Are you feeling consumed by worry, fear and anxiety?
With the recent spread of COVID-19, a lot has changed in just one week.
Noone knows what lies ahead, but as Christians, we don’t have to fear what the world fears. For the Lord is working on our behalf.
“So do not fear, for I am with you,” God says in Isaiah 41:10, “do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”
We can trust our Heavenly Father, even in all the chaos. Rather than giving into fear, we can put our hope in God.
To help us do that, I’ve compiled a list, a la David Letterman, called the “Top Ten Ways to Tame Your Worry Habit” from my book, Having A Mary Heart in a Martha World.
I hope you’ll find them as helpful as I have.
Top Ten Ways to Tame Your Worry Habit
10. Separate toxic worry from genuine concern. Determine if you can do anything about your situation. If so, sketch a plan to handle it (Proverbs 16:3).
9. Don’t worry alone. Share your concerns with a friend or a counselor. Talking your fears out with someone often reveals solutions (Proverbs 27:9).
8. Take care of your physical body. Regular exercise and adequate rest can defuse a lot of worry. Healthy bodies handle stress better and react more appropriately (1 Corinthians 6:19-20).
7. Do what is right. A guilty conscience causes great anxiety. Do your best to live above reproach. Confess quickly and seek forgiveness (Acts 24:16).
6. Look on the bright side. Consciously focus on what is good around you. Don’t let yourself speak negatively, even about yourself (Ephesians 4:29).
5. Control your imagination. Be realistic about the problems you face. Try to live in the “here and now” not in the “what might be” (Isaiah 35:3-4).
4. Prepare for the unexpected. Put aside a cash reserve and take sensible measures so you’ll be ready if difficulties arise (Proverbs 21:20).
3. Trust God. Keep reminding yourself to put God in your equation. Then, when fear knocks, you can send faith to answer the door (Psalm 112:7).
2. Meditate on God’s promises. Scripture has the power to transform our minds. Look for scriptures that will help you answer life’s difficulties with God’s Word (2 Peter 1:4).
1. The number one way to tame a worry habit..Pray! Joseph M. Scriven’s hymn says it all: “O what peace we often forfeit…all because we do not carry everything to God in prayer” (Colossians 4:2).
I sought the Lord, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears. Psalm 34:4
I’d love to hear from you…what helps you overcome anxiety?