain, or overwhelmed. The same kind of stress could lead to two different outcomes, depending on how a person responds. 

Why Response Changes Everything 

I am certainly not a medical researcher. But I do believe there is biblical grounds for me to make the claim that stress becomes either eustress or distress depending on our spiritual response. 

Listen to the words of the apostle Paul. 

"We are hard-pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed." (2 Corinthians 4:8–9) 

I noticed that Paul's language echoes descriptions of extreme stress. Words like pressed, perplexed, persecuted, and struck down - literally to be punched to the ground during a fight - are powerful metaphors for what Paul and his companions were experiencing. Often when people are describing their stressful experiences, they use similar language: feeling pressured, crushed by a heavy weight, and even feeling knocked off their feet. But Paul's language also indicates a biblical description of eustress. Pressed, but not crushed. Stressed, but not broken. 

So what does that look like in real life? What does it mean to be ‘pressed but not crushed’? I believe that there are four responses that turn a stressor into a blessor. (Sorry, I couldn’t resist the cliché. And yes, I know “blessor” is not a word.)

The promises of the Word. Scripture doesn’t promise an easy life, but it records the promises a faithful God. When we cling to what God has said we will find stability in the storm. 

Prayer. I’m talking about real, raw, praying. The kind with groans, tears, and honest wrestling. This kind of praying lays external stressors at the feet of God and creates inner peace in the believer’s heart. 

A posture of worship. Worship isn’t just a song—it’s surrender. When we lift our eyes from our situation and focus on God, our perspective shifts. The pressure may not change, but the solution becomes clearer in view. 

Living in community. God never intended for us to carry life alone. Your church family are fellow pilgrims, helping to bear your burdens. Don’t walk through stress alone. 

Stress Isn’t the End of the Story 

We all face stress. And we will continue to face it again and again. But stress does not have to be our enemy. When we stand on God's promises, spend time in His presence, determine to praise Him in spite of it all, and lean on our brothers and sisters in Christ, stress becomes transformative rather than destructive. 

If you are dealing with stress and you feel overwhelmed, you can be blessed while you’re being stressed. Your response is key. 

Remember this: God never wastes pressure.