Healing and Overcoming Anxiety

Have you ever seen The Wizard of Oz? Remember that scene when Dorothy's house is swept up by a tornado? It's like when our minds are overwhelmed by anxiety. Her home was tossed every which way in the whirling winds of that tornado, much like the swirling thoughts that go through my mind when I experience anxiety. Can you relate? Dorothy found herself in a strange, unfamiliar land, just as we might feel stranded when anxiety strikes.

She cried out, 'Toto, I don't think we're in Kansas anymore,' expressing the shock and confusion we often experience. The unknown can be terrifying, and we may question if we'll ever find our way back to a sense of calm. Would she ever find her way back again? Would everything be okay? She went through a lot before she got her hands on those ruby slippers, clicked her heels together, and found her way back.

Wouldn't it be wonderful if we could simply click our heels together and banish anxiety? While life's storms may continue to rage, we can find our own 'ruby slippers' – praying, pausing, and praising – to help us weather them. 

Don't Be Anxious About Anything?

Last year was a whirlwind of challenges. It felt like there were a million papers in the air circling around me like a tornado, and no matter how hard I tried to catch one, it would always slip through my fingers. With bills to pay, a new job, a family to care for, shifting family dynamics, comforting my loved ones in their grief, and relationship struggles, it was a lot to handle, especially at 27. Sometimes it felt like I had to bury my own emotions as I tried to survive my evolving life. The verse 'Don't be anxious about anything' felt like a slap in the face. How could I not be anxious when my world was constantly being upended? The weight of it all was suffocating, and I found myself struggling to keep my head above water.

I've often wondered how anyone can truly rejoice in all situations, especially as someone who grapples with anxiety. I was watching a sermon yesterday, "Healing an Anxious Mind" by Craig Groeschel, and he mentioned a startling statistic: in 2019, "2 out of 3 American people reported feeling anxious or extremely anxious." This was before the pandemic, which has only exacerbated the problem. According to another study he mentioned, "Since the pandemic, the frequency and intensity of anxiety have reached record levels. 91% of high school or college aged students report consistent and significant levels of anxiety associated with stress."

I know firsthand how debilitating anxiety can be. There have been times when I longed to call my mom, cry, and have her pray away my worries, but now that she's gone, I must turn to the Lord. I have learned that you never know how Christ is all you need until He is all you have. I won't pretend that anxiety is a simple problem to solve. For some, it's a minor inconvenience, but for others, like me, it can be life-altering, making even the smallest tasks seem insurmountable.

If you're struggling with anxiety, know that you're not alone. God cares, and just as I need constant reminders, so might you. I've found that therapy, journaling, and medication have been helpful tools, but prayer, pause, and praise are essential in weathering the storm.

Prayer Renews Your Mind

After my mom passed away, I took on her old job, caring for an adorable Old English Sheepdog and cleaning a beautiful home. Every day, I walked in her shoes. In a way, it was comforting. I remember during that time all I did was pray. It seemed to be the only thing that could get me through each day. I prayed and looked upward, rather than focusing on my immediate, horizontal perspective. Prayer shifted my brain from a natural perspective to a supernatural and eternal one that gave me hope for each day.

In 2 Chronicles 20, we see Jehoshaphat, the fourth King of Judah, go through a terrifying circumstance. He is about to be attacked on all sides by three different enemies. I don't know about you, but even one obstacle in my life is too much, let alone three! Maybe you feel similar. Perhaps you're trying to balance bills, kids, a healthy marriage or relationship, a recent job loss, or the death of a loved one—all at once. Maybe the financial burden is the one thing that's knocking you off your feet. Maybe you feel like you're falling behind in life and will never catch up. Perhaps you're single while everyone else is getting married and having children. Maybe you feel like you're not good enough. Each time I experienced a wave of grief, anxiety, or overwhelming despair, it was an alarm in my brain to turn to Jesus and lift my worries to Him.

Pay attention to Jehoshaphat's first instinct as alarm bells of anxiety ring in his mind in 2 Chronicles 20:3-9.

"A vast army is coming against you from Edom, from the other side of the Dead Sea. ... Alarmed, Jehoshaphat resolved to inquire of the Lord, and he proclaimed a fast for all Judah. The people of Judah came together to seek help from the Lord; indeed, they came from every town in Judah to seek him.

Then Jehoshaphat stood up in the assembly of Judah and Jerusalem at the temple of the Lord in the front of the new courtyard and said:

“Lord, the God of our ancestors, are you not the God who is in heaven? You rule over all the kingdoms of the nations. Power and might are in your hand, and no one can withstand you. ... If calamity comes upon us, whether the sword of judgment, or plague or famine, we will stand in your presence before this temple that bears your Name and will cry out to you in our distress, and you will hear us and save us."

This goes to show how honest we can be with ourselves and God. I love Jehoshaphat's humility in admitting that he doesn't know what to do. He had faith that God would hear his cry.

