I don’t know about you, but it seems more than ever, anxiety is a constant battle in my life. I’ve rarely struggled with anxiety, so I don’t know if it’s just that the spiritual warfare is heating up for me or if it’s the world is getting crazier—or both! Anxiety seems to be a pandemic—even among Christians.
When I was writing this devotional, I consulted with a good friend of mine, Dr. Nicole Dorio, a licensed psychologist, who explained:
“Some level of anxiety is helpful and healthy as it helps motivate us to get things done. For example, a low level of anxiety helps us prepare for a case or study for a test. Additionally, anxiety is evolutionary in it helps us trigger our flight-or-fight response in the presence of a threat (i.e., a lion, bear) so we can react (i.e., run or fight). Unfortunately, when we live in chronic anxiety our flight-or-fight response is over-firing and therefore, not helpful. I believe this anxiety is what God does not want us to live in.”
I absolutely agree with her–God does NOT want us to live in constant anxiety!
How do I know this? Well, the way I understand it, the root of anxiety is typically FEAR; and in the Bible, God COMMANDS us approximately 364 times to NOT be afraid. (e.g. Joshua 1:9) However, many of my friends who have suffered from anxiety for most of their lives tell me that their anxiety isn’t just something they choose to do—rather, it’s so deeply embedded in them that it feels like an automatic reaction. Over the last year, as I’ve experienced some of this nearly subconscious reaction of anxiety that my friends have described—I’ve asked God to show me how to deal with it.
God has given me some insight that is helping me with my anxiety battle and—I’m hopeful it will help someone else.
Keep in mind, this is what I have found helpful for my own recent anxiety. I’m not downplaying anyone who has suffered with anxiety their entire life—rather, I’m just trying to help with passing along my experiences. It may be necessary to obtain additional mental health professional help to manage anxiety symptoms in conjunction with turning to His word and prayer. The little anxiety I’ve experienced of it over the past year has been miserable—and I don’t wish it on anyone! So here goes.
In my experience, anxiety creeps into our life and—before we realize it—it becomes a habit. It may begin at such a young age that we believe it is the “norm” we will have to live with our entire life; or “I am just an anxious person.” But—in order to change any habit—no matter how deep it runs—new habits need to be formed. Obviously, when the habit is a life-long habit, it often has such a grip that we need at least two things to effectuate permanent change.
- Supernatural help; and
- A new habit that offers us something so much better than we’re willing to do whatever it takes to change.
Anxiety is not just a reaction to our environment; but it feeds on itself. In other words, once it takes root inside us it can be unintentionally self-perpetuating. Then, everything we watch, listen to, think about, and allow to enter our heart, mind and soul—affects us. It’s much like how everything we eat, drink, smell, and do also affects us—even if it is a subtle effect. It follows that if we want to decrease our anxiety, we need to be very careful what we’re feeding our soul.
Jesus is the only human who withstood the external forces of evil and was not controlled by anxiety—in other words—although he may have felt anxiety–it did not change the course of His heroic plan to redeem us. Even when He was most vulnerable, God’s Word and prayer were His go-to supernatural weapons against anxiety. For example:
- After fasting 40 days and 40 nights, the devil tempted Him and all three times he answered with God’s Word. (Matthew 4:1-11)
- In the Garden of Gethsemane when He told His disciples “My soul is swallowed up in sorrow — to the point of death,” He still prayed for the will of His Father to be done. Matthew 26:36-46)
- On the cross, as Jesus was suffering beyond anything we can imagine, He prayed out God’s Word in Psalms 22:1: “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” (Matthew 27:46)
Therefore, the best weapons I’ve had against anxiety are God’s Word and prayer. Is God’s Word and prayer YOUR go-to weapon against anxiety or do you just get caught up in the quicksand of frantic thinking and then sink even deeper? Do you try to drown your anxiety with a good show, a drink, or other distractions? Those things may actually be feeding your anxiety because if they are not holy, they are taking you further from the supernatural power of God. If you have been trying to manage your anxiety on your own, try a new habit of turning it over to God. Ah, we have such a great resource in Jesus!
“For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”
Hebrews 4:15-16
In my experience over the last year, when I am consistently (sometimes multiple times a day) filling myself with God’s Word and talking with Him—I am much better equipped to deal with the external factors that tend to make me anxious. It’s really quite amazing to see God squelch my fear!!! But when I allow that (especially for entertainment) which is not holy to invade my soul—those things replace the supernatural power of God; and I’m left helpless to fall back into my miserable pattern of anxiety. The night and day difference between my anxiety level when I seek God’s supernatural calming strength, grows within me a DESIRE to live HOLY.
We desire holiness when we know that life with God is much better than life without Him.
*If making a change in habit feels overwhelming or you have tried these strategies and are still struggling with anxiety, I encourage you to reach out to a local mental health professional. They can help provide additional skills to help you feel unchained from anxiety and live the life God wants you to live. A life without chronic fear and anxiety.
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