What? Silence about Anxiety Stops our Healing? How?
Silence about Anxiety also stops me from asking for help.
I am stepping out of that crazy cycle for 2 reasons…
- God is healing me of Anxiety.
- If my story can help anyone – I want to make it available for God to use. Yes, I battle Anxiety. It feels embarrassing, but it is not a choice. My God is bigger than my Anxiety. I am walking in victory by the Power of the Holy Spirit each day!
- The enemy likes to take anything we hide (whether it is bad or just embarrassing) and make it public in a hurtful way.
- So I like to live without that “mask” to give him less to hurt me with.
My life is filled with landmines the enemy would like to set off and destroy me with… but I try to label them and point them out before he gets there… plus, when I acknowledge them – it allows God to heal them and use them to help others.
When I live my life – without a mask of “I’m Fine” – it allows others to see the mess God is fixing. And When they see God heal me and restore relationships God is glorified and lives are won for His Kingdom.
“2 But there is nothing covered up that will not be revealed, and hidden that will not be known. 3 Accordingly, whatever you have said in the dark will be heard in the light, and what you have whispered in the inner rooms will be proclaimed upon the housetops” (Luke 12:2-3 NASB).
I was sure Anxiety would rule me for the rest of my life.
“6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus…” (Philippians 4:6-9 NASB).
What Changed to help me in the battle to Overcome Anxiety?
A preacher on the radio years ago taught about understanding and claiming the Power of Philippians 4:8-9. (Ps… You are in the middle of a series on Peace of Mind. To read the first post, click Through the words in the verse below)
“Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise,dwell on these things” (Philippians 4:8 NASB).
Each of those 8 words has a specific meaning and application for our minds. I will walk through each of them and give examples of how I have used this to Take Captive the Anxious Thoughts. Literally, I imagine a sort of trash shoot in my mind that I push that bad thought through. I then take a thought from one of those 8 categories to replace the bad with a right kind of thought. I take those thoughts captive and replace them with Peaceful Thoughts.
Sound too good to be true?
The process of re-learning to think about things has taken years. I won’t lie to you. It is hard work. But I will tell you the Truth – It has truly changed my life. Even my relationships – which were always in drama and chaos because of me mostly 🙁 Now they are healthier!
I’m not perfect… ask anyone who knows me. My marriage is still hard. I still have a child with Special Needs. We still struggle with Finances. But I am better!!!!! Praise the Lord for that.
Anxiety can be a controlling force in life. You are not alone in this struggle.
I Would love to share a resource that has helped me change this area of Anxiety! I’v put together a Free 40 day Reading & Journaling plan with many of the verses I Go To when Anxiety overwhelms me.
in Him,