For many of us, anxiety isn’t a fleeting problem, it’s a fact of life. Every calendar item, phone call or request can morph into a source of mild to severe anxiety. It can be downright paralyzing! Lots of coaches and online sites claim to have the answer to this: just post memes constantly!!! You know the ones, “You – are enough”.

But God has an effective plan for us and it doesn’t include debilitating anxiety. Instead we are to pray for help, casting all of our cares upon Jesus and according to Philippians 4:6 earnestly make every request known to God through prayer and thanksgiving!

According to the Bible, anxiety is double-mindedness. In order to be of a ‘single mind’, we must pray. Neil T. Anderson suggests that we start by praying the following prayer:

Dear Heavenly Father, I am Your child bought by the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. I am completely dependent on you and I need you. I know that without Jesus I can’t do anything. You know the thoughts and intentions in my heart and you know my situation from the beginning to the end. I feel as though I am double-minded and I need your peace to guard my heart and mind. I humble myself before You and choose to trust you to exalt me at the right time in any way You choose. I trust You to meet all my needs according to Your riches in glory in Christ Jesus and to guide me into all truth.

Please guide me so that I can fulfill my calling to live a responsible life by faith in the power of Your Holy Spirit. “Search me oh God and know my heart; try me and know my thoughts; and see if there be any hurtful way in me, and lead me in the everlasting way, Psalm 139:23-24 In Jesus precious name, Amen.

The following steps aren’t a cure all, God isn’t a genie in a bottle. The following steps will lead you into freedom, think of it as a process leading to less and less anxiety.

Here are the steps:

  1. Resolve any personal and spiritual conflicts.
  2. State the problem
  3. Divide the facts from the assumptions
  4. Determine what you have the right or ability to control.
  5. Fulfill your responsibilities
  6. Leave the rest up to God

This information was taken from the The Steps to Freedom in Christ Bible Study Appendix D Overcoming Anxiety. Go here for more information on the Bible Study.

The study has been instrumental in helping me break through problem areas.  If your church doesn’t offer it yet, ask!!