Monday, 24 October 2011

What to do with anxiety

imagesCAG8VF86Does  anxiety have a debilitating grip on your life?   Proverbs 12:25
Of course it’s not as if there’s no lack of resource on worry.  The real worry is to get down to  implementing that which is already known.  Therefore, I have no embarrassment to post basic notes on counteracting stress. and kicking off with:
For peace of mind, resign as general manager of the universe. ~Author Unknown
So, here goes………….for implementation, starting with me.
1) Talk to yourself.
Take yourself by the scruff of your neck, sit yourself down and preach to yourself:  “Soul, stop all this excessive worry!”
2) Instead of being preoccupied with problems over which you have no control, identify needs, relationships etc. and serve in love.
  • Matthew 6:33;
  • Do not set your heart on what you are to eat and drink; stop worrying. Let all the nations of the world run after these things; your Father knows that you need them. (Luke 12:29-30)
  • You can't wring your hands and roll up your sleeves at the same time. ~Pat Schroeder
2) Redirect your life-focus from tomorrow to today.
  • Matthew 6:34 
  • Jesus is not saying, don’t plan for tomorrow.  What He is saying is don’t bring tomorrow’s problems and impose them on today’s responsibilities.
  • Handle today’s problems, today.  Don’t compound them by obsessing about something that hasn’t even arrived.
  • Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow. It empties today of its strength.- Corrie Ten Boom
  • Today is the tomorrow we worried about yesterday. ~Author Unknown
3)  Fight anxiety with the promises of God – get to know them!
Here is one of loads of promises:  Isaiah 43:1-3;
4) Pray
Philippians 4:4-9; Psalms 50:15
No one can pray and worry at the same time.- Max Lucado
5) Remind yourself of God’s steadfast love and mercies.
Our Heavenly Father provides enough mercy for today’s problems. New mercies for tomorrow’s problems.
Lamentations 3:22-24
6) Relinquish!  Yield control to God – trust Him!
1 Peter 5:7
Psalm 56:3
The cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, the giving of God’s only Son to pay for our sins and make us right with Him, proves and seals His love and commitment to provide, guide, protect, bring each one of His children home.  Our God is with us through thick and thin.  So many reasons to ban worry.  The ball is in our court.

If you wish, check out  "Calling all worry pots" - yesterday's post on why you should not worry.