Ep. 279 How To Conquer Anxiety As A Christian

[00:00:03] I'm your host, Hustle in Faith.

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[00:00:28] I'm your host, Latasha Johnson.

[00:00:31] Are you tired of feeling less than enough just because you're single?

[00:00:35] Then you'll love my new book, How To Live An Extraordinary Life With Or Without Mr.

[00:00:40] Right, a Christian woman's guide on how to survive and thrive on single avenue.

[00:00:46] It's time to acknowledge a dress and dismantle the harmful limited mindset many single

[00:00:52] Christian women have internalized.

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[00:01:03] website.

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[00:01:08] You have everything you need to live an extraordinary life, with or without Mr. Right.

[00:01:20] Insiety can feel like an overwhelming storm.

[00:01:23] So how can your faith help you tackle anxiety in today's world?

[00:01:27] We're going to learn in this video how to overcome anxiety from a Christian perspective.

[00:01:32] You're not alone if you've been feeling overwhelmed, stress or anxious.

[00:01:36] Many of us face anxiety, but as Christians we have a unique source of peace and strength.

[00:01:43] Again, in this video we're going to explore how God's word and as promises can help us find calm in the chaos

[00:01:50] and practical steps you can take to overcome anxiety through faith.

[00:01:54] Let's dive in and discover the power of trusting God during life's challenges.

[00:02:00] As Christians, we're not immune to the pressures of everyday life.

[00:02:04] In fact, we can get caught up in the comparison game feeling like we're not good, smart or spiritual enough.

[00:02:10] And another reason we might be experiencing anxiety is because it might be a sign that we're not living in alignment with God's will for our lives.

[00:02:19] Before we can learn how to overcome anxiety, it's essential to first understand the common emotional and physical symptoms that accompany anxiety.

[00:02:28] Sumped number one, lack of purpose.

[00:02:32] Not having clear goals or a sense of direction in life can create a feeling of unease and restlessness to be completely honest up until the age of 36 I'm currently 42.

[00:02:44] If I had to pick a theme song for my life it would be you too.

[00:02:48] I still haven't found what I'm looking for.

[00:02:50] It wasn't until I lost everything. My job, my savings, exhausted my unemployment which caused me to lose my apartment that I was in a position to seek God's path for me.

[00:03:00] And I'm not saying that your journey is going to look like mine but if you're wandering through life it could be a sign that God's trying to get your attention.

[00:03:09] Sumped number two, stress.

[00:03:11] High levels of stress can keep your mind racing, making it difficult to relax or focus.

[00:03:16] I know when I'm anxious, I play so many what if games, what if this happens, what if that happens?

[00:03:22] That it's tough for me to concentrate.

[00:03:25] Sumped number three, unresolved emotions.

[00:03:28] I know a lot of my anxiety tends to stem from being angry but then being too afraid to confront those who made me angry or mistreat me.

[00:03:39] So instead of getting angry and confronting that person, I would internalize that anger and just kind of let it fester inside of me.

[00:03:49] I don't do that as much anymore but that's another cause or symptom I should say for anxiety.

[00:03:56] Another symptom is uncertainty or boredom. You know you get up, go to a job, you don't like and then you wonder is this how life's always going to be?

[00:04:05] You know you're a destined do more but everyday looks the same.

[00:04:11] And last but not least lack of physical activity, a centering lifestyle can contribute to a build up of unused energy.

[00:04:18] So even if I'm feeling down, I make it a point to exercise because exercising automatically improves my mood and it gives me enough energy to carry me throughout the day.

[00:04:28] So now that we've explored the symptoms and effects of anxiety, let's look at some of the strategies and techniques for overcoming and managing anxiety.

[00:04:38] So here are the top five ways that I solved my anxiety as a Christian.

[00:04:44] Number one, seat God's peace through prayer.

[00:04:47] Christians are encouraged to bring their worries and restlessness to God in prayer.

[00:04:52] Philippians 4, 6 through 7 reminds Christians to pray about everything and trust that God's peace will guard their hearts in minds.

