Dear Friend
I have a soft place in my heart for people with anxieties as I have always struggled with them. They have prevented a lot of pleasure in my life. I’d like to tell you what I have learned and what helped me. Maybe some can help you, and that would make me feel good.
You are not alone. Anxiety is an epidemic in this country. The world is a stressful, scary place, and it’s not getting better. Read Psalms. David often talked about being overwhelmed, being cast down, crying night and day, being covered in darkness and being surrounded by troubles. His enemies were people with spears. Our enemies may be toxic people in our lives, bills, past abuse or stressors in our lives.
Years ago I believed that anxiety meant I didn’t have faith in God, that I was weak and had something terribly wrong with me, a character flaw. I was always so hard on myself which caused me to be depressed because I was never good enough.
Someone taught me that nobody is perfect except God. Why did I think I had to be perfect? It was OK to make mistakes. It was a humungous weight off my shoulders. I still get down on myself when I make mistakes, but I don’t let it ruin my life with depression.
I still have anxieties. They cause my head and stomach to hurt, and I curl up in a tiny ball and cry. I’ve not conquered it, but I’m taming it. It’s much less than it used to be. I don’t let it stop me from living life.
There are some wonderful tools you can learn to help you handle life and the anxiety it brings. The Bible, the pastor, good books and, yes, even counselors can help you learn tools to decrease and manage it.
Many Christians don’t like the idea of going to counselors, but they are much improved as compared to ones years ago, and they have some useful knowledge to teach. Plus, although it’s quite therapeutic for you to talk about your problems and get them off your chest, it might be a burden to your friends and family members to listen to it. With a counselor, there is no guilt. It’s their job.
It takes bravery and strength to admit you need help, but it’s often the best way to meet a goal. If you were trying to push a car uphill, it is smart to go hire a tow truck to help you. It’s not weakness.
God is my foundation underneath me and my covering over my head. It would be nice to just pray through and have all my anxieties healed instantly, but He doesn’t work that way. At least not with me. I’ve had to learn new ways to think and handle life.
God has helped me to learn the tools for taming the dragon of anxiety, through the Bible, through counseling, and through experience. Often I struggle and fight. Some days the dragon wins. Other days I win. The older I get, and the more I learn, the more the dragon loses.
If the dragon is winning sometimes, don’t give up! You are not a failure if you lose a battle. With God’s help, you will win the war! Just keep fighting.
With love,
Your Friend,
Naomi
