Anxiety In Christianity: How To Deal With Stress And Anxiety In A Christian Way.
Believe me speaking Anxiety is one most common illness today affecting people around the world, mostly people from the age of 18 years and above.
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I can remember how I use to
feel whenever I have lots of tasks to take care of as the bread winner of my
family, when I think of how to pay my 4 children school fees for the semester
and how I will get money to pay up my house rents and office rents, before you
know my heart will begin to beat seriously.
Not just that I was afraid
I wasn’t going to meet up my obligations as a father with my children.
Seriously speaking this is
the worst situation you can ever find yourself in life, because at this stage, the
devil can use anyone to tempt you into things that can make you sin against the
commandments of God.
When you’re stressed or
worried in life, you give the devil free chance to come into your life and
suggest you some sinful options that will make you sin against God and also sin
against yourself.
Believe me speaking, I have
also been In a situation of being worried and also in an anxiety state at most
point in my life, sometimes when I am worried the devil throw into my mind
thoughts of masturbation and lusting after the flesh or women lustfully which
is a sin against God.
Whenever I fall into such
sins, I will feel guilty in my heart and ask God for forgiveness and make my
ways right with Christ.
For years I lived with
depression and took my medication faithfully. But life was still difficult
because of anxiety. At the time I didn’t realize that anxiety, I was convinced
there was a serious health issue. I sought out a doctor and then advised after
a friend suggested this type of intervention. I was tired of everybody letting
me know, "Simply trust me. Have more faith. Just pray about it. ”
Anxiety is not so simple
because it is often not understood that a person is under a lot of stress.
There is a difference between the sin of anxiety and the mental health disorder
of anxiety that is manifested by physical changes in the brain. Anxiety is a
mental health problem and a spiritual issue.
Anxiety is a mental health
disorder characterized by feelings of anxiety, worry or fear strong enough to
interfere with one's daily activities. Often it includes panic attacks,
post-traumatic stress disorder, and compulsive disorder.
For people like me, anxiety
is associated with depression and I am not alone. Sadly, anxiety problems are
increasing which makes it even more important for the Church to understand the
epidemic in our hands.
Now the question here is
how can a Christian overcome worry and anxiety in life?
Top 7 Ways You Can Overcome Stress And
Anxiety As A Christian.
1.
Admit There Is a Problem
Those familiar with programs like AA will tell you that the
first step to recovery is yours if the problem exists. And they are right.
This requires great humility. Anxiety in particular can be
difficult to deal with because it makes us feel weak in a place where many others
seem strong. The temptation is to keep pushing and hoping that anxiety will go
away on its own.
As I learned the hard way, however, moving forward without
solving a problem can lead to an inevitable and even tragic accident. I was
dealing with anxiety for a very long time before I admitted it. It wasn't until
I started having a debilitating panic attack that I finally admitted that there
was a problem.
If I had a problem right away, I would have saved myself and
my family from a lot of pain.
2. Stop
Treating Yourself Unhealthily
Many who struggle with stress and anxiety increase their
ability to cope. Some respond to the stress of eating junk food on a regular
basis. Others drink to get rid of the edge. Some camp in front of the
television for hours.
None of these are healthy ways to deal with stress and
anxiety. Most of us know this inside. What we do not often realize is that
responding to such pressure can actually be counterproductive, even detrimental
to our physical health.
In other words, unhealthy coping strategies often do worse,
creating a never-ending cycle of depression and self-medication.
3. Take
Care of Yourself Physically
In his letter to the Corinthians, the apostle Paul exhorts
believers to remember that our body is a living temple, purchased with a high
price, so we should glorify God by it. Caring for our bodies, therefore, is a
spiritual task.
This is especially important for those who suffer from
depression and anxiety as our physical health is linked to our mental health.
Regular exercise, for example, has been shown to significantly reduce symptoms
of anxiety and depression.
Some studies in particular have shown that those who
exercise regularly have a 25 percent chance of developing depression or anxiety
over the next five years.
One of my favorite times in the Bible is found at 1 Kings
19, where Elijah was so distraught that he wanted to kill himself. At that
moment, God did not give him a speech or humiliate him for his lack of faith.
Instead, he gave her food and let her sleep. Double.
Learning to relax is an important part of caring for the
body that God has given us. Sometimes the most spiritual thing we can do is
take a nap.
4. Be
Intentional About What Goes into Your Mind
Says Philippians 4: 8: “Finally, brothers and sisters,
whatever things are true, whatever things are honorable, and whatever things
are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, and whatever
things are of good report.
Paul points to the fact that what we fill our minds with has
a profound effect on us. We find that this principle applies whenever the
Scriptures refer to meditation. Hebrew meditation is not simply the removal of
one's mind from wrong things, it is about filling one's mind with the right
things.
5. Do
Not Ignore The Spirit
You and I are spirit being, which means that there is always
more going on than meets the eye.
We must not forget that we are living in a war-torn world.
And while God wants us to prosper, there is someone who would like nothing more
than to see us suffer.
When you are overwhelmed with grief and anxiety, he will
whisper in your ear about which you are, your self-confidence, you’re standing
before God, your past, your future, your hope. It is important that you see
yourself as such.
You should make it a habit to use the power of prayer, the
gift of scripture and the support of the Christian community to help you
recognize the lies you are tempted to believe and to remind you of who you
really are in Christ.
6. Consider
Seeing a Doctor
Personally, I believe that medicine is not a denial of the
power of God, but rather a provision of His grace. Sometimes this is exactly
what we need.
That is to say, medicine is not the answer when it comes to
treating anxiety (any mental health struggle). It can include side effects and
often takes a lot of effort to find the right one. But it can be very helpful.
Don’t be afraid to see a doctor and ask about treatments - just as you wouldn’t
do with a physical illness.
7.
Receive the Blessing of Breaking
When I was in a state of great depression and anxiety, there
were days when getting out of bed was hard work. Not a moment passed that I was
not aware of my mistakes as a man, as a man, as a father, as a leader. It was
hard. But it also gave me a confidence I had never experienced before.
I clung to Jesus with my white spears as I prayed during a
panic attack. I felt the need to pray every day. Words like those in Psalm 23
were not simply words to be read aloud or to be trampled underfoot. It was my
life.
There are some things about God that can be learned only
from suffering. Sometimes I wonder if that is why God refused to remove Paul's
thorn from the flesh. Because Paul who was broken and relied on him was Paul
God could change the world through him. He was the kind of Paul who could write
and say words like these:
“Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from
me. But He said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made
perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my
weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ's
sake, I delight in weakness, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in
difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Corinthians 12: 8-10).
On the off chance that you are strolling through the valley
of tension at this moment, there is an exit plan, and I ask you discover it.
Yet, meanwhile, don't miss what God may have for you right where you are.
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