OVERCOMING ANXIETY

May 11, 2020

OVERCOMING ANXIETY

Now Playing: Peace by Folabi Nuel

Anxiety is an unpleasant state of mental uneasiness, nervousness, apprehension, and obsession or concern about some uncertain event.

With all that’s happening in the world, it’s very easy to become nervous. Questions are arising in our minds. And I can relate to this because I have been caught in this ship several times.

One experience that comes to mind was when I gained admission into the University. During my first year, I was more or less in a confused state. Lots of questions varying from the reason for my course of study to my purpose and what the future held. I felt empty.

I wanted to have it figured out. I needed answers. I started searching for answers to these quizzes from individuals and in materials. This made it worse.

I tried mapping out plans in my head. These ideas made me so excited, but the enthusiasm never lasted.

One dream I had in mind was that at least I could write and I was growing and if I put in more effort and can write a book, and from there write the second, then boom I become a writer. Does this even sound logical? Lmao. All these brothers and sisters ended in tears. I came out more confused and empty.

Planning for the future is not wrong, but my intent was wrong. I was trying to go ahead of God. Instead of seeking God and then allowing him to sort out the other things, I left God out and started chasing things in his place. And that’s not what the father wants.

So, how do I overcome anxiety?

God first

We limit ourselves if our focus is on what we can get from him and not Him.

We either allow God to be God in our life or we continue to struggle to make our life work only to come up empty, anxious, and frustrated over again.

To gain things is to expand the void in our hearts, and to seek God is to fill that void. Matthew 6:33.

We need to stop attaching our worth to our achievements and then get over the temptation to always “do”. Learn to move when God wants us to and wait when he says so.

“So above all, constantly chase after the realm of God’s kingdom and the righteousness that proceeds from him. Then all these less important things will be given to you abundantly."

Matthew 6:33 TPT

Entrust God with your Life

Learning to trust God with our lives is peace. God’s not a swindler. He has our entire life drafted out in and our names engraved on his palm.

"You saw who you created me to be before I became me! Before I’d even seen the light of the day, the number of days you planned for me was already recorded in your book." Ps 139:16 TPT.

Write out his promises and meditate on them. Keep them and never lose sight of them.

Don’t be pulled in different directions or worried about a thing. Be saturated in prayer throughout each day, offering your faith-filled requests before God with overflowing gratitude. Tell him every detail of your life, then God’s wonderful peace that transcends human understanding will make the answers known to you through Jesus Christ.

Philippians 4:6‭-‬7 TPT

Expose your insecurities to God

If you are looking for someone who has battled with insecurities, you have one right here.

We want to prove people wrong and also make them realize that we are not unimportant like they made us feel. Our insecurities sometimes can motivate us to run faster than God. The desire to have it all figured out so we can prove our haters wrong. This a journey to self-destruction.

So, we must sincerely tell God about them and seek for his help. Be vulnerable with him.

Who we are now and whatever we would become in life is not tied to our achievements, but to God. Neither is it tied to our mistakes or shortcomings. We must learn to follow his process. He takes us from scratch and makes a masterpiece of us.

Pray God’s Promises and not your Fears.

I have learned to pray this way recently. A lot of the fears we struggle with never come to pass and they are not valid. We must declare God’s word concerning them. Stop praying for your fear. Declare his promise concerning that matter. Pray what his word says concerning you.

A community of believers as friends

We can’t go on this journey alone. We need support systems. It’s very important that we take this to God in prayers and also be that kind of friend we pray for. He always answers, even beyond our expectations.

Stop the Comparison

We all bloom in different seasons, and our destinations are different. Your garden is also different from mine. So bloom wherever God plants you. And if we are in God’s waiting room, we must wait well with our hearts in the right state as expected by God. Do your part and let God do his.

As we grow in Christ and become more like to him, we get to understand that the goal is to become like Christ and not to gain things. When we realize this, the journey becomes easier and we won’t miss it.