Dealing With Anxietyনমুনা

What is anxiety? 

“It’s 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.” —Max Lucado

Anxiety. Maybe you’re anxious about tension in your friend group, division in your family, a big test coming up in school, what you’re going to do after you graduate, or the fact that your boyfriend/girlfriend has been acting strange and you’re worried they may break up with you. Anxiety is unfortunately something that many of us are all too familiar with and affected by. 

So, what is anxiety? Here’s a definition: an abnormal and overwhelming sense of apprehension and fear. 

Did you know, that on average, one in five young people have anxiety? That means, more than likely, someone you know has anxiety. Actually, multiple people you know probably have anxiety. Not only that, but 91% of teenagers say they have experienced physical symptoms as a result of being stressed out and anxious. It doesn’t stop there either: Young people today self-report as having lower levels of mental health than any previous generation. Those statistics are discouraging. They can almost feel like a prison being built around your potential. 

But there is good news. Because even though young people today are more anxious than ever before, you are also one of the most cause-driven, passionate, entrepreneurial, and compassionate generations in history. 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. 

While I can’t promise you this Bible plan will cure your anxiety, I can promise you that engaging in this plan for the next seven days will be a helpful step in the right direction toward finding peace in the middle of your anxiety. I’m confident of that. Why? Because our God is a God of peace. And our God showed up in history 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’s not going to be easy. It’s going to take work. But it is absolutely worth it. 

Challenge: Anxiety is no joke. If you are dealing with anxiety, talk to a trusted adult or medical professional to get the help you need. We absolutely believe that God works through the wisdom of people, counselors, and doctors to help us find healing in our lives.