How Can You Fight Anxiety?
Definition of Anxiety:
- Inner mental and emotional turmoil, experienced as nervous behavior, unfocused thinking and emotional over-reaction. Anxiety is different from "fear". Fear is an appropriate response to a real threat. Whereas, anxiety is a reaction to a perceived threat, or expectation of a possible or future threat. So anxiety is characterized by a future oriented mood or state where anxious party feels unprepared for, or inadequate, unable to cope with what may lay ahead. A sense of dread or apprehension.
Types of Anxiety
- Existential – mental conflict concerning whether life has any meaning or purpose. Struggling with the idea that you may simply cease to exist at some future point
- Performance – thoughts about the results of your actions, will they result in failure, disapproval from others, or losing sense of personal worth. Note: some is necessary to optimize your performance in certain situations, increased adrenaline etc. In this way it is similar to fear.
- Social – humans are designed as a communal creature. An evolutionist would attribute this to our survival instincts… we would simply state that humankind were "created in the context of a relationship" Adam & Eve/Creator & Creation. Either way, we all agree that humans have a built in need for social acceptance. Anxiety can be an anticipation or expectation of disapproval, or negative judgment for who and what we are.
- Trait – a proclivity passed along genetically, such as a particularly active or sensitive amygdala. Anxiety is still triggered by thoughts… ex. an expectation that things inevitably go wrong. Sometimes these thought patterns are unconscious, deeply rooted in your past.
- Choice or decision – 21st century culture presents us with more choices than ever before… to many perhaps. With so many options we have a heightened sense of uncertainty of the outcomes.
- Pathological – anxiety as the symptom of some form of mental disorder.
Does God's Word Have Anything Meaningful to Say About Anxiety?
All people, at all times have had their anxieties. There is a possibility our present generation has a greater and more complex array of anxieties… its a possibility but I'm not 100% convinced.
I would be willing to say that our generations suffer anxiety about very different matters than people 1,000 years ago or 3,000 years ago… we are less likely to be anxious about our next meal… but more likely to be anxious about how we are going to stay employable in a rapidly changing technological workforce… but I think anxiety has always been a problem although the nature of what incites anxiety clearly are subject to change. What makes people anxious today is different from what it was when I was young. To some that might mean anything I say on the subject is obsolete… maybe so.
I could give you any number of coaching strategies on how to deal with modern anxieties… but, that's not really my strength… nor is it really my purpose here. But If you are willing to agree that humans throughout time have struggled with anxiety or anxious care it seems reasonable that there are over-arching strategies for dealing with anxiety that are applicable to anyone… at anytime. My purpose will be to pass along what our Father and elder brother Jesus Christ have to say about anxiety. They may not offer you suggestions for how to deal with the angst of not having anyone "like" your latest Facebook post… but what they have to offer is applicable on a much more fundamental level… and in a way the is indeed applicable to ALL people at ALL times!
Why is Anxiety a Problem?
Let's set aside issues related to mental health, emotional well-being and limit the answer to the spiritual matters… which is our primary concern here. Anxiety is a problem because it's in many ways the enemy of faith. Perhaps even a mental state that if left unchecked can kill or suppress life-giving faith.
What I want to present is not offered as a solution for people with pathological anxiety. Such matters are better left to psychiatric professionals.
Nor do I want to imply that those with a bio-chemical or genetic proclivity for anxiety cannot develop strong faith. Some of you might have such a proclivity for anxiety and it is a cross/trial you must bear in life. Others may have no proclivity to anxiety yet we freely bring it into our life and our thoughts. In either case the person who wants to develop the mind of Christ must address anxious thoughts. And God's prescribed plan of action is the same for all of us.
How Can You Fight Anxiety?
Anxiety says… "it's all up to me". If you remember from the brief introduction of various types of anxiety and its definition… an anxious mind is concerned that they are simply not up to the task… that they will let everyone down, they will be weighed in the balances and found wanting etc.
To that, scripture says "nope, don't be so focused on yourself… don't be so sure that success or failure is all in your hands".
I Peter 5:5-7 God gives His "favor"… His approval… His help… to whom? To the humble. The humble person is willing to acknowledge their need of assistance. The person humble enough to ask. To such a person God provides those answers, assistance and a whole lot more!
Ecclesiastes 11:1-3 -- you have very little control over anything. What good is it to shake your fist at the rolling clouds and curse the tree that fell to the right onto your garage roof instead of to the left into the woods. Stuff happens.
Ecclesiastes 11:4 – stuff happens, but what you must not do is spend all day worrying about the wind and the clouds [over which you have no control] such that you never go out and actively live your life. To plant and harvest… if you were a farmer.
Don't Worry… Just Keep Sowing
Ecclesiastes 11:5-6 – you also must not let yourself start thinking that life as merely a series of random unpredictable events. God has told you through His word that there is control and order in the universe. But much of it is way over your head. This applies to understanding the ins and outs of the material world… and the functions of the spiritual which lay hidden behind the curtain.
1 Corinthians 13:12
If Humility Is Part of The Answer… Then Where Might Pride Fit In?
Sometimes pride won't allow us to seek God's help... "I should be able to figure this out." That approach can leave many people stuck in a feedback loop of anxiety…
- I should be able to figure this out...
- There is stuff going on that I cannot explain or control…
- But I can't move forward until I figure this out...
A person may be unable to move forward because they are have no confidence in the potential outcome… they are anxious about what MIGHT happen. But humility can allow us to move forward with greater confidence. We have to accept that there is a lot of stuff going on out there that is way over our heads…
Psalm 139:6 … Romans 11:33
Where Do We Stand?
- Stuff happens that you cannot control
- God is in control… But that you cannot possibly understand what He's up to.
Question: how does that move the ball forward? How does that give me any greater confidence in the future… and help calm my anxious mind? I'm still in the dark… its still appears random.
Answer: Your confidence [or faith] is not because you have been given a better idea of what the future holds… your confidence is in the nature and character of the one who is in control. The care… the concern… the love… that God has for you.
And What Does God Want You To Do?
Don't worry… just sow, plant seeds, prepare, build
Don't worry over the results, just… sow.
Think of what Paul said of the work he did establishing the church in Corinth. I planted, Appollos watered… but God provided the growth. We simply move forward, one foot in front of the next, one day at a time.
That can still sound rather random. Scatter your seeds abroad…. Wherever, whenever… etc. Whatever will be will be… Que Sera Sera… That doesn't sound like much of an action plan as much as mere resignation to meaninglessness or unimportance of your actions.
You Can Control The Type of Seeds You Sow
Hebrews 11:6 Let's make sure that each day we sow good seeds. God does not allow us to know in advance which of our efforts will succeed or not. But if we do the things that are pleasing to God and continue on in doing those things… He will provide growth where growth is needed… He will take care of you and nurture you as you grow into the fulness of Christ. He will take care of US… His Church.
Do your research… [hold up bible] find out what is pleasing to God and do it.
Therefore, sow diligently, keep planting the good seeds, AND have confidence in God to determine the outcome.
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