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Relieving Anxiety

I recently read that, according to our nation's Bureau of Standards, a dense fog covering seven city blocks to a depth of a hundred feet contains less than one glass of water. All of that fog, blocking out beautiful sunlight, wouldn't quite fill a drinking glass if it could be condensed into water.

Does that sound a lot like worry in our lives? Could it be that, like fog, our worries can block the beautiful light of God's truth and love from our vision?

This week, we've been looking at the war worry wages against worship. We've seen that anxiety can begin innocently enough simply by virtue of such variables as our personality or our birth order. The problem is that the evil one fans those anxieties into flames that distract us from our true purpose in life. Satan plants and nurtures anxieties in our minds and hearts to keep us from worshiping God in the way we were designed to worship.

As part of our walk with God, you and I can confront anxieties before they distract us from God's will for us. Part of making worship a lifestyle is bringing our minds and hearts into alignment with God's will for us.

Today, as we continue, let's look at specific steps you and I can take to counteract these schemes from the devil. I'd like to present what I believe is a workable approach to this challenge. The following steps that I'm recommending to you are scripture-based to keep them God-centered and they are generalized to keep them simple. However, don't treat them lightly. They can add health to your bones and restore joy to your life. First, we'll talk about ways to relieve anxiety, and then we'll talk about ways to prevent anxiety.

Here are 4 ways you can relieve anxiety:

Ask God to help you to identify the issue causing you to worry. In Psalm 139, verses 3 and 4 say: Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me, and know my anxieties; And see if there is any wicked way in me, And lead me in the way everlasting.
Air out the problem; talk it out with a trustworthy confidant; try to understand it enough to deal with it. In Hebrews 10, verses 24 and 25 say: And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.
Resolve the problem and reconcile with other participants in the problem, even if they do not respond in kind; apologize wherever your apology is appropriate. Concerning things said or done against you, forgive every offense committed by others involved. In Colossians 3, verses 12-15 say: Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection. And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful.
Refuse to let your mind dwell on the offense or on personal revenge. Release it and let God renew your mind. Romans 12, verse 2 says: And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

Here are 11 ways you can prevent anxiety:

Read and meditate on scripture—particularly noting what it reveals about God. Sometimes our anxiety is simply (and profoundly) a lack of walking with God, a lack of intimacy with Him. In Psalm 1, verses 1 and 2 say: Blessed is the man Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, Nor stands in the path of sinners, Nor sits in the seat of the scornful; But his delight is in the law of the LORD, And in His law he meditates day and night.
View your problems through worship lenses. God's perspective can take the angst out of day-to-day tensions. In Revelation 3, verses 18-19 say: "anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent."
Replace panic with prayer. In Philippians 4, verses 6-9 say: Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
Obey Him. It's amazing how simply doing what is right and avoiding what is wrong can prevent so much anxiety! Psalm 119:165 says: Great peace have those who love Your law, And nothing causes them to stumble.
Sometimes our anxiety is rooted in a sense of worthlessness. Recognize and rehearse the truth about yourself. Ephesians 1, for example, will remind you that you are deeply loved by God as you are! Why would Christ have sacrificed His life for you, if you were not worth it? Reject those negative thoughts about yourself and replace them with that wonderful truth.
Get sound, professional help if necessary. Sometimes anxiety is simply a medical problem.
Listen to soothing music. Human response to music is convincingly documented; we are affected psychologically and physiologically. Even King Saul, wart that he became, knew and used the music therapy that came from David's harp!
Take a break. Come aside, as Jesus did with his disciples. Get away from people and rest a while.
Plan only 60% of your day. Interruptions will take care of the rest, and you will be less frustrated.
Exercise regularly. The benefits are legion.
Take a daily "time out." Spend 20 minutes (apart from Bible study, etc.) thinking Philippians 4:8 thoughts. Think about things in your world that are noble, are honorable, are lovely, are pure, are true, are excellent, are praiseworthy. God will bless such thinking with the promise of verse nine: peace.