Hello World!

This will be the first post in a 3-part series discussing the beast of anxiety. Just today I’ve been fighting the claws of anxiety that so easily try to latch onto my brain. I have a friend going in for surgery tomorrow, an awkward conversation hanging over my head that has left me replaying it over and over in my mind, plus another meeting coming up with someone that has me all jittery, and I don’t even know why.

I just finished writing a card to a friend where I shared Psalm 46:10-11 (TPT) “Surrender (relax) your anxiety! Be silent and stop your striving and you will see that I am God. I am the God above all the nations, and I will be exalted throughout the whole earth…the Mighty Lord of Angel Armies is on our side! The God of Jacob fights for us!”

With Truth like that all over the Bible, how can any of us struggle with being anxious so much? I’ve been in this battle for a very long time- probably close to 30 years- and I know we all struggle for various reasons. For some, anxiety is a real medical condition needing a proper medical doctor and good medication. For others, seeing a counselor and getting help for their brain, like I have done, is necessary. Sometimes a combination of a doctor and a counselor is needed. There is also the category for those out there who walk around day after day with no way to cope with this Beast.

There is one main attacker who gets to us all, a real-live enemy. We know “the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour” (1 Peter 5). Often he can be spotted going after our minds. He whispers illogical secrets in our ears, and we are afraid to admit out loud we are believing him. Secrets like, “So-and-so is angry with you.” “You hurt so-and-so by your comment the other day and she is questioning your friendship.” “Things are never going to change, your life will always look like this.” “You don’t really belong here.” “That text you sent? Just wait until you get a reply. You created a mess.” “And by the way, your hair is really looking mousy-brown these days. Disgusting.”

What I desire for you to know today is that we have a choice. We do not have to allow the claws of this beast to latch on to our brains. Peter tells us straight up to “TAKE A DECISIVE STAND against (the enemy) and resist his every attack with STRONG, VIGOROUS faith.” Along with reading the Scriptures and claiming Truth, another way to build a strong and vigorous faith is to listen to worship music and engage. I fight against the enemy so hard during worship times.

Even when we don’t feel like the lyrics are true, we sing them anyway. We put ourselves in a physical posture of worshipping the Father- whether on our knees, or hands raised high, or punching the air emphatically (one of my personal favs) until our hearts align with the Truth we are singing. We fight the enemy when we worship. We take a decisive stand against his attacks when we belt out songs to God Almighty at the top of our lungs. We build a strong and vigorous faith when we sing something as Truth before we even believe it.

Over the coming weeks, I will be sharing my personal journey of what it has been like to live in the frigid, damp, and dreadful prison of my own brain. Though the enemy still likes to use days like today to try to creep in and get me down, I am excited to share with you how the Lord God Almighty released me from the shackles of anxiety. He “personally and powerfully restored me and made me stronger than ever.” (vs. 10) This rescuing isn’t just for me,

“Yes, He will set YOU firmly in place…and He has the power needed to do this- forever!”