Everyone who has ever had anxiety which includes all of us would remark that we detest it. Anxiety is hardly a simple walk in the park. It hurts a lot to be anxious. It not only dampens our joy and vitality, but it also causes feelings of terror. It may prevent us from taking actions we want to take and may even physically harm us.
Photo source: Tara Winstead
What anxiety is
A sensation of tension, worrying thoughts, and physical changes like high blood pressure are all characteristics of anxiety.
Regardless of how precisely it is defined, anxiety can show in a variety of ways and to varying degrees of severity, ranging from a little annoyance to a completely incapacitating force. For instance, anxiety can feel like a passing case of butterflies in the stomach or an overwhelming panic that keeps us from leaving the house. It can be found at any point along a broad spectrum. It can be regarded as typical anxiety when it falls on the extreme left of that spectrum. However, it transitions from common anxiety to an actual anxiety disorder when it persists for a length of time and at a level that exceeds what is developmentally acceptable.
“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 NIV
God wants us to bring our worries to Him first and foremost. He wants us to talk with Him, share our worries with Him, and sit with Him. And He, the Great Physician, can allay our concerns and grant us mental clarity as a result of our prayers. We offer God the chance to change us from the inside out by praying and spending time in His presence. He has a chance to soothe us if we let Him. We are bearing burdens that God never intended for us to shoulder whenever we feel worn out, which includes stress and anxiety.
Photo source: Tara Winstead
God commands us to bring our burdens to the foot of the cross where Jesus died to bear every one of them. When we do so by God’s directive, we ultimately replace our anxiety with His serenity and rest, a delightful transaction. God instructs us to renew our minds as well. Renewing one’s mind entails letting go of flawed thinking that conflicts with God’s truth.
