Worry and anxiety are very personal subjects. May have lived hard stories and deep struggles with worry. In this guest post, I am sharing part of my story and a few of the things I have learned through the struggle. This post will not solve or prevent your own experience with anxiety, but it is my hope and prayer that it will help.
Am I going crazy?
For the first time in my life, sanity and peace seemed like a question instead of a given.
Years ago, I battled a hyperthyroid disorder. Plunging into the chaos of a thyroid-induced storm, adrenaline flooded my system and I lived on the edge of panic.
It was an agony of slow months before my hands stopped shaking. And longer before I slept more than an hour or two at night.
Anxiety marched in with a take-all vengeance, and worry held me captive in my own home—
Anxiety wears many faces: apprehension, nervousness, worry, fear, and panic. It robs us of peace, making it hard to concentrate on simple tasks, make decisions, and stand firm in faith. Regardless of the cause, worry will become a prison if we do not learn powerful strategies to break the chains of toxic thinking.
You are Not Alone in the Struggle
When worry batters our soul, God is our source of strength. We discover the reality of God’s might in the midst of the hard things. Power to stand against fear is grounded in a present focus on God. Be still and know that He is God.
He is with us in the storm. “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they will not overflow you” (Isaiah 43:2 NASB). He will not forsake, even when we lack faith or strength to overcome worry.
[tweetthis hidden_hashtags=”#worry #anxiety”]We may not be able to control our emotions, but we can choose how we will respond to worry.[/tweetthis] Rarely is there instant relief from the discomfort of anxiety, but feelings will eventually follow faith.
If there is a medical cause to your anxiety, be sure to talk to your doctor. Â Christian counseling for serious and persistent anxiety can be very helpful. Whether you face minor or major bouts of anxiety, these Biblical strategies will help you overcome the bondage of worry.
Here’s a family photo from this time in my life. Funny thing about worry and anxiety–you can appear to be okay on the outside and be a hidden wreck underneath. And though these were hard days, they were still filled with precious blessings.
Join me for the rest of this post, part of the Breaking Chains series from Katy Kauffman. Click here to continue reading for 7 Powerful Strategies to Break the Chains of Anxiety. In this very personal post, I’m sharing the ways God has helped me to handle anxiety and worry. I’d love to know what strategies have helped you in this challenging subject.
You may be interested in few other posts on this subject:
When Peace Gets Away: My Struggle with Anxiety
How I Know God Cares About Our Fears
Simple Grace to Overcome Worry
Be Still to Discover Your Strong
Why You Need to Rest in the Lord
Linking up right here because life is better in community: #RaRaLinkUp, Coffee For Your Heart,  and #TellHisStory.
So glad you're here. I help busy women—gals like you— build healthy habits for living well with biblical wisdom and practical steps to deepen your faith, increase your hope, and thrive in your purpose.
Thank-you for your transparency Ginger. I finished reading over at Katy’s.
Praise God for your returned health, refreshed heart and quieted mind.
I like this –>” Power to stand against fear is grounded in a present focus on God.” Mmm, yup, yes, indeed! Makes me think of Isaiah 26:3 You will keep him in perfect peace,Whose mind is stayed on You, Because he trusts in You.
I love that verse from Isaiah. I memorized it during the time I wrote about. Thanks for reading today, Jessica!
Hi neighbor at Holley’s! (#35)…worry and fear = UGH. Thank you for your words today.
Howdy Neighbor. You’re right–UGH. No fun for sure. I’m so glad we have crossed paths today.
Hey, Ginger! I’m doing a series on Mental Health Awareness for May–you have a wealth of information and experiences that I’d love to have you share as part of the series. The theme is #DoNoHarm and the subject is how can Christians respond better to mental health issues.
Thanks for the invitation to contribute to your series. Emotional help is closely related to mental health in many areas. We all struggle with some aspect of our thinking/responding responses. Remembering that can help us respond with compassion rather than irritation or criticism. I’m happy to see you here today, Anita.
I’ve been a worrier for a long time too so I relate to this. One thing that has really helped me (in addition to prayer!) is what you share here: “We may not be able to control our emotions, but we can choose how we will respond to worry.” I try not to worry anymore about my worrying—they are only thoughts that do not reflect reality. It’s what I do next that matters most. I try not to let worrying affect what I do or don’t do, but live my life by faith anyway. Thanks for sharing this, Ginger!
Love the way you put this. Can I quote you? So glad you joined the conversation. How many things have we missed out on because of worry?
What a challenging time that must have been, Ginger. I’m so grateful that you can take the lessons learned and turn them into an offer of hope for others who are still struggling. You’ve inspired me!
Though worry and anxiety still come for a visit, I’m grateful this difficult health challenge is much better. Thanks for visiting today. Loved your encouragement post you shared on my site last week!