Trusting God Through Anxiety Battles
I present these three scriptures 2 Timothy 1:7, Proverbs 3: 5-6 & Philippians 4:6-7; for your review. Mental health conditions like Anxiety was an issue then and it is now. There are times we trust God. Breathe… Relax… and Say God is in control. Please continue to read and find yourself learning about how your thoughts can lead you to anxiety. There are scriptures to find ways to trust God in your situation.
First scripture for reflection:
“God has not given us a spirit of fear, but a power of love and a sound mind”. 2 Timothy 1:7 (NKJV)
When fear strikes, we get fearful when anxiety hits. Some thoughts that are full of fear which there are acronyms for it which are F.E.A.R.: False evidence appearing real. Fear is when you are experiencing thoughts of what if something bad is going to happen. Then simultaneously our bodies get into that fight or flight response. Start immediately to think of positive solutions to get you out of that frame of mind. If anxiety plagues your life, it's time to find out the root of the problem and pray. Try to understand why you think those thoughts. I'm reading “Heart Rehab" by Jerry Fowler Jr, and it makes a lot of sense about how we think. Sometimes as Christians we can too overthink. Also, the enemy plants wicked or scary thoughts and we need to discard it altogether as negative thoughts and not biblically sound.
Determining what's a sound mind or not is described here:
When you look up sound mind; the word sober mindedness comes into play. The word denotes self controlled discipline, and a sober mind aligned with God's truth. (The Bible), characterized by clarity, reason and freedom from fear and not emotional chaos or worldly foolishness. How to obtain this being using sound judgment and righteous living through the Holy Spirit's power. Furthermore, as I researched this term, I seen that it has many factors you should be aware of:
Key aspects of being sober-minded in the Bible include:
Vigilance against Spiritual Dangers: 1 Peter 5:8 commands believers to be sober-minded to resist the devil, who "prowls around like a roaring lion".
Mental Alertness: It signifies being watchful for the return of Jesus (1 Thessalonians 5:6-8) and not being "asleep" in spiritual apathy.
Sound Judgment and Self-Control:
Sober-mindedness involves being calm, moderate, and not swayed by emotional extremes, ensuring thoughts are governed by truth rather than deception
.Holistic Sobriety: Beyond abstaining from alcohol, it means avoiding "intoxication" from worldly influences such as pride, lust, greed, or anxiety.
Context in Scripture: Often mentioned as a requirement for church leaders (1 Timothy 3:2, 11) and in warnings to remain steadfast in faith and prayer (1 Peter 4:7).
In summary, a sober-minded person is alert, serious, and self-controlled, able to make wise decisions because their mind is not compromised by external forces.
Cited by Spiritualmanna.com
In addition, we find ourselves in circumstances that affect our mental health. We might be sad because of disappointment or setbacks. We must remain positive and keep enjoying life. God wants us to have life and more abundant. Being depressed is like a stalled vehicle. We have to keep moving forward with what you got. God will bless you with the ideas on how to get food, to make money, or revive a dream that you put on the shelf and was brought back to life. You might say I can't write or draw or I'm not creative, but God can give you these gifts. You could do things like running a cleaning business, organizing files or furniture, painting, singing, writing, and drawing. In today's world, it makes it so easy to start a business or a side hustle.
Second Scripture for reflection:
“Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding.
In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths." Proverbs 3: 5-6. 9, (NKJV).
In the New King James Study Bible; in the context of the scripture. The word commit is to roll your cares to the Lord. Trusting the Lord with your with our decision frees us from preoccupation with our problems. Trusting in God is a conscious dependency, much like leading on a tree for support.
Here is the third scripture:
“instructs believers not to be anxious, but to replace worry with prayer, petition, and thanksgiving in every situation. By presenting requests to God, a transcendent peace that surpasses human understanding will guard hearts and minds in Christ Jesus’. Philippians 4:6-7 (NIV)
Prayer, pray instead of worrying and trust God.
Supplication to ask humbly or earnestly of something.
Thanksgiving: the act of giving thanks.
Paul wants us to give our problems to God in prayer; trusting that he (God) will provide deliverance and will guard our minds and hearts. In context: Paul is conveying to guard our minds because we’re in a battle and need protection from external corrupting influences and to keep the mind focused on God’s word.
Cited by New King James Bible
In conclusion, thoughts are powerful, so we need to meditate on God's word. We also need to acknowledge that God wants us to have love, power, and a sound mind. Focusing on the present, forgetting the past and not predicting the future. When we lean on our own understanding we can't always see the bigger picture. We are to replace worrying with prayer, petition and thanksgiving.
