Anxiety is real. Lots of us have been through it. It is not a one-time thing. The way we dealt with anxiety and the causes will be different. As an emotional being, it affects our living either in a good way or in a lesser appreciable ways.
One more common thing about anxiety is that it’s often correlated with depression, mental sickness, and often condones with negative aspects of life. It is not always so, let me say, because it can be overcome in a good, definitive, and exemplary way of life.
Getting Anxious:
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The state of being getting anxious is real. To me, anxiety is performing anything or thinking, at such a pace, where my mind nor my physical being is unable to follow. It is not only you nor me. However, there is the possibility of taming anxiety. Anxiety weighs down the heart,…Proverbs 12:25a
Insecurity is one of the causes of anxiety. Detrimental physical condition or nervous system due to certain illness causes anxiety. Mental illness caused by abnormal functioning of the neurons and electricity in the brain also causes anxiety.
The resulting outcome of getting anxious and/or anxiety led to abysmal damage in the daily living of a person who in turn had to seek professional help which becomes the norm of the society. In the interim, it should also be noted that professional help is useful yet it takes the willingness of a person to get through it.
Some are habitual, which needs to be stopped at some point in time due to circumstances that may deepen the emotional crisis. It is beyond the control of the human mind, its effect in the human system is always depending on balancing.
Challenges of Anxiety:
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The biggest challenge of anxiety is taking the next step. Taking the next step on the wrong path may cost our life while trekking on the right path will save our life. We tend to lose our sanity in the course of anxious moments damaging our lives forever.
As you know when it happens we can’t wait for long. It makes us restless doing things faster in a way we won’t do in our normal being. Here lies the need for control and or taming anxiety as soon as possible.
Sometimes, for me, not taking medication in time is costly. For example, the uncontrolled frequency of chewing or lifting my spoon during meals needs to be addressed by me by myself. I am the one who needs to seek help. No one knows me at that time what is going on inside me.
Even when I don’t have medication in hand, I take time to be with the Lord praying for him to take me over as I’m afraid I might lose my help. The challenge is to seek the right help at the right time.
Controlling Anxiety:
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I write not as a clinically trained professional nor as theoretically trained counselors. It is that I had the privileged of undergoing through almost every day due to my neurological disorder.
An introvert by nature, my unwillingness, or failing to express myself coherently is a major problem for me. It makes me anxious. Few years down the line I have been hospitalized for my brain surgery, its after-effects, seizures, and the need to rush to the ER, and so on.
In a few episodes of those hospital stays there are times where my eyes see shadows of images and things and my ears heard weaving songs of unlikely nature. It made me very much anxious waking up late in the wee hours of the night by myself.
Sleep is controllable by medications; devoid of sleep caused the body to become fatigued, losing mind, which makes it difficult to think the room I’m in. I’d want to run away from the room becoming very anxious thinking of my children who will be missing me but not knowing where to run. I’m restless.
Medication at this point and time worked very well for me. And even after several months after my surgery. So, medicine can control anxiety. I thank God for people who spent their time studying hard to help people like me.
Taming Anxiety:
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And if there is anxiety there must be a way to control and solve or addressed the issue. Taming anxiety is taming the mind.
Some are controllable by medication, like after my surgery. The problem sometimes is there is no one, to be truthful, even our wife, husband, or siblings never understand us or the situation we are in, especially what triggers or made us anxious.
Anxiety needs to be addressed; anxious minds deserve a hear out. No advice is the best. You and I can trust and put our faith in the Lord if we love him. He will watch over us and not let us perish in those dark moments.
The Lord watches all over who love him, but all the wicked he will destroy. Psalms 145:20
It is painful to see many Christians make the wrong decision of seeking self-admiration under the influence of practices, which are alien to them. In the process undermining their own Savior and Superior God.
Wanting to be free from the bubble of living in anxiety, for me the pain, inexplicable physical activity, and inactivity. Not being able to pursue a dream, not finding a purpose, messy living, etc.causes insecurity, and it makes me anxious.
Overcoming Anxiety:
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The one who can hear out bearing deeply our mind and thoughts is Jesus Christ. He is the one to tell him our mind. and to put our life and all our worries in his hand. He will decide on our next move and at our end if necessary. Our exit plan from anxiety is in him.
Take rest, at least for a while, a day at a time, in his loving arms through his mercy and grace. Let me remind you here that –
In his anxious moment, he submits to the father who is Lord, “thy will be done.” In the garden of Gethsemane. Matthew 26:39
This is an example set forth in its best way and it always works. The soothing song or music of David to King Saul always do the work. If the music is God-ordained it will help.
Overcoming with the Word:
Here are my go-to Bible Verses in the time anxiety which helps me overcome anxiety from time to time although the causes or reasons might differ – pain, grief, suffering, financial blues, etc.
Through the LORD’s mercies we are not consumed, Because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness. “The LORD is my portion,” says my soul, “Therefore I hope in Him!”Lamentation 3:22-24
The LORD is good to those who wait for Him, to the soul who seeks Him. It is good that one should hope and wait quietly, For the salvation of the LORD. It is good for a man to bear the yoke in his youth.
Let him sit alone and keep silent because God has laid it on him; Let him put his mouth in the dust— There may yet be hope. Lamentation 3:25-29
Consolation in Anxiety:
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When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought me joy. Psalms 94:19
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. Philipians 4:6-7
Peace I leave with you, my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. John 14:27
Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Colossians 3:15
Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. Be alert and of sober mind. 1 Peter 6:5-8
Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. Psalms 23:4, and the whole of Psalms 23
Like as a father pitieth his children, so the LORD pitieth them that fear him. For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust. Psalms 103:13 – 14
Confidence in Anxious Times:
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Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said,
“Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” So we say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?” Hebrews 13:5-6
Record my misery; list my tears on your scroll are they not in your record? Then my enemies will turn back when I call for help. By this, I will know that God is for me. In God, whose word I praise, in the LORD, whose word I praise — in God, I trust and am not afraid. What can man do to me? Psalms 56:8-11
Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. Matthew 6:34
For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:38-39
Say to those with fearful hearts, be strong, do not fear; your God will come, he will come with vengeance; with divine retribution, he will come to save you.” Isaiah 35:4
Keeping us through Anxious Times:
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But those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. Isaiah 40:31
Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God, believe also in me. John 14:1 (If He is residing or abiding in me the evil will not take control over me.)
On a personal note, I pray to God to keep me in his arms so that I may not decide on anything in my anxious moments and my broken brain.
By trusting in the Lord we will overcome anxiety if the spirit dwells in us. Once a winner, always a winner in the name of Christ!
