This post is 6th in a series detailing my struggle with and deliverance from a life-long anxiety disorder. Read the entire story in these posts…
- My Anxiety Disorder: Part 1 -Vice of Fear
- My Anxiety Disorder: Part 2 – Glimpse of Hope
- My Anxiety Disorder: Part 3 – How bad was it? And have you got one, too?
- My Anxiety Disorder: Part 4 – The Physical Fix – Are Drugs the Answer?
- My Anxiety Disorder: Part 5 – The Mental Fix – Quick and Easy?
All worry is based on a lie – believing one thing when the opposite is true.
- Fear of death is believing that Christ did not, after all, conquer death.
- Fear of misfortune and disease comes from believing the lie that His grace will not be sufficient.
- Fear of man comes from believing that I am not, after all, justified by grace, but must earn my salvation and approval from people, rather than God (that one’s really screwed! Ask me how I know!)
We must confront lies with the truth. But often we don’t even know the lies we’re believing. After all, if you knew it was lie, you wouldn’t believe it, right?
In my journey to overcome anxiety, I had to overcome some significant false beliefs and get a completely new perspective on life. Here’s the steps I took and recommend to you if you are seeking truth and freedom…
Prayer and Scripture
The first step in addressing the spiritual side of anxiety is prayer – asking God to renew your mind and help you to see things from His perspective. The second is Scripture. The word can actually function as a cleansing fountain, rinsing our mind of lies and filling it with fresh, sparkling, refreshing truth.
I tried to focus on both prayer and scripture during the season in which I was seeking freedom. And excerpt from my journal shows what my prayers looked like and just how desperate I was…
“Lord! I’m calling out to You as I have since Tuesday, to work deeply in my life –
-renew my mind – help me to view myself and my life with Your wisdom and love.
-free me from the bondage of pleasing people and perfectionism
-change my heart about what is most important.
-teach me how to love my husband best.
Above all, Lord, draw me to yourself, and may I learn to live in Your presence.”
Resources
If the cry of your heart is similar to mine, I have some great resources to pass on in this post that will help you identify lies and walk you toward the truth.
Lies Woman Believe and the Truth That Sets Them Free Nancy Lee Demoss. This one makes a great Bible Study. The accountability of a group setting as you identify lies you’ve been blind to can really super charge your journey to freedom. This was the first book I read on the subject and found the truths so exciting to identify and embrace.
Core Lies by Sarah Mae I can’t believe I waited so long to download this free book. I love everything she writes and got her other books as soon as they were released. What a mistake it was to think I‘d already worked through this issue, or that anything from this author wouldn’t be packed full of powerful encouragement and practical action-steps. The content of her book was a direct answer to prayer and very applicable. This one’s free and only takes about an hour to read – go download it now.
Community
The final thing I would encourage you to do is don’t be too afraid or lazy to ask for help. It’s tragic how many people would rather face familiar problems day after day than confront the fear of the unknown, and never get out of the pit they are in. Reach out and ask for help. I went before my church family multiple times for prayer, was honest with people I trusted about what was going on in my life, and I was purposeful about seeking truth from the word and resources written to help people like me.
Next time…a progress report on how I’m doing, 4 years after my trip to the ER
You are not alone, so why do you act like you are? There are many who struggle with the various forms of anxiety disorders. That’s why I wrote this series – to remind you that you are not alone and to assure you that I am willing to walk with you. Please comment or email me with your story – I want to pray for you because I believe He can heal you like He did me.
Hey Trina…
I was glad to have stumbled upon this blog post. It was comforting to read about how you were able to overcome your anxiety by looking at it from a spiritual angle. I am a firm believer that anxiety isn’t so much a disease, but a misalignment with ‘truth’. In a world where things are 24/7 and so much is expected of us and fear is promoted on every medium — it is challenging to know what ‘truth’ is. But I appreciate you taking the time to share your experience and ideas on how to overcome anxiety.
I have this fear of barreness and delay in childbearing ,fruitfullness challenges please ask God not to bring it to pass in Jesus name..Amen.
Praying for you Asidere! Also, check out the blog “Naturally Knocked Up” it has some great advice for supporting your reproductive system.
I am sincerely encouraged to read your confession as i myself have been struggling from GAD since 2012,july till this very moment. I feel i cant do it alone to take me out of this pain but God can. I sincerely ask your support me through prayers as God hears the prayers of his faithful servants. Please bear along with me through prayers. Nothing can do enough for me except Jesus. Thank you.
