Max Lucado describes anxiety so vividly as “a low-grade fear. An edginess, a dread. A cold wind that won’t stop howling. It’s not so much a storm as the certainty that one is coming. Always…coming. Sunny days are just an interlude. You can’t relax. Can’t let your guard down. All peace is temporary, short-term.”
You may be anxious about tension in your family, household bills that you are unable to pay, a big exam coming up in school, or a breakup in a relationship or even the end of a divorce and you are worried about starting over. Anxiety is unfortunately something that many of us are all too familiar with and affected by. It is so important for us to take care of ourselves to reduce anxiety in our lives. We must utilize daily techniques such as getting enough sleep, maintaining a positive attitude, exercising, and eating a well-balanced diet. There are so many more techniques that you could do but I just wanted to mention just a few. While fear and anxiety will try to limit your impact, God wants to leverage your strengths to bring hope and healing to a hurting world.
The Bible lets us know,
“Always be full of joy in the Lord, I say it again---rejoice! Let everyone see that you are considerate in all you do. Remember, the Lord is coming is soon. Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and mind as you live in Christ Jesus. And now, dear brothers, and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise”. ~Philippians 4:4-8
You must take some steps to move past anxiety and experience peace. Hopefully, you have realized that you are not alone, that there is hope, and that God wants you to have peace in the middle of anxiety. I am confident of that. Why? Because our God is a God of peace and he showed up in history over 2,000 years ago to show His love to the world. How did He do that? By becoming a man, dying on a cross, and being raised from the dead. I believe the same God who conquered death can give you the power to deal with your anxiety. It won’t be easy, and it is going to take work, but it is worth it!
I challenge you to celebrate what God has done in your life. Pray and ask God for help. Choose to focus on good things. If you are dealing with anxiety, talk to a trusted adult or medical professional to get the help you need. I absolutely believe that God works through the wisdom of people, counselors, and doctors to help us find the healing we need in our lives.
I have a special gift to share with you! My Anxiety Journal is still available for pre-order. I am so excited and grateful that I get to not only share my story with you but also share the tools and strategies that I used to overcome anxiety! To pre-order your copy, just click on the link here!
Remember you can always connect with me at www.adrianephinazee.com or visit me on Facebook and Instagram @mattersoftheheartbyadriane
Stay Blessed!
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