Anxiety

I have struggled with anxiety most of my life. It started at school and was probably because I found the environment very stressful and I suppose in the end a constant state of nerves becomes the norm. Many people do suffer with it and just live with it thinking it is part of their lives and that there isn’t much they can do about it.

Now I turn to God in prayer whenever I feel overwhelmed and manage to rest in him. I don’t let anxiety rule my life, or let it prevent me from being as free as I would like. So many worries come to mind when I get nervous about something and if I don’t pray about it, this can become a problem.

I do feel that without my faith and constant prayers, my life would have been totally different. I couldn’t have coped with many situations I have put myself through and my life is much richer as a result of being able to focus on God and not on what is bothering me.

I listened to an Ellel Ministries blog about this and it was very helpful. They also recommended a bible passage (copied below) that helps to pray in times of stress.

I recently thought a lot about this freedom when I saw a bird trapped behind a window, constantly jumping up and down and knocking the window with its beak as it tried to escape. Some of the situations we are in are similar to this. We are imprisoned by these feelings of anxiety, despair, depression and without God we are like that bird trying to escape them. It did eventually manage to escape and how free it must have felt.

Do take all of your troubles to God. He is listening and wants to help us. Don’t live in a glass prison. God bless,

Philippians 4:6

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.