Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.
Philippians 4:6
When I entered addiction and mental health recovery in 2010, I was taught that I would have to face the challenges that arose while navigating life on its terms. Prior to 2010, I didn’t handle unexpected circumstances very well. In challenging situations a surge of anxious feelings would rush up my spine, through my neck and cause me to explode with emotions. When faced with anxiety, I would react with panic, anger, confusion, and hopelessness. Something was missing. I lacked the ability to deal with the standard, run-of-the-mill chaos that life presented me from time to time.
"Do not be anxious about anything..."
Gratitude and Thanksgiving...
Another excerpt from Philippians states, “Let your requests be made known to God with thanksgiving.” This is where the spiritual wisdom imparted by others comes into play in my life. As I learned to deal with the simmering undercurrent of anxiety in my life, I put time into prayers of gratitude and thanksgiving. I was skeptical at first, but building a foundation of appreciation for what I have actually allowed me to lessen the impact of my anxious disposition.
Inevitable Anxiety
I’ve discovered that there will always be occurrences such as long lineups at the bank causing you to be late, traffic disrupting your itinerary, and unexpected illnesses delaying your plans. However, I have to be prepared to handle these minor setbacks.
Recently, I sat at the gate waiting for a flight. All hope seemed to be lost. A massive delay hit, and all of my fellow travelers came up to the counter. I was ready. The wave of anxiety hit. It is never a comfortable feeling. My mind wandered through possible scenarios: missing our connection, being a day late to our destination, or a long layover. Things went the same way that they have for the last 14 years. I gave thanks for the gift of a vacation, I gave thanks for time away from my career, I gave thanks for the money that I could spend on the trip, and I gave thanks for being able to spend a week with my wife. Before the rush of anxiety surged up my spine and rested like a storm cloud above my head, I was able to cope.
Gracious Creator, when we grapple with self imposed expectations, show us the value of imperfections.
12 Responses
Good stuff!
Thanks Anya. Appreciate you reading Anya.
Thank you for this message! You are learning by doing, that it takes time to teach the brain better responses to triggers in life that may lead to knee-jerk reactions. Establishing new connections in the brain is possible. Repetition of new thoughts or behaviors, such as choosing to think of examples of gratitude in your life, makes the new connections in the brain, stronger. not always easy to deal with unwelcome and potentially disabling thoughts that show up, but thankfully coping skills and prayers give some tools to help handle them. I like how you described “simmering undercurrent of anxiety.” Over my 45 years as an RN, I’ve worked with people who were so used to living that way that they didn’t know how life could be without a constant undercurrent of anxiety.
Thank you so much for your input. It is true, sometimes folks live without knowing that there is another way of living.
You speak the truth, Brother Seth! The Holy Spirit is using your ministry to show folks that there is another way to living than the one in which they have been tethered to chains, holding them back from experiencing the joy Christ Jesus wants them to have.
Hi Don,
Thank you for your support. I appreciate your comment. There is certainly another way!
Great post. 👍
Thanks Kathy!
It can be frustrating when life doesn’t meet our expectations. On the other hand, as you said, we learn to expect and deal with the unexpected. For me, even is I don’t get what I want, I have to look at the part from a different angle to appreciate what I did get, rather than what I thought I wanted and didn’t get. There is always a good part to everything.
Absolutely! I benefit from taking a moment and looking for where gratitude is at work.
You know Seth, you are a gifted teacher. Allow your cup to overflow in Jesus’ name. I am glad to have met you.
I love your writing style. Anxiety is something that has been passed down in my family from generation to generation. I am glad it is FINALLY being addressed here in 2024 and this address seems to have more and more support everyday. At least here in the States. I AM grateful that our country is addressing this topic. And Britain is not far behind.
I am SO grateful that my 30 year old niece has been living in a time where salvation is being created by the Divine. That means mercy and deliverance from the more anxiety which is certainly is NOT from the Divine (good)
dad always said “what are they going to do if such and such happens, shoot you at noon? LOL It was silly but surprisingly effective.
My family…just the 5 of us now are working together to tackle this anxiety. Dad has been gone for 19 years now. We never fell apart. Mom and Dad, without question: messengers of God, supplied us with everything we need to be cohesive. So much gratitude and less anxiety. Glory be to the Father and to thr Holy Spirit as it was once in the beginning is now and will be forever.
Much love always,
Steve
Thank you Steve. Sharing your own story. Your family’s story is vital to addressing stigma. Thank you for being so vulnerable.