At some point in our lives, every one of us will experience anxiety. Some of us will experience it seasonally based on stressful situations and circumstances, whilst others will experience anxiety every single day.
Anxiety is defined as: A feeling of worry, nervousness, or an unease about something with an uncertain outcome.
People experience different levels of anxiety. For some it’s mild, whilst for others it can be severe if not extremely debilitating, which in turn can have a negative impact on daily living. Anxiety is that constant feeling of drowning, feeling out of control, helpless, fearful, and overwhelmed.
It’s easy to just tell an anxious person “Hey, stop feeling anxious, it will be okay!” But in actual fact is not easy for an anxious person with real fears and worries. They can’t just switch off like a tap. It’s something that they need to be conscious of working through, one little step at a time.
I go through seasons where my anxiety builds over time, and I become an emotional mess. I will overthink things, think fearful thoughts and feel very helpless and overwhelmed. I might know that some of my fears are totally irrational and maybe a bit far fetched at times. But in those moments it feels real and all-consuming. I have to really claw my way through it.
WHEN ANXIETY RISES
I don’t want to live an anxious life, so when my anxiety rises I start to do the following:
1 . ASK
I stop for a moment and I simply pray. I pray through the fears and through the tears. I ask God to give me peace and to settle my anxious heart. I ask God to walk me through it. I ask Him to give me peace, and to grace me with the strength to push through those moments.
Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. – Philippians 4:6-7
2 . SURRENDER
Surrendering all of our fears to God requires trust, and it requires us to let go and to take the things that are out of our control and to place them into His loving hands. Sometimes, we become so attached to our burdens we try to hide it from the world – maybe because we feel ashamed of it. Then we start to suffer silently, and disconnect from others. The truth is that God wants us to come to Him, to rest in Him, to feel loved and whole in Him, in His presence!
Cast all your anxiety on Him, because he cares for you. – 1 Peter 5:7
3 . SPEAK
Our words have the power of life or death. We have a choice when it comes to the words we speak over our lives! We can either say empowering words that have the power to push and pull us towards victory. Or we can choose words that cause us to live in a world of constant negativity, fear, and insecurity! When you feel overwhelmed or defeated, change the way you speak. Your actions will follow your words, so choose wisely when it comes to your words.
If your heart and mind are feeling anxious, just know that it will soon pass. You may feel defeated and overwhelmed with anxious thoughts; but know that you are not alone and that you can call out to God to help navigate you through it all. If this post spoke to you, and you want to know more about God, then may I encourage you to click on the link below.