5 Steps to Dealing With Anxiety
I battled with anxiety for a really, really long time. At the rate at which people are reaching out to me for resources to help burn out, I know that I am not alone in that battle.
While now, I would say that anxiety does not grip my life with the same strength it once did, I can still remember the very real struggle of it, and any time I can share information to help others navigate it a little easier, I consider it my duty.
The other day, I sat in church and listened to a guest, Les Beauchamp, from Lifegate church. He shared with us a little of his own battle with anxiety before he dropped some very interesting things.
You aren’t alone in your struggle.
First, did you know that Job and Moses battled anxiety? How about Elijah, Hannah, and Jeremiah? Solomon, David, and yes, even Paul. Did you know that? I didn't before this last week.
I operated under the impression that I should cast all my worries to the Lord and I would find peace...and when I didn't find peace I immediately thought that my relationship with the Lord wasn't strong enough.
That isn't the case.
You see the thing that Les explained was that it wasn't about anxiety, it was about what I did with that anxiety that really mattered.
We are told to cast it off... that doesn't mean we don't feel it. It just means we give it to the Lord with all of our might, we explain how we are feeling to Him. We include Him in the moment, in the burden, in the emotion of it. And then, we trust Him with it. We trust Him to handle it.
Les went on to explain a Pathway to Freedom from Anxiety which I will lay out below for all of those looking for the resource.
1. Start with why?
You see, fear and anxiety are about faith in a future without the presence and power of God. When you are feeling anxious, and you share that with the Lord, you are including Him in your struggle. Ask Him to help you through it. Ask Him to help you see the future with Him in it, as opposed to without Him.
2. Be aware of common causes of anxiety.
Sins are a cause of anxiety. Stress is a cause of anxiety. Prolonged exposure to too much news, violence, and negativity are all a cause of anxiety. Build your awareness of where your anxiety comes from. If its something you can mitigate, do. If it's something you are struggling with, like a sin, ask God for help, and maybe even reach out for additional help from appropriate community resources (Pastors, priests, mental health professionals, etc....).
3. Think about WHAT you are thinking about.
Do you have a command of your thoughts? Most people do not. Anxiety is fueled when our brains fixate on an irritant and then replay all of the worst possibilities of that thing. Over and over, on repeat, it goes in a circle, working us into an emotional tizzy. Break the loop, break the cycle.
As John Mark Comer says, "Control your thoughts of they will control you." I'm not saying this is an easy thing to master. But I am saying it's a necessary thing to master in order to help lessen the influence anxiety has in your life. It takes time, and it takes practice. Be gentle with yourself.
4. Talk to God about what you think about.
Remember to trust in the Lord. Say it out loud. Remind yourself and reaffirm it for the Lord.
5. Displace anxiety with God's living truth.
Here's the thing: for me years ago and for many who suffer from anxiety, there is a level of fixating on the very worst of ourselves and replaying that. I'm too weak to... I'm not good enough to... I'm not strong enough to...
But if we stop for a moment and challenge that thought, it looks like this- What does God think about you? What does Jesus think about you?
Here are some verses to help you dig into this a bit: 2 Timothy 1:7; Romans 8: 38-39; Isaiah 53:5; Psalm 18:32; 1 John 2:12; Ephesians 1:5; Colossians 2:10; Isaiah 41:1; Joshua 1:9; Jeremiah 29:11; Isaiah 30:21; John 15:11; Psalm 139:14; John 3:16.
Feeling anxious doesn't mean you aren't walking with Jesus, it means you live in a fallen world and are struggling. Get professional help when needed! And if you are navigating it right now, remember to cast it off. Pull it from your back and throw it vigorously to the ground the same way you did with those heavy backpacks you wore when you were 12.
Cast it off, sit down, and have a chat with the Lord. Ask for peace, but don't feel bad if you don't feel it immediately. Peace comes with time and practice. It comes the more you talk to the Lord and let Him see you in all of your naked emotions.
Be gentle with yourself, friends.
