Widespread Panic

I remember the first time I had an anxiety attack. It was August 2002, while I was getting a CT scan to determine why I was having recurring sinus infections. I was lying in the machine when I suddenly started to sweat and shake. The poor nurses and technicians thought it was a combination of our typical SC summer heat and the radiation, but I knew better.

In a way, its a miracle that it didnt happen sooner. Ive always been prone to worry. By nature Im a perfectionist that likes to have everything in order, and life just isnt that organized. In fact, its a well known fact that the nature of the entire universe is chaos, and from time to time that chaos is going to find its way into your life. Its just a special sort of agony when the chaos is confined to your mind, and you dont know how to get it out.

When we worry, we are essentially taking responsibility for something that is completely outside our control, and should be left in the Lords hands. This is difficult to do, because we live in such a control-driven society. Although we do have free will and a responsibility to make good decisions, there is a lot that is completely out of our control, and we tend to worry when we become concerned with things that fall in that area. In my study of overcoming the anxiety, Ive found that its rooted in three main problems:

Problem #1 A Lack of a Clear Goal. All of us were created for a unique purpose, but it amazes me at how many people have no idea what that purpose is. Ive known people past retirement age that went through the motions of life, rolling with the flow until they landed where they did. The problem is that letting the winds of fate carry you through life isnt a reliable way of finding true purpose. My favorite Bible verse is this one thing I do, forgetting what is behind and straining forward to what is ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the heavenly call of God in Jesus Christ. (Philippians 3:13-14 RSV) I like it because it reminds me that we are all here for a purpose that we should be reaching for. Finding Gods call on your life gives you a sense of direction and a way to set your priorities. Without a goal, youre drifting from one thing to another, stressing over things that wont matter a day, week, year, or one hundred years from now. I recently went to a time management class, and the instructor told us that if you dont plan your life, other people would plan it for you. This is the truth. If you let God lead you, youll always be on time and on the right track. If you let the world lead you, youll do everything that serves it and nothing that serves you. So who would you rather have running your life Gods peace, or the worlds temporary worries?

Problem #2 A Lack of Focus. I have to admit that this is where worry attacks me. While I feel confident about the path the Lord has me on, I have a tendency to become sidetracked by minutiae. Im a very detail-oriented person, and sometimes I get bogged down in details that just dont matter. Its easy to see how this happens, because we do live in a very fast paced world. I once read that the level of stress we currently consider normal would have been considered acute in the mid-twentieth century. The miracle of technology keeps us in touch and plugged in all the time. The problem is knowing when to shut it off. It may be hard to believe, but not everything that happens is our problem to solve, no matter what other people may try to tell you. If you want to have any peace in your life, you need to learn to keep your eyes on the goal ahead of you, not on the garbage around you. While we should remain attentive, we need to realize that our business is to live as we are called and to support others the best we can. Sometimes, you have to say no and let people take responsibility for their own life and problems.

Problem #3 A Lack of Trust. Everybody suffers from doubt. Face it, you know that everything works out in Gods perfect timing. But when youre dragging through barely tolerable circumstances, you wonder if He has any intention of doing anything to help you. Times that test our patience are some of the greatest trials Christians face, and its natural to suffer from worry. I know it sounds bad, but it is natural to wonder what the Lord is doing when terrible things are happening and it seems like the bad guys are winning. Fortunately, we are promised all things work together for good for those who love God. (Romans 8:28 RSV) Even when it seems that the world is falling apart, we can rest assured that God knows what is going on and has every intention of working things out for the best. He has delivered on every one of His promises throughout history, and He will continue to deliver on them forever. Theres no way that anybody can say or do anything that God cannot ultimately work toward His good purpose. Everything that happens, for better or worse, passes through Him first. He will only allow things to happen that work for the good He has destined for us. So we have no need to worry, because if we place our lives in Gods hands, we can rest assured that it will all work out for our best and for the greater good in the end.

I regret all of the time I have wasted worrying, but Im glad I learned the truth about this trick. There is a lot to worry about in this world, and I know this is something I will fight my entire life. The devil may try to sidetrack me from my goal with worry, but he doesnt stand a chance with the Lord working through me. I know we are told do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6-7 RSV) Thank God that, when I feel that anxiety starting to rise, help is only a prayer away.

Living by Faith in a Pagan World (I.S.B.N. #1-4137-3346-8), which is a guide to finding faith in the battles we face every day. Her writing is focused on developing faith through situations we face in day-to-day living and fighting the devil's attempts to destroy faith through doubt. For additional information on her writing, please visit the Battleground Earth Web Site.

// posted by SONUdtqrq @ 12:49 PM