I was always a worrier. Quite honestly, I can't remember a time when I didn't struggle with anxiety. As a child, I worried about my dad coming home safe after work. I worried about making good grades. I even worried about my parents becoming smokers, though neither of them smoke or drank alcohol. I worried so much, my mom once said, "Maureen, stop worrying or you'll give yourself an ulcer." That caused me to worry about what an ulcer was!
Sometimes the reason for our anxiety cannot be pinpointed to a single cause. It's not always the result of a traumatic event, abandonment, or neglect. I didn't grow up in a perfect family, but my home was a healthy and happy one. And yet I worried.
It was only after I had studied God's Word for a lengthy amount of time that I realized anxiety, worry, and obsessive behaviors did not have to rule me. I can honestly tell you that I am free of the strongholds that once bound me. This freedom was made available to me because I am a child of God—which means the same freedom is available to you.
Whether you know why you struggle with anxiety or not, make no mistake about it—God desires for you to pursue peace (1 Pet. 3:11). He desires for you to learn to cast your cares on Him (Ps. 46:10). He desires to turn your ashes into something beautiful (Is. 61:3). I know this because I have experienced it firsthand—and if that's not enough, God's Word says so.
If you cannot make sense of why you worry, perhaps it's because God wants to display His glory through your healing and restoration. I encourage you to use these seven days to learn how to let go of control and trust God with your life, your family, and your future. Let Him show you how to dig into the Word so you'll recognize the lies that are keeping you anxious and learn how to break free of those strongholds. May today mark your first step toward a new kind of life—one that is filled with peace.
Prayer Focus: Spend time with God in prayer asking Him to display His glory through you as you learn to overcome anxiety with His help.
Reading:
• John 9:2-3
• Psalm 34:4
• Psalm 55:22