Restoring Life: AnxietySample

Day Three: Preparing for Battle

Surgery can often be looked at as a battle. A battle to restore you to health. In every battle, there is tension and it is common for anxiety to build in the days leading up to your surgery. This growing pressure can manifest in numerous ways including an increased heart rate, sleepless nights and restless thoughts. And it is here, in the battlefield of our mind, that we must make intentional moves to take captive our thoughts and defeat our preoperative anxiety.

First, proactively prepare for battle yourself and put on the full armor of God to stand against the schemes of your spiritual enemy who is attacking you with confusion and anxiety. Take hold of the Shield of Faith to fight for conviction and assurance of the desired surgical outcome that you cannot yet see. Use scripture (the Sword!), such as 1 Corinthians 14:33, to remind you that God is not a God of disorder, but of peace, to take captive your anxious thoughts and make them obedient to Christ.

Next, remember that your surgeon and surgical team have done hundreds, if not thousands, of these procedures and are preparing diligently to serve you. We are coordinating, sterilizing and preparing tools and equipment, all with the singular purpose of serving you and restoring you back to health. Additionally, we are all reviewing your x-rays, advanced imaging, surgical history and any other relevant information to create a thorough plan and best prepare our minds to succeed in the coming battle. 

So, prepare for your surgical battle. Put on your armor, take captive your anxious thoughts, and step forward with confidence in the days leading up to your surgery.