So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most. Hebrews 4:16 NLT

Your capacity to handle stress often depends on your resources. If you are secure before a crisis, you are more likely to be able to stabilize during and after the crisis. But, even at your best going into a crisis, experiencing stress with other people highlights the most irritating behaviors in one another. Dr. Bruce Perry explains that stress shifts our regulatory capacities. We are less able to regulate our feelings and be resilient in turmoil. “There is an escalation of dysregulated behaviors,”[1] he says.

On their final trip together, Jesus explained to His disciples that He was about to be betrayed, sentenced to death, and humiliated. He would soon be killed but would rise again three days later (Mark 10). Instead of grieving that imminent scene, His disciples James and John responded like kids, bickering about who would sit next to Jesus on his throne (Mark 10:32). Talk about “dysregulated behavior!”

Like the disciples, we need grace in times of stress and uncertainty. Hebrews assures us that God empathizes with our weaknesses because He has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet He did not sin. Therefore, we can confidently approach God so we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need (Hebrews 4:15-16). Amid stress, we may need to adjust our expectations of ourselves and others. Jesus offers us abundant grace right now.

Resource reading:  Hebrews 4:12-16

 

[1] Hope for Mental Health Community with Dr. Bruce Perry. Hope for Mental Health Community with Dr. Bruce Perry, April 26, 2020. https://www.facebook.com/KayWarrensPage/videos/221359749316417/?v=221359749316417&external_log_id=dfa3a8adb311f83825eb054bc95cdd83.