Beating Anxiety at Its Own Game Sýnishorn

The 2-Pronged Approach

The New Living Translation of Philippians 4, verse 6 says, “Don’t worry about anything, pray about everything.“

What a straight-forward command, with no ambiguity to it. Yet why is it so hard to follow? The struggle with anxiety is that it causes our hearts and minds to race - meaning what we are thinking and processing far outruns our current situation’s needs. Which is why the apostle Paul writes to the Philippians in verse 8 of the same chapter that they fix their thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. 

The requirement for us who live in a content saturated world is to still our mind long enough to focus on what really matters and to, if needed, filter our thoughts. Filtering our thoughts would mean intentionally and unashamedly pushing out those negative, fearful and worrying thoughts and exchanging them for thoughts of truth, honour and purity. Here’s the challenge though - the exchange is not so straight-forward. We are not programmed like computers to find negative thoughts and replace them with happy thoughts. 

So what is the way forward? Is there a solution? 

Yes, and it begins with praise. It requires that we step out of the whirlpool of our thoughts and begin to praise God for who He is, what He’s done, what He has promised to do and for His everlasting love for us, to name a few. Praise is an intentional shift in focus away from us and towards God. Praise also shifts the atmosphere from one of heaviness and gloom to one of hope and joy. Praise puts God back in His rightful place on the throne of our life, displacing unhealthy substitutes that we allowed in. 

Praise is then followed by prayer which is when the handing over we mentioned in yesterday’s reading happens. This prayer is one of complete surrender of our anxieties into the hands of a more than capable God. He is all powerful, all knowing and is everywhere all at once. Who better to burden with our issues than this magnificent Saviour. When in the throes of an episode of anxiety it is important to directly convert worries to prayers. God can handle our fears, He truly can. 

The Holy Spirit is called our Counsellor for during these times of prayer. He will bring comfort to you and counsel you with His word. Contrary to what you think, you are not alone, you are not beyond help and your emotional health is of great importance. 

As we recondition our minds and hearts with praise and prayer we begin to allow in those admirable, praise worthy and truthful thoughts to wash over our soul and renew us from within. Are you ready for this two-pronged approach to battle anxiety and send it packing to where it came from?

Prayer:

Dear Lord,

I thank You for being such a faithful God, who has loved me from before time began. Thank You for being the generous Father You are in sending Your only Son Jesus to die for me. Thank You for never giving up on me. I ask that You help me have victory over my anxiety and see You glorified in and through my life. 

I love You, Father.

In Jesus' name,

Amen.