I can’t count the amount of times that my legs would buckle from underneath my torso, not able to carry the weight of my overworked soul. My eyes would roll back, and all my energy would escape me. I would quickly fold into the ground like a five foot pancake.
I used to faint all of the time. I used to be so tired all of the time just from trying to get things done. I would worry about what would happen if I didn’t get things done. I claimed to be a Christian, but tried to do all the work by myself. I felt overwhelmed and overworked.
At what point as Christians do we really turn our burdens over to the Lord?
We all suffer from feeling overwhelmed and anxious from time to time. We wear so many hats and have so little time to complete our daily tasks. Well, I say enough is enough.
I became tired of being tired all the time. I really had to stop and pray about this thing and start asking God for help with my chronic fatigue and anxiousness. God has been showing me step by step how to get over that feeling of anxiety. Having faith that God will work everything out for the good goes without saying. You must know, trust, and believe that he is your help in everthing. I have some more tips that I practice that will help you fight that feeling of anxiety:
1) I tell people "No."
2) I take time out to talk to God.
3) I clean up my surroundings.
4) I write things down.
5) I plan time for myself.
6) I have a refresh day with the Lord.
7) I memorize scripture.
8) I read to get Godly advice.
#1 Learn how to tell people No!
We have to be strong enough to tell people no in order to really have this idea work. Catch this point if you can: What is the real reason we do things for other people? What is the real reason why we say yes all of the time?
God directed me to I Samuel, where Saul was instructed to kill the Amalekites and everything in the land. Instead, Saul spared king Agag, and he let the people take the best of the sheep, oxen and other livestock of the Amalekite land. Now, usually after a war the winner would collect the spoils of that war. However, God instructed Saul to kill everything because everything in the land was evil.
King Saul went against the Lord's directions, which were directly given to him by the prophet Samuel. Saul did his own thing. Saul claimed it was a sacrifice for the Lord, but Samuel told Saul that the Lord was displeased with his disobedience. Here is the clincher; King Saul said the people were the ones who disobeyed. He blamed the people instead of taking responsibility for his actions. He said the people started taking the best of the livestock and he was afraid to tell them no.
"Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice and to hearken than the fat of the rams . . ."
I Samuel 15:22
God doesn't want us to feel overwhelmed.
I used to think that it was my Christian duty to be of service to others. It makes me feel good inside to help others when they are in need. It is a good thing to help others, especially when God places it on your heart to do so; but if God set you on a mission to do something for him and you don't do it, then be ready to reap the consequences of the law. It is better to listen to the voice of the Lord than to think you are doing him a favor by doing something else.
Remember when I said that you had to be strong enough to tell people no? You must learn how to say no, distractions a strategically placed in our lives to steer us away from God's purpose. Your mind has to be strong enough and connected to a God conscious, so that you are not so easily tempted by the enemy. When we are disobedient to God, the law allows that spirit of anxiousness to take a seat in the chair that we ourselves had prepared.
I started to think to myself “Saul could have said no to the people. Why was he afraid of them? He was the king! He had the power and everyone would have listened regardless if they liked his direction or not.”
The problem was that Saul didn’t want to say no because he was more concerned about being liked. Saul tried to justify his decision by first saying it was for God, then by blaming it on the people. The truth was that Saul had a weak mind that was easily swayed by wanting to please the people.
We are not on this earth to please people, we are here to please the Lord.
It is Ok to tell people no. Like my mentor Asha Tyson always says "No, is a one word sentence!"
We have to remember a surrendered life means you do what the Lord says do when he says do it. Anything that goes against that is not of the Lord.
So . . . Learn how to say No!
Now, keeping this lesson in mind the next 7 tips should go alot faster.
#2 Take the time to talk to God
I take the time to talk to God every morning. Some may call it prayer, I call it venting. I need to tell the Lord my problems, my mistakes, my plans, my hopes, and my dreams. Then I get quiet and allow him to tell me if I am on the right track or not. If I happen to skip a morning than I can feel the difference in my day. My day feels sluggish and misdirected. So, talking to the Lord in the morning is a must for me.
I found an awesome resource for you. It is called prayerforanxiety.com. This is a blog I just recently found by exploring Pinterest and thought it was very fitting for this post. The site contains all types of prayers to help motivate you through what ever trial you are going through.
I pray thankful prayers, I pray while I walk, I pray to myself, and I pray out loud. I pray while writing my prayers down, and I pray when reading prayers. I pray on my knees, and when I’m laying down. I pray in the closet. I pray with my children. I pray all the time. We should always pray and not faint. Everyone has their own walk and their own way or style of prayer. Your way to pray is the way God made for you to pray, so keep praying.
It is important to talk to God all the time. This is what prayer is, an open conversation with God. If you are not at the point yet where you can talk to God intimately and comfortably, then just keep on trying, and keep on developing that relationship to become closer to the Lord. Talking to the Lord relieves much anxiety.
#3 Clean Up
Your surroundings are a manifestation of what is going on in your head. If you find yourself in a mess, then your mind is probably a mess. If you see that your space isn't necessarily organized, then start putting things in the right place. If you are overwhelmed with too much stuff, then start throwing it away or giving it away. Chances are you really don't need it any way. So, just get rid of it and you will be that much closer to getting rid of that anxious feeling.
#4 Write things down on paper
Understand, that just because you clean up your physical surroundings doesn't mean that your mind is going to be free from the clutter. Cleaning will help relieve stress but it is not going to fix the problem in your mind. You must now address the problem that causes the clutter in your physical space. You can do this just by writing things down.
