Originally published 17 November 2013.
I have avoided talking too much about my spirituality in this blog because I know not everyone who suffers from anxiety shares my views in that area. But I have come to realize that I really can’t avoid talking about it forever. I am a Christian, and that greatly influences the way I deal with anxiety.
That said, this isn’t going to be an evangelizing post. I won’t lie, I would love it if everyone who read this turned to Jesus. But I also know what it’s like to have Jesus shoved in your face. I used to get very annoyed by that before I became a Christian.
Rather, I am going to talk about ways your religion can help you deal with your anxiety. I will speak from a Christian viewpoint because that’s all I know, but if you follow another religion, you can probably apply a lot of what I’m saying. If you’re an atheist with no interest in becoming a believer in anything, well… this post isn’t for you.
So, what is it like as a Christian who suffers from anxiety? Its danged difficult. My Bible tells me not to be afraid. It says that in multiple places, actually. According to Ask.com, the phrase “fear not” appears 74 times and “be not afraid” appears 29 times. My pastor said in a sermon once that worrying (fear) is a sin, because Jesus said specifically not to do it. Ouch.
The problem is that I’m not doing it on purpose. As I’ve said in this blog before, if I could flip a switch and turn off the fear and anxiety, I’d do it in a heartbeat. To me, sin is something that you choose to do that goes against the commands given us by God. If I’m not being anxious on purpose, is it still a sin? On the other hand, the two greatest commandments are to love the Lord your God and to love your neighbor. Godly love includes trust. With full trust, there is no fear. What a connundrum.
Sometimes it can be hard to get help from our church leaders. The general advice seems to be to read the Bible and pray about it. I read the Bible every morning for around 10 minutes and pray every morning and night. I still suffer. Yes, prayer can help me in the moment when I’m having an attack. It helps calm me down and take the edge off the worst of it, but it doesn’t make it go away. I have asked God to remove this “thorn” from me, multiple times. He has not seen fit to do so. I choose to believe it’s because He has a use for me as I am, anxiety and all. That’s one of the reasons I started this blog. I wanted to make my anxiety useful by helping others with the same problem.
So, if you pray for your anxiety to be removed and it isn’t, what else can you do?
1. Still pray. Don’t stop praying just because you didn’t get what you asked for right away. I still ask Him to take my anxiety away from me. Just because He hasn’t done it yet doesn’t mean He never will. But I also ask Him to help me deal with it. I ask Him to lead me to techniques and people who can help me, and to give me understanding of the way my mind works so I can actively try to change my thought patterns. And yes, I ask for calm when I’m freaking out.
2. Read your Bible. I never said this advice was wrong, just that it won’t necessarily cure you. However, you can read your Bible and look for encouraging scriptures you can turn to during rough times. Look in the concordance of your Bible for key words. Try those 74 “fear not” passages to start with, such as Deuteronomy 31:6. “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.” Then also try to find key words that match your triggers. For me, health/illness is a trigger. One scripture I can memorize and meditate on when I’m having a health-related flare-up is Psalms 34:19. “Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all.”
3. Share with others. If you have people you trust who share your religious views, talk to them about anxiety. Ask them to pray with and for you. You may be surprised to find out that some of them have anxieties too, and you can begin to help one another.
4. See a counselor who shares your religion. I actually have two counselors now (one local, one I talk to via Skype) both of whom are Christian. It’s great to be able to talk about my anxiety with people who not only understand and have studied it on a secular, professional level, but who also can help me on the spiritual side.
Your spirituality can help you deal with your anxiety if you let it. Don’t let yourself be overcome with guilt. Even if fear is a sin, God knows you’re struggling with it and trying to overcome it. Remember, He knows your heart.
And finally, I’ll give you my favorite scripture about fear, 2 Timothy 1:7. “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.”
I like the sound of that.
