dealing with anxiety
The reality is that I have dealt with anxiety for lots of years, but was never really aware of it. Since I moved to Canada though, I have suffered high levels of anxiety like I had never experienced before. As I try to deal with this, I came to the realization that the only response that I have ever heard when recognizing that I'm anxious is that I'm sinning. When sharing my battles with friends most of the time I have Philippians 4:6 preached to me: "Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God". I do believe in the power of Scripture and prayer to alleviate my anxiety and I have experienced in many many moments the power of a whispered prayer. God has acted in so many moments and calmed down my heart, giving me wonderful nights of sleep or productive afternoons of work or study, taking away from me all my anxieties. But in other moments, my anxiety only increases because of guilt. I start thinking that my anxiety means that I'm not trusting in God, that I'm not believing that God is taking care of me. However, I don't think anxiety is only a lack of faith or trust in God. In certain moments it can totally be but not all the time. I have come to the understanding that anxiety needs to be seen as a condition that needs to be dealt with. I'm not saying that you have to start taking pills (which might be necessary in some moments and can help you to calm down your heartbeats) but that I would love to be spiritually taught about it in a way that produces fruit and healing and not guilt and more anxiety. Yesterday I read a beautiful piece written by John Piper that said:
"So my response to the person who has to deal with feelings of anxiety every day is to say: that’s more or less normal. At least it is for me, ever since my teenage years. The issue is: How do we fight them? The answer to that question is: we fight anxieties by fighting against unbelief and fighting for faith in future grace. And the way you fight this “good fight” is by meditating on God’s assurances of future grace and by asking for the help of his Spirit. The windshield wipers are the promises of God that clear away the mud of unbelief, and the windshield washer fluid is the help of the Holy Spirit. The battle to be freed from sin is fought “by the Spirit and faith in the truth” (2 Thessalonians 2:13). The work of the Spirit and the Word of truth. These are the great faith-builders. Without the softening work of the Holy Spirit, the wipers of the Word just scrape over the blinding clumps of unbelief."
I started my homework right away. I spent a day meditating on God's assurances of future grace and as soon as anxiety would hit me strong I would start whispering prayers. I felt the Holy Spirit working and bringing peace to my heart. For all of those dealing with anxiety, just like me, may the Lord keep you and protect you.
"So my response to the person who has to deal with feelings of anxiety every day is to say: that’s more or less normal. At least it is for me, ever since my teenage years. The issue is: How do we fight them? The answer to that question is: we fight anxieties by fighting against unbelief and fighting for faith in future grace. And the way you fight this “good fight” is by meditating on God’s assurances of future grace and by asking for the help of his Spirit. The windshield wipers are the promises of God that clear away the mud of unbelief, and the windshield washer fluid is the help of the Holy Spirit. The battle to be freed from sin is fought “by the Spirit and faith in the truth” (2 Thessalonians 2:13). The work of the Spirit and the Word of truth. These are the great faith-builders. Without the softening work of the Holy Spirit, the wipers of the Word just scrape over the blinding clumps of unbelief."
I started my homework right away. I spent a day meditating on God's assurances of future grace and as soon as anxiety would hit me strong I would start whispering prayers. I felt the Holy Spirit working and bringing peace to my heart. For all of those dealing with anxiety, just like me, may the Lord keep you and protect you.
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