I have to write everything down that is busy flying around in my head; breaking things and causing chaos. I have to make a to do list. I have to write down my goals. I have to make and keep a schedule. This is just how I am wired. I tried winging it before, but I just can't live like that all the time. I suggest that you write things down to know what you have to do. If you get organized in your mind, then your physical surroundings will stay organized.
I also practice journaling. I write down thoughts, poems, prayers, scriptures, and devotions. I love creating little decorative journals to keep my thoughts in order. Creating an art journal, or keeping a diary is a great way to release stress.
#5 Plan Time For Yourself
Plan time for yourself. All work and no play will burn you out. People, work, and family will run you into the ground, so after you learn how to say no to other people, learn to say yes to yourself. I'm learning to take time for myself. I've been trying to get my hair done for the last few weeks. So I am going to take a day, do my hair, get a massage, and go to the movies. I need a me day. Really, I will not feel guilty because I had this massage gift card in my wallet for a year and a half. I always put other people ahead of myself, but I am going to start taking some time out for me.
Here’s the thing, I don’t want anyone to get confused. I'm not saying to make everything about yourself, but I am saying don't make everything about everyone else but God. God needs you fully energized and ready to go according to his purpose, not anyone else's.
I’m the type of person that will work 24/7 if I don’t tell myself that I need to go to sleep. I often find myself neglecting my family, my husband, and my household responsibilities because I get caught up in helping other people. The Lord is teaching me balance. There has to be balance in everything you do. So when I say that you should take time for yourself, you should, if you don’t already do so. If you do already, then good for you. Remember your priorities: God always comes first. You should learn how to create and keep that balance in your life.
#6 Have a Refresh day (Keep the Sabbath Day)
Speaking of taking sometime out for yourself. . . Every week I take some me time. I get my bible and my books and I just read and study spending time with God. Every Saturday. Don't ask me to cook or go anywhere because it is my time to rejuvenate and refresh. If I do have to go outside of my house it needs to be work for the Lord. This is my Sabbath day. This is the day that the Lord blesses me with all types of inspiration and ideas. I am in my happy space. This is probably the only day that I take a nap. It is a lovely relaxing day with the Lord.
I need a refresh day on Saturday. The word said that God did not make this day for him but it is a day for us to refresh our minds. Just like God made the earth in six days and on the seventh day he rested. You have to rest.
Sometimes it is Ok to have some me time, especially when your heart is centered in the Lord. He wants you to have that personal time with him. Allow him to guide you, keep you, and progress you through this thing called life. He does not want you to be stressed out by the worries of this world.
"Be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:6-8
#7 Memorize Scripture
I memorize scripture because I know what I am fighting against.
“For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood but against principalities, and against powers, against the rulers of darkness . . .”
Ephesians 6:12
Whenever I feel anxious or overwhelmed I know that that spirit does not come from the Lord, instead it is the tempter coming to distract me from what I need to be doing. The only way to deal with temptation is to hit him with the one two punch: the word of God. You can go out swinging on your own if you want, but you will lose. You need to put the power of the word in your memory, so when hard things come up in your life you know what to say.
For example you may hear:
You didn't get the job because you weren't qualified:
"I'm the head and not the tail, I'm above and not beneath." (Deuteronomy 28:13)
You’re not smart enough to figure this problem out:
"I can do all things through Christ Jesus who strengthens me." (Philippians 4:13)
It's too scary, and you are all alone:
"Although I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I shall fear no evil, for thou art with me. Thy rod and thy staff they comfort me . . ." (Psalms 23)
It's not going to happen for you, you should just give up:
"I press towards the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Jesus Christ." (Philippians 3:14)
God isn't going to bless you, everything is going wrong in your life :
"The Lord blesses me and keeps me. The Lord makes his face shine upon me and is gracious unto me. The Lord lifts his countenance upon me and gives me peace." (Numbers 6:22)
Jab, move, pivot, right hook and uppercut. Hit that spirit of anxiousness and worry right across the jaw.
#8 Read Good Books about the Lord
I mentioned that I have a refresh day on Saturday, which is the Sabbath day. I sing, I pray, I study, and I read. The things that I read are things that God sends me to read. I read the bible and also different books. God has placed us here to share and help each other get closer to our purpose. So there are books out there that God had written specifically for your walk.
I love reading about other people’s journeys about living for Christ. I love learning more about how I should be living as a Christian.
Some of my all time favorite books thus far are "Jump” by Steve Harvey, "The Purpose Driven Life" by Rick Warren, and "Crazy Love" by Francis Chan.
When you become God focused you don't have time to be anxious about anything. I suggest you pray about what book God wants you to read because everyone is different.
Now these are just 8 tips that God gave to me to share with you. This was a really long post but I know that it will help you in your walk.
What are some other tips that you can share with us that would help with anxiety? We all want to know how to fight this spirit.
You may take these words and put them in the back of your mind, or you can apply these tactics and start living a better life. I pray that you make the decision today to follow what the spirit of the Lord is telling you to do.
Always remember to keep the faith and belief that God is able.
Until Next Time
-Tamorra
This site is dedicated to spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ and therefore all content is God centered and adheres to the word of God. My Goal is to motivate you to find your purpose.
God does not want us to be heavy with worry. He wants us to be free of anxiety. He wants us to breathe. He needs us to be full of energy so that we can fulfill his purpose.
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