Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you. - 1 Peter 5:7
That beautiful verse seems to have the cure-all right? After all, it was penned in God's precious Word. But what do you do when it's easier said than done? What happens when it's easy preaching but hard living?
Those are questions I have continuously asked myself. Not because of a lack of religion or lack of knowledge on how to study the Bible, but because of an enemy that will ruin your entire life if you give it an inch.
Anxiety.
From a young age, I was made to believe by schools, churches, and media that I wasn't supposed to talk about things like that. I was made to believe that it would reflect a lack of faith or show a sign of weakness.
Friends, it took me a few weeks to gather up the courage to write this post because of those things. But someone needs to hear my story. Someone out there needs to know they are not alone.
Anxiety can be debilitating. It can be crushing. It can kick you down when you least expect it. But because it cannot be physically seen, such as the flu or a broken leg, people tend to assume it does not exist, that you're simply faking it.
However, there is a God in heaven who sees that you are struggling. He knows how many nights you have stayed awake with a pounding heart. He knows how many days you went to work wondering when that next panic attack was going to come up. But he calls me and you to cast those cares upon Him.
God has allowed us to go through the pitfall of anxiety for a reason. Perhaps it's to draw us closer to Himself and not rely on other things. Perhaps it's to be a living testimony; David believed that when he wrote the Psalms in his most anxious moments.
I take medicine for it. I have a TINY circle of people who even remotely know about it. The circle that has seen the nasty attacks is even smaller. But I have a great God that sees it all; the good and the bad. I have a great God that can do more than medicine.
But often I have to face reality. More often than not, God's not going to snap His fingers and command that I be healed instantly. He's going to walk with me through the valley. He's going to provide for me through my lack. Reality sets in right? We go to work, church, take care of the kids and family...and suddenly it hits. The trembling of the hands, the spiraling of the mind, the uncontrollable need to scream and cry. What do you do when it happens?
Call on Jesus. Call on His name and know that nothing in this world, including anxiety and panic disorders, will ever pluck you out of the Father's hand.
One thing that I like to do is grab a nearby device, such as a phone, television, or computer, and play a shofar on YouTube. Just sit there and soak and allow it to penetrate your body and mind. Continue to call on Jesus. Lay on the floor. Lay on the bed. Wherever it's comfortable. But just focus on Jesus.
Friend, you are not alone. Anxiety is a struggle. It is a life-ruiner. It will rip your mind to shreds to the point that you're not sure you can fix it.
But take heart, we don't have to fix it because Jesus is our Great Physician.
I pray for each precious person who reads this who struggles with anxiety. You've got a friend in Jesus. Take it to the Lord in prayer.
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