We recently asked the YouVersion Community in the U.S. how they feel about stress, current events, and what role the Bible plays during times of stress. The survey examined stress caused by current events, at both national and international levels, and how reading the Bible changes the effects of stress on people’s daily lives. Then, we compared those results with the 2017 “Stress in America” study conducted by the American Psychological Association.*
The exciting news is that our U.S. Bible reading community is less stressed than the average American.
The APA survey reports that well over half (59%) of its respondents say terrorism is a significant source of stress. In contrast, only 18 percent of Bible App survey respondents say terrorism is the current event that causes them a significant amount of stress.
Similarly, the APA survey showed 57 percent of people say the current political climate is a very or somewhat significant source of stress, while only 16 percent of YouVersion respondents say the national political climate is the current event that causes them the most stress.
Why is this the case?
“I’m not surprised by the results of our survey,” said Bobby Gruenewald, founder of YouVersion.
“The Bible withstands the test of time because it speaks to the real struggles we face every day. For thousands of years, Scripture has helped people find peace despite the circumstances around them.”
In the YouVersion study, 30 percent say that reading Scripture before a stressful event occurs helps them best deal with stress, and 41 percent say reading Scripture in the moment best helps them find relief.
And when they turn to Scripture to deal with stress, 47 percent first look at the Verse of the Day. Others first look up their favorite verses from memory (45%), resume reading where they last left off in the Bible (45%), or search for a YouVersion Bible Plan (40%) to deal with stress.
How about you?
Whether it’s stress, loneliness, loss or doubt, the Bible can give you the perspective you need, laying it all at God’s feet. Bible Plans are a great way to start, helping you study, understand, meditate on, and apply biblical truth to your life.
Technology has given us the opportunity to provide the Bible on the devices we carry everywhere. You can open and engage with it throughout the course of your daily life, no matter where you find yourself.
Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.
* American Psychological Association (2017). Stress in America: Coping with Change. Stress in America™ Survey.