Praying for you right now. He loves you so much and there is no fear in love. Lean into that, and trust that healing is coming, friend!
Thank you for sharing the snippet from your journal! My friend just sent me a link to your book, More than Numbers, and I am blessed to have found you. I too struggle with anxiety. I appreciate your authenticity and fire for the Lord. Thanks for pointing us all to look to Him! Blessings!
Alison, thanks for your sweet comment! So glad my little book could encourage you. Praying the Lord brings you to greater freedom and joy.
Hi!
I’m a 23 year old Christian. I got a concussion about 9 months ago, and it gave me anxiety as f 6 months ago, with my first panic attack while on an airplane.
It’s a strange anxiety, where I am anxious of being anxious! I don’t really know if that is a thing though, but I feel like it would be easier to cure if it was social anxiety or something that I knew how to face.
I am about to try exercise to see if that helps! Fingers crossed it does!
Please pray for me! I’ve only had this for 6 months, and I’m so worried it will be with me forever!
Thanks! God Bless!
Emma, I’m sorry to hear of your injury and anxiety you’ve been suffering from. I’ll be praying the Lord shows you the best way to grow through this challenge. Fear doesn’t have to be a constant companion–Christ came to set us free from fear. I hope you can find someone to talk to about your fears and someone to help remind you of the truths you can stand on.
Hi Trina, I just found this website. I’ve had social anxiety and panic attacks on and off for awhile now, mostly I feel nervous and anxious when I’m eating around people I don’t know well or having to do credit card applications at work directly in front of the customer . pretty much anytime where I feel there’s a lot of focus on me, like stage fright in a way. I feel like I’m going to be judged or rejected. I just get shaky and I know its stupid and I shouldn’t let things get to me. I pray that God will deliver me from my anxiety, he’s the only one who can, I’m tired of living in fear,I just want to be me and not worry what people think of me. I do have issues with being a perfectionist and people pleaser. I also know that God did not give me a spirit of fear, and fear is a lie from satan, but to over come my anxiety I feel its easier said then done. I’m not giving up and I will try your tips. I’m so glad to here a story from somebody who has overcome anxiety 🙂 thank you for your blog.
Hope, I’m so glad you’ve stopped by–wish I could give you a hug! You’re right–we haven’t been given a spirit of fear. I just wanted to encourage you that recognizing that you have issues in this area is huge in making progress toward freedom. Also, I’ve got a book I’d love to recommend to you–goes more into detail with practical steps for the mental, spiritual, and physical aspects of anxiety. It’s written by a friend and I highly recommend it… you can find it on her blog…http://jenniferebenhack.com/
Thank you Trina, I just subscribed to your friend’s blog, and I emailed her to get the pdf for ‘Take Courage’, I am excited to read it, thank you for the recommendation and your support 🙂 God Bless.
Could you please say a prayer for me going through alot with my health And came out of nowhere in february And am still dealing with it finally going to see a doctor praying for the best And hope they can find exactly whats wrong And fix it. It has been to long And i do not want to go through this anymore i want to live a happy beautifull life And continue to focus on my relationship with the Lord having alot of confusion diorientation And dizzieness feel out of it hard to focus dont know what it is And alot of anxiety And panic And nervousness i need And want a supernatural mentally emotionally spiritually And physically now asap…. i dont even like being alone at All i want it to go away already just praying doctors appt. Goes well And we can get it fixed soon please Lord hear my prayers God bless im supposed to start klonopin today for anxiety panic attacks
Laura, I will be praying for you today! I know God can lead you to healing, both emotionally and physically. I’m glad to hear you are reaching out for help. Can I encourage you to seek counsel from a naturopath? They will be all about addressing your whole body needs through nutrition and supplements. You need to do more than just address the symptoms with a drug and get down to the root issues. I will be praying for clarity of mind for you and that you would have supportive and wise friends to gather around you and help you on your journey. Hugs, prayers, and blessing,
Trina
Hi, Karie! *hugs*
Belle – that is so good to hear – thank you for sharing. We all need the encouragement that growth and freedom is possible in this area.
Blessings,
Trina
I did download “Core Lies”. Thank you for the recommendation. I am slowly learning to give my worry and fear to God. It is a great experience.
Amen! Thanks so much Trina!
Love you! : )
~karielee