[00:05:00] As a type A person, I was trying to control everything.

[00:05:04] I was trying to control my relationships, work, finances, everything.

[00:05:10] And I was so exhausted because I truly believed that I had to be the one to solve everything.

[00:05:18] So I intentionally started seeking God's guidance by praying more and keeping a prayer journal to keep track of all the prayers that he answered.

[00:05:25] And if you're unsure of how to pray, I'd like to invite you to download a free copy of the I'm all in God prayer guide.

[00:05:34] That's going to be in the description, okay?

[00:05:36] So there's a couple of the examples of the prayers that I've used for topics like my spiritual life, my health.

[00:05:44] Yeah, there's so many different topics in there.

[00:05:46] So my free prayer guide is a resource that you can download to help in your quest to create your own personal prayer.

[00:05:52] Prayer has helped me to understand, appreciate and realize that the battles I was trying to fight weren't mine but the Lord's.

[00:06:00] And so once I finally embraced this concept, I could finally experience the peace and freedom that surpasses all understanding.

[00:06:08] And I started to feel like I could breathe again because I wasn't trapped by my anxiety anymore.

[00:06:14] Number 2, meditate on scripture.

[00:06:16] So reading and reflecting on Bible scriptures can also calm you down.

[00:06:21] So scriptures like Psalm 23, Joshua 1, 6 through 9, Matthew 11, 28 through 30, provides a lot of reassurance and reminds believers of God's presence.

[00:06:32] No, not saying that I've arrived but when I start having thoughts that have a negative overtone and causing me to feel anxious,

[00:06:38] I go to some of my favorite verses. So for example, if I'm starting to feel anxious regarding my finances, one of my favorite verses to recite is Matthew 633.

[00:06:50] But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things will be added unto you.

[00:06:56] And I have a list of these verses and I read them out loud because you have to get in the habit of reading them out loud because doing so is going to help reinforce and embrace this word in your heart.

[00:07:06] Number 3, trusting God's plan. As Christians we have to trust in God's plan and timing. So Proverbs 3, 5 through 6,

[00:07:33] God is answered my prayers during those difficult times. And so I've noticed also that God is typically taking me through a variety of G-tours before answering these prayers.

[00:07:46] Even though I didn't want to go through those G-tours at that time, I'm grateful that I did because I know I would have made the situation much worse had I done it my way.

[00:07:55] Number 4, practice gratitude. So many of us, myself included, take all the blessings God has given us for granted.

[00:08:05] Even when I'm going through difficult times, I remember that God is sadder. I'm going through that situation for a reason.

[00:08:13] When God blesses us, He also expects us to be a blessing as well. We're a conduit for our blessings flow to other people, focusing on the blessings in one's life can shift attention away from restless thoughts.

[00:08:26] First, that's Elonia in 5, 18 encourages us to give thanks for everything. And I know that my mood immediately changes once I revisit my prayer and gratitude journals. And I see how God is blessed me.

[00:08:38] Last but not least, practice self care. In 1st Corinthians 6, 19 through 20, it states that our body is a temple and it's essential to eat healthy exercise and get enough sleep.

[00:08:52] And please remember that common sense is not a flower that grows in everyone's garden.

[00:09:00] There are so many people in this world that should not be in our inner circle. And once I realize that someone is attempting to disturb my peace, they are gone.

[00:09:10] Okay, you cannot continue to allow people who constantly complain about life but exert no effort to change their situation into your world.

[00:09:22] Listen, life is too short. I need all the energy God's given me so I can live the extraordinary life He has in store for me and help those who actually want to be helped along the way.

[00:09:36] Now I'm not saying that I've arrived because there are plenty of times that I still experience anxiety, but the difference is now I realize that I'm not alone.

[00:09:46] God is with me guiding and directing me which has made all the difference and if you haven't done so already, don't forget to download the free I'm all in prayer guide because I'm confident that this is going to help you in your journey.

[00:09:59] Please remember that overcoming anxiety through a Christian perspective involves trusting in God's plan, leaning on His promises and finding peace in His presence.

[00:10:32] See you in the next episode.