Dealing With Anxiety, as a Christian

Let’s be honest.. there is a lot going on in the world that we could worry about. Inflation, health issues, family problems, a potential WWIII. Every day, it’s something new. Watching the news (which is something I proudly do not do) or doomscrolling through social media just adds to the mix. 

It’s overwhelming. No matter which way we turn, it feels like there’s something else there to demand our attention. The weight of that worry can make it hard to focus on anything else, and before we know it, worry becomes the default setting of our minds.

It’s so easy to get wrapped up in worrying about what tomorrow brings. Just like it’s so easy to compare ourselves to others - their looks, their financial status, their lives. I fall victim to that so often. I constantly question myself and worry that I’m not keeping up with the societal clock.

I’m sure we’ve all heard the verse, “Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you”, 1 Peter 5:7. So simple, but so powerful. If you deal with anxiety, you know how heavy it can be. And for Jesus to love us so much that He wants us to just hand it all over to Him, so we don’t have to keep struggling.. is hard to wrap my mind around. 

Fighting anxiety is a daily struggle for me. And when I say struggle - I mean it shows up at random times, grabs me by my hair, and drags me through the mud.

My anxiety ranges from mild overthinking and worry to severe panic attacks that make me feel like I’m dying. My heart rate skyrockets, vision goes blurry, I can’t breathe, and I usually either want to curl into a ball or crawl out of my own skin. They’ve hit me while trying to go to sleep, in the grocery store, at the hair salon, in waiting rooms, while driving. There doesn’t always have to be a direct cause - they just start. I’m usually asked what’s wrong and feel completely insane to honestly say I don’t know. It’s like my mind decides to fight itself, and my body, and I have no control over it. 

Even on the days when anxiety isn’t a full blown panic attack, it still finds ways to creep in. More often than not, I wake up and am completely bombarded with silly thoughts like..

“Did those people that I hung out with yesterday think I was weird?”

“Did I come across as rude?”

“I’m in so much trouble.”

“Are they mad at me?”

You’re probably thinking what I already know and agree with - what a miserable way of going about everyday life. I’ll add on to that. How embarrassing of me to hand Satan that power over and over again! And for what reason? To make him happy? To let him win? He doesn’t deserve that. I’m supposed to be a soldier of Christ. (Thank goodness He isn’t in the dishonorable discharge business.) And because of that, I know I don’t have to just sit back and allow bad thoughts to consume me. I can actually do something about it. 

While I don’t always do the best job at preventing anxiety/panic attacks, or overthinking, I have found a way to fight back when I recognize what’s happening.

2 Timothy 1:7, “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.”

I replace my bad thoughts by speaking out loud and saying things like..

“Get behind me, Satan.”

“You have no power over me.”

“You are not welcome here.”

“I am a child of God.”

If the attacks are severe and I can’t think clearly, I just repeat the name of Jesus over, and over, and over again until I can. You should see me in these verbal matches - I point my finger, stomp my foot, look down my nose like I’m making eye contact with Satan directly. Just imagine me and him in a boxing ring with me doing all of this.. and winning. LOL. How embarrassing for him. 

I know I’m not the only one that finds myself in the ring. Anxiety doesn’t just target me. So many of use are fighting these invisible battles every single day, struggling to take back the peace the enemy tries to steal.

So, I just wanted to share these thoughts and personal experiences for those of you that might deal with the same thing. It’s not easy; it’s a mental war. And as much as it might feel like a personal struggle, it’s also a spiritual one.

The enemy throws accusations and lies at us in an attempt to hold us captive. He wants us imprisoned in our thoughts. But we don’t have to stay there. We can’t give him that satisfaction. Jesus knows our struggles and chooses to fight alongside us. He knows our imperfections and chooses us to be His. When we can’t fight anymore, He gives us rest. 

And that’s the beauty of knowing Him. He would never leave us to face these battles alone. He meets us in the darkness, walks alongside us in the valleys, and reminds us that we are His.

But what about those who don’t know Him yet? What about the ones still trying to fight these battles alone, unsure if surrendering to Jesus is worth it?

If that’s you - I’m sorry to have broken the news that handing your life over to Christ doesn’t mean smooth sailing. But, it does come hand in hand with the good news that you will never go through it alone. And the thing is - peace doesn’t come from fighting harder. It doesn’t come from trying to control everything ourselves. True, perfect peace comes from knowing Who’s already won the battle. You are fighting on the winning side. No matter how hard some days may be, that fact will never change.

Anxiety does not define us. Who we are in Christ does. 

So, speak the Word out loud. Pray without ceasing.

Go into battle knowing you are fighting under the victory of Jesus. 

And remember this:

You are loved, and you are not alone.

Psalm 94:19, “In the multitude of my anxieties within me, Your comforts delight my soul.” 

Love you,

Josie

Broken Story