High Anxiety

There is a lot to be anxious about these days. There's no need to list out all the things in 2020 that are giving stress, fear and worry. But no matter what is causing our anxiety, God is bigger than all of it. ( I know, easy for me to write )

Anxiety is a feeling that born from fear. It causes extreme worry, nervousness and unease and can slowly take over our lives. It can lead to other issues also, like panic attacks or high blood pressure and can mess with our mental health. Feelings of anxiety and fear can be strong enough to interfere in our daily lives and can start to cripple our relationships with others and our walk with God. The good news is, God loves us and wants to give us peace.

But what does the bible say about fear and anxiety? Well, we know from reading 2 Timothy that fear does not come from God.

For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. - 2 Timothy 1:7

God also tells us NOT to fear because he is with us and holds us with his righteousness. Isaiah 41:10 says "Fear thou not; for I [am] with thee: be not dismayed; for I [am] thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness." God does not want us living our lives filled with worry, fear, and unrest.

But we do encounter fear and anxiety. Some of us on a daily basis. So how do we fight against these thoughts and feelings? The first step is trust Christ and giving your life to him. From there we need to trust in his promises that he's laid out in the bible.

The fear of man bringeth a snare: but whoso putteth his trust in the LORD shall be safe. - Proverbs 29:25

We should be aware and purposeful with what we feed our minds. It's important that we read our bibles, pray and talk with God daily. We need to tell him about our fears and cast all our cares upon him. Philippians 4:6 tells us "Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God." He WANTS us to come to him. He WANTS to give us peace. He wants us to know that he is there.

I sought the LORD, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears. - Psalms 34:4

We should also be taking care of ourselves physically. Paul writes multiple times in 1 Corinthians that our body is a temple of God and we should glorify Him in our body. Taking care of our physical bodies is not only spiritual but can improve our quality of life. Studies show that exercise can significantly reduce symptoms of anxiety. Resting and what we feed our bodies is also important when it comes to reducing stress, anxiety and even depression. So instead of turning on Netflix go for a jog. Instead snacking on chips, grab an apple. Maybe we can put the Xbox controller down and turn in early a few times a week.

And let's not forget the power of fellowship and being around our brothers and sisters in Christ. Getting to church a couple times a week, or meeting with your small group, may be just the thing to help turn our thoughts back on God and ease whatever anxieties we're struggling with.

So the next time we're feeling worry, anxiety or fear; let's read a passage of scripture, ask God for peace, grab a handful of baby carrots and take a bike ride to church. And remember, God is bigger than all of it.