Reading for Wednesday, January 16th ~ Philippians 4:4-9
Don’t be anxious! Is that really humanly possible?
Don’t be anxious! Is that really humanly possible?
Notice what this article had to say:
When you’re overwhelmed by heart-pounding panic, paralyzed by fear, or exhausted from yet another sleepless night spent worrying, you’ll do just about anything to get relief.More than one in five American adults took medications for psychiatric disorders such as anxiety and depression in 2010, according to new research by Medco Health Solutions, Inc. Titled America's State of Mind ...
The analysis revealed that 20 percent of all adults took at least one drug to treat a psychiatric condition, while among women that number rose to 25 percent—or one in four—reporting having taken such drugs.*
I think we can all agree anxiety is a real problem among,
not only women, but society in general. I also believe anxiety can sometimes be a
physical condition and not just a spiritual one. I’ve read recently that diet
and exercise can affect our anxiety levels; good or bad. Most councilors will
tell you, that if you’re dealing with anxiety issues on an ongoing basis it’s
best to see a doctor to make sure there isn’t a physical problem, and then you
can deal with the spiritual.
I personally haven’t dealt with panic attacks as some have, but I believe all of us deal with different levels of anxieties
at some times in our lives, and because of that, I believe God's solutions are found in His word like here in Philippians 4:4-9.
The most
popular verses being Philippians 4:6-7, “Do not be anxious
about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with
thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And
the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts
and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Faith is the opposite of anxiety/ fear/ worry/ doubts; whichever term you choose.
AND faith requires humility. It requires us to admit we don’t have all the answers or the abilities we need, but we know the One who does. Anxieties can flair up when we’re trying to do it all on our own. Therefore the first step is admitting we need help! (Look back at Phil 4:6-7)
This can be hard because it may cause us to feel weak in an area where others may appear to be strong. There is always going to be the temptation to keep pushing and hope the anxiety goes away on its own.
Which can bring on other coping mechanisms, however.
Some may try to alleviate stress by snacking constantly on junk food. Some drink wine or other alcoholic beverages to take the edge off. Others may try to find solace in television, books or social media. BUT none of these are healthy ways of dealing with stress and anxiety and can actually end up doing more harm than good.
PRAYER through faith is our answer.
We need to turn our anxious thoughts and worries into prayer; which requires developing a conditioned reflex, like when we touch something hot our brain immediately tells us to pull back. We need to recognize what's happening immediately and turn it completely over to God and His word promises that, " the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will mount guard over your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
No other stress relievers needed.
But also notice the very next thing Paul tells us to
do just after he tells us to give it up to God in Philippians 4:8: “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble,
whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is
admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.”
We need to remember that we live in a world at war. While God wants us to succeed and flourish, there is another who would love nothing better than to see us struggle and fail. He will come and whisper in your ear lies about your identity, your self-worth, your status before God, your past, your future, your hope; anything that will help him succeed in keeping you stressed, anxious and feeling like a failure. We not only need to recognize these for the lies they are, but combat them with God’s truth.
If you are walking through a valley of anxiety right now, there's hope! Give it all up, and keep turning it over to the One who is able to give you victory over whatever is causing your stress at the moment and fill your mind on the truths found in His word.
I hope you'll also remember this may be an on going battle which may not be won immediately, but He has given us our weapons of warfare and one another to help eventually gain the victory over our fears! If you're ready to fight, we're here to help! Please let us know how we can be praying for you over at Women in the Word!
Blessings!
sue
* https://www.anxiety.org/antianxiety-medication-use-soars-in-past-decade