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If you've ever struggled with anxiety like I have, you might feel at your wits end with fear. Anxiety can be caused from all kinds of things, (jobs, money, sickness, etc.) but it doesn't have to control you. You can have freedom from anxiety. If you're seeking peace like I was, here are some ways to help quench those anxious thoughts.
Combat Your Anxiety with Gratitude. A neuroscience study proved that gratitude and anxiety can't coexist in the brain simultaneously. When you feel anxious, thank God for all the things He has blessed you with. Go down the list. From the smallest thing like a cool breeze on a hot afternoon or big things like your beautiful children or that there's breath in your lungs, thank Him. A life of gratitude quenches anxiety. If you're thankful, you know God has been, is, and always will be faithful. Why mistrust Him?
Begin to Worship. When fear strikes, let your praise be louder than your worry. Open your mouth and praise the Lord. You can worship in so many ways: singing, praying, dancing, enjoying His creation, drawing a picture, humming a song, etc. It doesn't matter where you are or what you're doing. Declare that He is good, holy, and worthy to be praised. Worship may not change your current circumstance, but it does change us. When we encounter Jesus, everything must be changed.
Control Your Feelings. How you feel in the moment is not what's important because God and His might are not dependent on our feelings. We may feel like our problems are too small or too big for Him. We may feel like He isn't listening. We may feel like all hope is lost. But, God is who He says He is regardless of how we feel. Our feelings will come and go. They will change constantly. But remember, God never changes, and we can trust Him to never do so.
Look Past Your Circumstances. It's hard to do this. We see flesh and blood. We see the physical world in front of us, but there's so much more going on in the Spiritual realms. Remember, our battle is not between flesh and blood, but "evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places" (Ephesians 6:12). Your circumstances may seem tragic and daunting, but God has already secured the victory for us (1 John 5:4, John 16:33, 1 Corinthians 15:57). Trust that God has never let you down and He never will. Trust that your circumstances may be grave, but God is bigger. Remember that He has plans to prosper you (Jeremiah 29:11). He only wants what's best for you. And even if that may not make any sense to our finite, human minds, we must trust that in the end, God has our best interest at heart.
Trust God is Who He says He is. The Bible declares God is unchanging (Hebrews 13:8). God literally defined good in Genesis. He cannot be anything but good. He can't be a liar because He can't sin. He can't be unfaithful or unjust. Why? Because it's not in His nature (2 Timothy 2:13). If God can't lie or be anything but good, why do we mistrust Him? That's where our anxiety stems from, after all. Our situations may look bleak, unfair, or anything but good. But our God is good and can be trusted. If He says He loves us, it's true. If He says He plans to prosper us and holds us in His hand, then it's true. Cling to His Truth when anxiety strikes. Knowing His character will remind you that He is trustworthy.
Anxiety doesn't have to rule you anymore. Meet it with gratitude and worship. Control your feelings and look past your current circumstances. Remember that God is always who He says He is. Your life was not meant to be anxiety and fear-ridden. You can walk boldly in His love, remembering that God is bigger than your worries and situation. "For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline" (2 Timothy 1:7). Walk in that today and every day.
***There is no shame in medicating for anxiety. Those medications can absolutely help. However, these tactics can be effective in combatting anxiety, regardless of medication.***
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