One of the things I loved that Craig brought up in his sermon was a study by Dr. Caroline Leaf, the author of "Switch On Your Brain." Dr. Leaf is a communication pathologist, audiologist, and clinical neuroscientist specializing in research in psychoneurobiology. She wrote in her book that "it has been found that 12 minutes of daily focused prayer over an 8-week period can change the chemistry of the brain to such an extent that it can be measured on a brain scan."

This goes to show how true the verse is when the Lord tells us, "Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect." in Romans 12:2. 

Choosing a vertical perspective over a horizontal one is a deliberate choice. One way to cultivate this perspective is through daily, intentional prayer. By scheduling regular appointments with God, we can prioritize our spiritual connection.

Wait God... You Want Me To Be STILL!?

I don't know about you, but often when I go through anxiety, all I want to do is take things into my own hands and run through every possible "what if." However, this always brings me even more fear because I am leaning on my own horizontal and natural understanding rather than the supernatural God who created the heavens and the earth. Instead of trusting my creator, I trust myself, the creation.

Just like a train, our thoughts can take us on a journey down a path we never intended to be on. Our brains are muscles and they must be exercised not every day, but I believe every minute of the day. We must take our thoughts captive. Craig went on to bring up the science of neuroplasticity. The science states that the more you think about something, the more neuropathways are created to continue thinking about it, making it a habit to focus on. He gave us the example of the amygdala, which sets off that alarm in our head that tells us we need to pay attention and be aware of danger. This is basically a built-in alarm system to not only practically be aware of danger but also to remind us how limited we are and how limitless God is. He wants us to run to Him.

Many times, what helped me run to the Lord, especially after the loss of my mother, was remembering His faithfulness. I prayed for peace, whatever the outcome when mom was in the hospital, and I can't explain the supernatural peace I experienced when she passed into heaven. I'm relying on God's faithfulness now that I'm walking through a new uncertain season. I remember the goodness of God I experienced during my mom's death, and I know that I can experience that same goodness, mercy, and peace now as my life takes another turn.

If you struggle with how to shift your mind from your worries to His goodness, I want you to read this verse, that changed my life, over yourself from Philippians 4:8-9:

"Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you."

Often when I experience the anxieties and worries of life, all I want to do is understand and fix the problem at hand. I experienced this a lot after my mom passed away and now as I navigate this new uncertainty. What taking things into my own hands often looks like for me is:

• Overthinking and Worrying: Instead of praying and surrendering my concerns to God, I became consumed with negative thoughts and worst-case scenarios.

• Trying to Control Outcomes: In the past, I have tried to manipulate situations to get the desired results, rather than trusting God's plan.

• Relying on Myself: I have placed my faith in my abilities or resources, believing that I can solve problems without God's help (this never ends well).

• Impatience: I've become frustrated when things don't happen according to my timeline and try to force outcomes.

• Ignoring God's Guidance: I've disregarded God's guidance, choosing to follow my own plan.

So yeah... that verse "Be still and know that I am God" sometimes goes RIGHT over my head. The other day, my first response was overthinking and worrying. I found myself asking, "God, I have no power in this situation... how will you make this right?" Can you relate?

Jehoshaphat expressed a similar sentiment. He acknowledged his own limitations but took a profound step by keeping his focus on Jesus. Consider 2 Chronicles 20:12:

"Our God, will you not judge them? For we have no power to face this vast army that is attacking us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you." 

I know what you're thinking... this is easier said than done. I feel you, friend. I can relate. It's not always easy to pause and hand our worries to God. Trying to take matters into our own hands is the most human thing we can do. But, taking time to pause and listen for those small whispers from God and pouring our hearts out to Him sets us into alignment before making our next move.

Whenever I have tried to handle things outside of God's will and guidance, I have always ended up more disappointed, hard-hearted, and angry with God... even though I never asked for His involvement anyway. I have found that when I take time to be still and listen for His voice... I have a renewed mind and perspective of my situations and can sometimes even see how His hand is using my hardship for good.

I remember right before my mother had her brain scans to tell us if she was brain dead or not, I had to take a moment and be still. My aunt and I walked down to the hospital courtyard. I screamed out to God for help, I asked God why... and then as I cried and had nothing else to say, I heard hundreds of small little birds chirping above us.

I looked up at a tree full of birds on every inch of every branch. I listened as the birds got cozy for the night and found a warm place to nuzzle up and sleep. It was a clear picture of Matthew 6:26: "Look at the birds in the air. They don't plant or harvest or store food in barns, but your heavenly Father feeds them. And you know that you are worth much more than the birds. You cannot add any time to your life by worrying about it." I thought, "if He cares for these birds, how much more does He care for my mother's life?"

There are gifts to be found in being still and pausing before God. It's hard work to retrain our brains, but the Lord gives us help so we don't have to do it alone. He can do this through not only prayer and pausing but also counseling, medication, exercise, and more. With every move or pause we make, we can hand Him the battle that was never ours to win because, ultimately, the battle is and always will be over our hearts and minds. Are you ready to stop the cycle of anxious thoughts and hand them to God? Are you willing to let God in to fight over your mind and heart?

"For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms."  - Ephesians 6:12.

