244: You Can Have a Different Response to Fear and Anxiety
Although living with anxiety, fearful thoughts, and fear of the future feels like a burden that we have to carry with us throughout our lives – this can be changed. Today we are talking about how we are wired to depend on God when we are managing fear and how we can develop a plan that can help us work through our anxious thoughts.
WHAT YOU’LL LEARN:
- [01:50] Is it possible to have a different response to fear and anxiety?
- [04:16] We have to have discipline around our fear
- [07:44] We are wired to depend on God
- [10:55] Developing an anxiety management plan
[01:50] Is it possible to have a different response to fear and anxiety?
For the person who has always struggled with anxiety, has always been a worry wart, and feels as if it is something that they cannot beat in their lives – you can have a different response to fear. I believe that some of us have tendencies to be more anxious or struggle with fear, especially if we grew up in an environment where there was a lot of fear. But we do not have to live in this cycle. We get to decide that we want something different.
God can heal, change, and redirect your thoughts. We can change the neural pathways that have been created in your mind. Freedom from these thoughts is possible and you do not have to stay stuck. I grew up with anxiety and I know what it is like to go down an anxiety spiral.
I also work with women every day who have struggled with anxiety their whole lives, and who are making progress in living differently. It is amazing to see someone who was full of fear, have the tools and plan to address anxiety and not feel controlled by it anymore.
[04:16] We have to have discipline around our fear
We cannot be undisciplined when we deal with fear. We do have to choose how we respond because our natural default is to go straight to worldly fear and stay stuck in that cycle. We cannot be weak-minded and believe whatever comes into our minds. God wants to help us but He cannot do that if we choose worldly fear and not His truth. We have to be receptive to His help and this requires discipline and taking charge of the fear that is in our hearts.
For example, when we have leftovers that have gone bad in our fridge, we take them out right? If not, it would end up being more gross and the entire fridge would stink. So, just like the leftovers in the fridge, we have to regularly clean out our minds so the fear does not linger.
We have to be disciplined to notice when it is there, acknowledge it (not condemn it), have compassion for it, discern what is the truth, and then choose where we are going to emotionally dwell. We have to keep standing firm because no one is going to do this work for us. God will battle beside us and clear the road before us, but we have to take action.
[07:44] We are wired to depend on God
We need to stop being ashamed of our need to depend on God. Many of us say that we depend on God but then our actions show otherwise. We are not made to fully conquer anything in this life. As it says in Psalms, “Everything looks to God, for sustenance, for provision”.
We were created to be dependent on Him and we need to stop creating a reality for ourselves where we are not reliant on Him. God is happy that we depend on Him and as Paul found out in 2 Corinthians 12:9 “His power works best in weakness.” We are to be strong in Christ and not to be independent of Him. Proverbs 3:5 tells us to trust in the Lord and not depend on our own understanding. We are not going to always understand or have all of the answers and that is okay, we can lean on God for support.
[10:55] Developing an anxiety management plan
Sometimes it is difficult to put these tools into practice but we have to start by making a plan. I have worked with enough clients and dealt with anxiety and fear in my own life to know that it comes up out of the blue – especially when we are feeling vulnerable. If you are looking for a personalized anxiety management plan – a way to identify triggers and employ calming strategies tailored to what works for you then I encourage you to check out the Calm Your Anxiety Tool Kit.
This toolkit includes a Bible study, suggests healthy coping strategies, helps uncover the root causes, and provides affirmation statements. This will help you form a comprehensive plan to break free from the perpetual cycle of fear and anxiety. This is the same toolkit that has helped me along the way so I would encourage you to check out the Calm Your Anxiety Tool Kit to create your custom plan to manage your anxious thoughts.
RESOURCES:
Check out Alicia’s Calm Your Anxiety Tool Kit to create your custom plan to manage your anxious thoughts.
163: How I Take Courage, Manage Anxiety, and Release Fear with Amy Debrucque
201: It's Time to Make a Plan to Manage Anxiety, Release Fear and Stop Worry
242: “How Can I Manage My Fear of the Future?”
243: What to Do When Fear Strikes (3 Steps to Living in Peace + Hope)