Overcoming Anxiety
It’s difficult to live in peace in a world where anxiety is constantly barraging us with reasons to be in chaos in our spiritual and emotional well-being.
Philippians 4:6-7
Be anxious for nothing, 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 minds through Christ Jesus.
Peace
We are to be in the world but not of the world. Anxiety is like an Achilles Heel to us. Anxiety guts the power of God in our lives and makes us vulnerable to every wind and whim of teaching, conspiracy, and negativity. Chaos, stress, anxiety–we just have to deal with it, right? It’s like were trapped on a cruise ship in the middle of the ocean and you cannot get off! The crew can’t magically get you back to shore, because you paid for that cruise. They don’t have control over the ocean. You just have to ride it out.
In this season where many of us are going on vacations and trying to relax and refresh, it can be hard to get away from the worries of the world. You just want to get away and forget all the things that vie for your attention on a daily basis. What is the one thing you need to detach and rest?
It’s not a vacation you need. All of those things will be waiting for you as soon as you get home. What we really need is His peace.
John 14:27 NKJV
Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
This is not a passive scripture. We have a responsibility in this. Let not your heart be troubled and let it not be afraid. We need to learn to live in peace. This doesn’t mean that everything is perfect. In this world we will have trouble. But in the midst of the tumult, we can still grab hold of Peace–like a pillar in the middle of a storm.
Jesus does not give as the world gives. What does that mean? He doesn’t do take backs. He gives us peace and doesn’t change his mind a few weeks later. He says that His peace stays with us always.
We carry the burdens of other people’s traumas, problems, and insecurities. We get so afraid of letting people down. Sometimes we get addicted to stress. Our bodies get so overloaded with cortisol and we bask in the attention we get from others who are willing to commiserate that we don’t know how to live any other way. If we don’t have stress in our lives, we get bored. How crazy is that? We watch movies to get stressed out. If the movie has no problems or drama, it’s boring. Who wants to watch something like that?
Pray
Philippians 4:6
Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication…
The antidote for anxiety is talking to the One who can quiet all the swirling thoughts going on in our heads. Do we truly trust God enough to surrender our anxiety to Him, or do we secretly like the drama it creates?
Matthew 11:28
Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
Are you satisfied with anxiety-free living? Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we could go through our day without drama or trauma? Some of us have been longing for this kind of peace for so long and we don’t even realize it. We are so looking forward to a break but we don’t realize the “break” comes from Him.
Are You Thankful?
We have to unplug from fear and anxiety. We have to cast out cares on God and then let Him handle it.
Thankfulness means taking your focus off of what the enemy is trying to throw at you to get you off course, and run to the Father who can give you true and beautiful rest.
Philippians 4:6-7
Be anxious for nothing, 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 minds through Christ Jesus.
If you have had an extended period of time with your prayers going unanswered, look back on what your thanksgiving has looked like. Thanksgiving lifts you out of your despair. Dig for gratitude and something begins to shift!
If you come into a worship service and you have a bad attitude, or you don’t like the music, or it’s too loud, you’re not worshiping God, you’re worshiping yourself. Gratitude puts the focus back on God where it should be!
The Peace of God
Jesus tells us to come to Him if we are weary. The operative word there is, “[You] come to Me.” We have to take the first step. Sometimes we want God to come to us and commiserate, but He says, “I need you to get out of the place you’re in. Get out of the miry clay, and then I can wash you clean.”
2 Peter 5:6-7
Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.
