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ANXIETY and How to Deal with it.


I would say that getting married is a pretty big life change that brings lots and lots of happiness and love... but also can bring anxiety and stress at times too.  

I also think that moving anywhere, whether it be two hours away from what you call "home" or 6000 miles away, can bring anxiety for someone as well.  You leave the familiar: your family, friends, your church, even the places you like to eat or shop.  Some people deal with change well, and I like to think I'm included in that group- but lets face it, I stress a little too much.  

It’s not that I don't enjoy change and different things that come up in life, I just overanalyze about what’s to come and tend to get anxious.. 

I seriously stress about so many things (I know it's bad, don't worry).  I stress about whether I said the wrong thing to someone,  I stress about what I'm wearing, where I have to go, what to make for dinner, about the apartment not being clean, about what to order at a restaurant (embarrassing), about going somewhere I'm not familiar with, about whether someone took what I said wrong, about what I will do in two years- you name it, I've stressed out about it.  I’m not saying it’s like this 24/7, because if it was then I should probably do something more extreme about it, I just know that as Christians, we aren't made to feel this way and I need to sort it out.  

Somewhere down the line, I have forgotten that my life doesn't belong to me, but belongs to the Lord.  And when I stress out about something,  there's a solution.  We aren't made to be anxious.  We are called to put our trust and our faith in the Lord that whatever happens with every circumstance, that He has it in control and that He has a plan for us, and for that situation.  We are called to pray when we are anxious, and cast our anxiety on the Lord.

Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.  Be sober-minded, be watchful.  Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.
1 Peter 5:7-8

The readers of Peter's letter were called to humble themselves and not to fight the mighty hand of God- even if it took them through difficulties.  Often times we want OUR way when WE want it and we get impatient with the Lord's timeline, which shows a lack of humility and submission to the His will.  God will exalt us in His timing and His way, we are called to humble ourselves and instead of getting anxious, trust in His timing, even if that brings us hardship. It doesn't make sense for me to worry about what will happen in my life when God is in control of that.  I don’t do anything productive by worrying.

The devil is always looking for opportunities to make us feel disappointed, weak, overwhelmed, anxious, etc.  We need to be on guard always and keep His Word in our hearts and minds because that is how we will overcome his attacks.  The devil knows our weaknesses and shortcomings and will be constantly looking to attack us in those areas.  

Anxiety in a man’s heart weights him down, but a good word makes him glad.  
Proverbs 12:25 

This verse seems straight forward and simple.  Whenever I feel anxious, I feel, well, like it says: weighed down.  I worry and can’t enjoy what’s going on in my life at the moment because I am too preoccupied worrying.  Getting anxious steals my joy.  I took the second part of the sentence as “a good word” meaning the Lord’s good word meaning the Bible.  When I dive into the Bible, it brings me hope and assurance that the Lord has a plan for my life and that I need not to be anxious.  

“Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on.  Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?  Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them.  Are you not of more value than they?  And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?  And why are you anxious about clothing?  Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow:  they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.  But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown in the over, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?  Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all.  But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.  Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself.  Sufficient for the day is its own trouble. 
Matthew 6:25-34


These verses are so good.  They speak to me directly.. like it talks about the exact things I worry about, and asks why?!  Why worry about such trivial issues??  If God feeds the birds of the air and clothes the lilies of the field, how much more will he supply His children with what they need?  Worrying is just so unproductive, I can’t add an hour to my life by worrying.  The time is going to pass anyways, so worrying will get me no where. 

And the answer of what to do when I get anxious?  Right here, 

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.  And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. 
Philippians 4:6-7

I like what the notes in my Bible say about verse 6.  “Fret and worry indicate a lack of trust in God’s wisdom, sovereignty, or power.  Delighting in the Lord and meditating on his word are a great antidote to anxiety.  Gratitude to God accompanies all true prayer.”  

So in order to overcome anxiety, we first need to realize that worrying means we are not trusting fully in the Lord.  Then, we need to meditate on His word.  As we put all of our trust in the Lord and express thankfulness, we will feel the peace of God overcome us.  God is able and willing to do what is best for us- we just need to have confidence in that fact.  Christ will guard us from anxiety, doubt, and fear- He will watch over us, but we need to have faith and trust in Him!  

After studying anxiety, it seems pretty simple to me.  I need to put my trust in the Lord, that He knows what He is doing, and if I begin to worry, I need to pray and confess what I am feeling to the Lord and His great peace will overwhelm my body and soul and protect me from that anxiety.  But quite simply, it starts with trusting God.





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