Overcoming AnxietyНамуна

Renewing of the Mind

“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.”—Romans 12:2 (ESV)

I don’t know about you, but feeling anxious stinks. It’s a difficult emotion to let go of once it has it’s grasp on you. This is how it works: Something challenging occurs in your life and, all of a sudden, anxious thoughts invade your mind. They can produce increased heart palpitations, trouble thinking clearly, a sense of feeling overwhelmed, or, in some cases, the stress and anxiety are so great, you experience a panic attack.

At the core of anxiety is fear, mostly fear of losing control in an area of our lives whether through circumstances or through choices by people we love and care about.

My grandmother is in her 90s, and she battles with anxiety daily. She’s anxious about getting older and something happening to her. She lives alone, and the fear of being alone and her getting hurt is a real fear. However, every day she allows the repetitive negative thoughts of no one being there to help her keeps her mind in bondage. She believes in God and in prayer, but still this nagging anxiety doesn’t go away. She worries about her children who have kidney issues and if they’re going to be ok. There are so many things in our lives we don’t have control of the outcomes. These are the times when knowing the character of God is essential.

In today’s verse, Paul tells us to no longer think or allow ourselves to be weighed down by the cares of this world. Those who don’t know God or trust in His character will be weighed down with anxiety, wanting to control what is out of their control. Paul tells us the remedy from this anxiety and fear is to renew our minds on God’s Word. His Word reminds us of our roles on this earth, what we’re responsible for caring for, and what we must entrust to God, believing He will handle it.

To be able to renew our minds, we must implement a plan. In all battles, great men and women must put together a strategic plan to win the battle. Let’s strategize winning the battle against our anxious and negative thoughts!

We must have a time of Bible study every day. There are several Bible plans available that can take you through the Bible in a year, two years, or even five years. The first step is to know His character—and this can only happen by reading the whole Bible, beginning with Genesis.

A weapon that is strategic in winning this battle is memorizing Scripture. If there’s a specific area in your life where you battle anxious thoughts, then find corresponding Scriptures you can write out and eventually memorize. I know some people give up on using this weapon because they feel it’s too difficult. Don’t give up! If Jesus had to use the Word of God to battle the adversary when he tried to attack His mindset, don’t you think you will need this weapon also?

A great place to start learning who God is and getting to know His character is by doing a Google search or looking in the back of your study Bible for God’s attributes or character qualities. The question comes down to this: How well do you know the character of Yahweh? Yahweh is the name God gave to Moses to share with the Israelites who were in bondage and enslaved in Egypt. They had many circumstances that were out of their control. In Hebrew, Yahweh means, “He causes things to be” (a.k.a. He is whatever you need Him to be at that moment).

When we read the Bible, it reveals the character of God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. It’s only when we know someone’s character that we’ll be able to trust what they’ve said about themselves. It’s the same with our relationship with God. Once we get to know Him we can trust in Him, and we can have peace in knowing His will which Paul reminds us is good, acceptable, and perfect.

Pause: Read Exodus and Philippians during your devotion time. Take as long as you need, but write down the characteristics and attributes of God. What are some of His characteristics or attributes that could help you trust Him in your situation?

Practice: Put into practice a plan to renew your mind. Here are just a few suggestions that could be helpful:

• Bible Study
• Meditating on Scripture
• Memorizing Scripture
• Scripture Writing
• Studying the Attributes of God

Pray: Lord, thank You for giving me the Bible to learn Your character. Thank You that You are knowable and trustworthy. Help me to read and understand Your Word and allow me to know You personally. Amen.