Choosing to Praise God In Your Tornado

In this spiritual warfare, praise becomes a powerful weapon. It helps us find something seemingly impossible: joy in the chaos.

Look at what God told Jehoshaphat and his people in 2 Chronicles 20:15-18:

"Do not be afraid or discouraged... For the battle is not yours, but God's. ... Jehoshaphat bowed down with his face to the ground, and all the people of Judah and Jerusalem fell down in worship before the Lord."

I know how daunting this can seem. Some days are harder than others. As I woke up for 19 straight days pleading and praying for my mom to live, that seemed hard enough. But then I had to praise? God, are you kidding me? My mom is in her deathbed, and now you want me to praise You? How the heck am I supposed to rejoice in this circumstance?

But I cannot tell you the joy I experienced when I decided to praise God instead of wallowing in worries, fear, and doubt. Joy is a choice, and praise helps us get there. It's like choosing to see the sun through a cloudy sky. Even when it feels impossible, we can choose to focus on the light and warmth, rather than the darkness of the clouds. Praise shifts our perspective, reminding us of God's goodness, faithfulness, and control in the midst of our greatest storms.

Prayer, pause, and praise enable us to fear God more than fear itself. This means prioritizing God's will and guidance above our own personal fears and anxieties.

Jehoshaphat sent out his army, praising God through the fight, and guess what? The battle was won. But pay attention to how his army was praising before the battle was won. It's easy to praise after a battle is won, but before? Seems a little crazy, huh? Look at 2 Chronicles 20:20-21+27-30:

"Early in the morning they left for the Desert of Tekoa. As they set out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, “Have faith in the Lord your God and you will be upheld; have faith in his prophets and you will be successful.” ... Jehoshaphat appointed men to sing to the Lord and to praise him for the splendor of his holiness as they went out at the head of the army, saying, “Give thanks to the Lord, for his love endures forever. ...Then, led by Jehoshaphat, all the men of Judah and Jerusalem returned joyfully to Jerusalem, for the Lord had given them cause to rejoice over their enemies. They entered Jerusalem and went to the temple of the Lord with harps and lyres and trumpets. The fear of God came on all the surrounding kingdoms when they heard how the Lord had fought against the enemies of Israel. And the kingdom of Jehoshaphat was at peace, for his God had given him rest on every side.”  

What if The Battle Ends in Worst Case Scenario?

Maybe your story is like mine, and it doesn't end as you hoped it would. Maybe it seems impossible to pray, pause, and praise. I can relate. I am so sorry for the pain you've gone through in your life that has caused you to question, be confused, and experience anxiety.

When my mom passed, I took on more than I could bear. But as I prayed, paused, and praised, I truly unlocked what felt like the sweetest treasure chest God could ever give me. That's the beautiful thing about having faith in Jesus: He understands we are human and doesn't expect us to do life and hardship alone.

Even Jesus experienced anxiety. He cried out in agony and sweat drops of blood before submitting to the will of God and dying on the cross for you and me. Luke 22:42 quotes Jesus and says, 'Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.' I have prayed that prayer as well. I have prayed, 'God, if there is any other way to make my mom live on this side of Heaven, do it, I know You can...' and the hardest thing to pray was, 'But not my will, but Yours be done.'

I know you and I desire for God to do what we want, but I urge you to trust God even when things don't go your way. I read over my mom in the hospital Psalm 118:17, 'I will not die, but live and declare what the Lord has done,' and I truly thought that God would heal her and she would live on this side of eternity. But through Christ, I can rest knowing that her life still declares what the Lord has done because of her faith in Christ.

I don't know about you, but I want to leave a similar legacy. To die and not be remembered for anything other than the faith I had in Jesus through prayer, pausing, and praising.

There is a battle for your heart and your mind, but you matter to God. Through Him, we don't have live this life broken and dead in our sins, but whole because of Jesus surrendering His life for you and me. Because of Him, we don't have to have a spirit of fear, but a spirit of power, love, and a sound mind. I refuse to continue letting my mind swirl like the house in the Wizard of Oz. I just want to be home with Jesus, and the way there is through praying, pausing, and praising until I meet Him face to face. Will you join me?

Reflections

"For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and sound mind."

"Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you" - 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

“There is no panic in Heaven! God has no problems, only plans.” - Corrie Ten Boom

I want you to listen to this song that always calms my anxiety. I love you, friend.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fMUg9V1NtuA

Prayer

Heavenly Father,

I come to You today, burdened by the weight of anxiety that swirls around my mind like a tornado. I feel lost and alone. In the midst of this storm, I cling to Your promise of peace. Grant me the courage to face my fears and the wisdom to trust Your plan. Help me to prayer, pause, and praise.

Lord, I know You see my struggles. You understand the depths of my anxiety and the challenges I face. I ask for Your healing touch, to soothe my troubled mind and calm my weary heart.

Remind me of Your faithfulness, Your love, and Your enduring presence. Help me to focus on Your goodness and to find joy, even in the darkest of times.

May Your peace wash over me, and may Your love fill my heart with hope. Thank You for being my constant companion, my strength, and my refuge.

In Jesus' name, I pray. Amen.