The Cure for Anxiety, Worry, and Fear

If you read the past two posts here on my blog, you are aware that I have been really struggling physically.  The symptoms of the RA (Rheumatoid Arthritis ) and PsA (Psoriatic Arthritis---henceforth the two fall under the  new name for these diseases, "RD"- Rheumatoid Disease) have been flaring big time.  I would suggest you read the two prior posts if  you are curious about what that all means experientially.

 I have a phrase for the niggling worries that  burrow through my brain at times.  I call these anxieties: "worry worms" because  they creep and crawl through my brain.  And the thought that they were feeding on was this: What if this is NOT a flare but is rather a worsening of my disease and I will always be as bad off or worse than I have been in these past three weeks? That is a terrifying thought, not only because of the pain and suffering that it would entail but also because it would mean that I would not be able to live independently--or in my current housing arrangement where I get no help and no support.

And then something happened....as soon as this anxiety was birthed it was addressed...by Sarah Young (author of Jesus Calling). If you want to read the two devotions for yourself look in Jesus Calling for the dates of January 30th and 31st.  But I will summarize them.  In the first of them she says that we are the only one of God's creatures who have the ability to decide where to fix our thoughts.  She said that worry turns in to an idol because we are focusing on that, rather than on our God.  And here is the key: the way to break free from the bondage of worry and anxiety is to "affirm your trust" in God.  This instantly brought to mind  a journey that Y'shua and I have been on together for the past year or two.  I may have mentioned it in other posts.  Whenever I am confronted by some difficulty (from as minor and frequent to me losing my glasses) or to something major like keeping us safe in a storm,  I used to get to the point of being frantic...and THEN in desperation asking God to help.  Well he did help.  Every time.  And finally he got me to the place where HE IS THE FIRST PLACE I GO FOR HELP.  And not a desperate panicked cry for help usually, but a request with certainty that he will respond.

And then came the biggies.  For me storms bring fear because of the destruction and suffering they have wrought for us in the past ten years. And the other big fear monger is my obsession and delusion that my room or my hair are infested by insects (bed bugs and lice)...It was proven to me by my daughter and by a friend, that there was no such infestation...but still --even now--I periodically struggle with that terror. (this is due to my illness, schizophrenia). And beginning about two years ago in beseeching prayer, came the soft, quiet voice that I instantly recognized as the Lord speaking to me. This recognition is born of experience--once you learn to hear the "still, small voice" it becomes perfectly recognizable.  And time after time as SOON as worries come, there was the Lord asking me "Do you trust Me?"  And since I had such a long time of experience of his faithfulness and ability to do miracles and willingness to answer my needs, it was increasingly easy to say "Yes, Lord, I trust You."

This affirmation of trust cuts fear, anxiety and worry down at the roots.  And the only way it can really be effective is to live in a state of trust---like a little girl reaches constantly for her daddy's hand when they are out and about--it is a state of being...a method of breathing the Lord in (inspiration) and out (exhaltation)  😊  (that was not a typo). God will inspire peace in us as we learn to trust, seek his face and worship him in every moment, every circumstance.

And just so I would know this word was from the Lord, later that day a friend said that she had asked God for a "word"for me and he said to tell me that "Worries and anxiety weigh a woman down.  You need to trust"

Now it might seem too simplistic to be helpful.  And I can  understand that.  It is fairly trite just to say "Stop worrying; start trusting"  --but once you come to the place of deep knowledge of God and his character and how he deals with his children--it becomes a powerful certainty.  Once you fix your eyes on his face (however it is you picture him) and receive his peace all the time throughout your days...it becomes true, the promise Jesus gave his disciples  in John 14:27

 Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful.

 It is a peace, deep and calm---it is the hand of a big, strong Daddy, guiding you across a city street.
Notice in the verse above it says "do not LET your heart be trouble nor LET it be fearful"  It is a choice we make.  It is a willing yielding up our fears and worries into his hands

1 Peter 5:7--  casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you.

...It is a deep surrender of our hearts to his love.  It is to adore him for who he is and for how much he loves us.  Listen for the soft "Do you trust Me?"  It comes in the height of worry, in the beginning of panic.  It comes when we have exhausted all our resources.  And though you may learn to listen for it, it is not originated in your mind...it's usually a "V-8 moment" lol when you smack yourself in the forehead and say "Lord! I could have saved myself all this worry! If only I'd come to you first!"

It takes practice.  It takes a degree of mindfulness. It takes the willingness to choose to trust.  It takes focus on his loving face and scars. And most of all, FIRST of all, it takes a relationship with him. That is the starting line.