When Anxiety Seems to Overpower God
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When Anxiety Seems to Overpower God

Anxiety can be paralyzing. 

It comes in so many forms and yet always leaves you feeling the same: powerless, scared and hopeless. 

Where is God when anxiety grips your mind?  Is it a sign that He’s abandoned you?

 

When Anxiety Seems to Overpower God

 

I’ve struggled with this question for years and I’ve come to learn that it is in these times that God is fighting for you

You may feel alone, but God is by your side in the thick of it.  He will never leave you and here are some ways to be assured of that.

Create a Plan of Action

Although anxiety isn’t something to be controlled, there are ways to prepare for it.  Creating a plan of action for times of anxiety is crucial to finding God in the pain.

A prayer journal is one effective way to seek God in a crippling moment of anxiety. 

[bctt tweet="Creating a plan of action for times of anxiety is crucial to finding God in the pain." username="NicoleAKauffman"]

Write out some prayers that resonate with you ahead of time.  You can create them yourself or find some online.  I’ve found prayers for When You're Under Attack, Sleep and Rest and In the Morning to be reassuring for me. 

Keep them accessible and reach for them when God seems far.  Whether you are able to do it before, during or after the moment, turning your heart to God will assure you of His presence.

Seek peace in Scripture

God has filled His Word with comfort and reassurance but it’s easy to forget that in our moments of anxiety.  I tend to slowly spiral away from God in these times.  At first, it’s in the little things.  I remember God’s promises but I just don’t actively read them for myself.  Then soon enough, I start to question His love for me.   

I’ve been at a place where I believed that God meant what He said in Scripture, He just didn’t mean it for me.  I had convinced myself that although I knew God’s promises were out there, that didn’t mean they applied to me.  It was a lie from Satan himself. 

God promises to never leave you.  Make sure you are reading the bible for yourself.  Don’t let anyone tell you any different.

Let God Fight for You

There are so many battles that are not ours to fight. 

[bctt tweet="There are so many battles that are not ours to fight. " username="NicoleAKauffman"]

If you’re anything like me, you probably like to have a sense of control over what is going on around you.  But what we tend to overlook is that God is in complete control.  

Anxiety finds a foothold when we try and grasp at control too tightly.  God knows what is ahead of us and He wants to work everything for our good. 

 

Anxiety finds a foothold when we try and grasp at control too tightly

 

If you can rely on that promise (found in Romans 8:28), you will find a sense of reassurance.

God is good and He is fighting for you.  When anxiety threatens to overtake you, remember that God holds your heart and He is with you.  Although the result of His love may not be instant relief (which I’m sure both you and I would love), God loves you so deeply and He is working in that very moment to bring your heart closer to His.

So Where’s the Comfort?

The biggest question that I’ve struggled with in the midst of anxiety is, why? 

Where is the comfort in God’s promises if I’m still going to suffer? 

Anxiety sucks.  If I’m giving my heart and giving control to God, then why does He still allow this pain?

This is an age-old question.  Why does God allow suffering?  Unfortunately, there is not one answer to this question.

We can speculate: He is growing our faith, He has something better for us in the future, or He will use us to send a message to others, but the truth is that we may not know why. 

I have found endless comfort in the hope that God will use my pain to help others. 

But ultimately, God calls us to trust Him in the midst of suffering without relying on our own understanding.

God has a perspective on our lives that we will only see in Heaven.  He can see the beauty in the mess we’re in.  And He is taking our mess and making us into His masterpiece. 

[bctt tweet="He is taking our mess and making us into His masterpiece. " username="NicoleAKauffman"]

Although it is painful now, take comfort in knowing that God is working to make you beautiful.  We just need to hang on for the process and continue to trust Him.

What has encouraged you in trusting and relying on God in anxiety?  Comment below 🙂

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23 Comments

  1. I am so happy to have found this post. I was feeling so guilty because I know God has been so merciful towards me but yet I was still experiencing anxiety. I felt as though it was because I was too weak in my faith yet still very aware. Confused to say the least but this post and its comments has brought much comfort and clarity for me. Some of which I very well knew but couldnt express and some which I didnt but relieved to see I was on the right track. Prayer and God’s word is key!Thank you so much and God bless you all.

    1. Thanks so much, Yinka. I’m so glad you have found hope and clarity. It is so important in our battle with anxiety <3

  2. I have suffered with anxiety bad for a few years now after going through a divorce. I applied for a job and got the call I got it and my anxiety went so crazy I told her I would have to let her know instead of saying yes. I went to the word and I found this and really opened my eyes that I just need to go to God’s word when it rears its ugly head and know that God is there for me and it’s Satan trying to take hold. God’s will can and will be there when anxiety takes hold I just need to go to his promising word.

  3. Trying to live my life with anxiety is the hardest thing I have ever done. And it’s harder since my second son was born almost two months ago. But if my pain will someday bring glory to God, then it is worth it. I have to remind myself this in the darkest moments, it is all about Him. God bless you! It is good to find sisters who know what I’m going through and who will encourage you. Hugs from Argentina!

  4. This is a great post Nicole. My struggle with anxiety is fairly new…at least to the extent it is now. So I often don’t know what to do when it gets bad….sometimes I don’t think to do anything at all. I’ll pray for others but often don’t think to pray for myself. So this was very helpful.

    1. I’m so glad you could find encouragement here, Diane. Anxiety is tough, and those practical steps are so important when the anxiety comes. Praise God that He is bigger than our anxiety!

  5. Nicole- I love your tips for anxiety! My go-to is to read about Joseph in the Bible. God was with Him throughout and used his suffering to make something spectacular. My anxiety lessens when I believe God is going to do something with it!
    #Faith’NFriends

    1. I completely agree, Julie! There is peace in knowing that there is purpose to our suffering! Thank you for your input 🙂

  6. Thank you, Nicole, for your wise words. God doesn’t promise instant relief from the circumstances or the storm, but He does provide peace in the midst of the storm when we follow Him. Thanks for your reminders.

  7. “He can see the beauty in the mess we’re in.” — Sweet truth, Nicole. I just don’t know how unbelievers find comfort or hope when life looks messy. So thankful we know the One who looks at the mess and sees the beauty to come. (And, the beauty that is, in spite of the mess.) — Great words of encouragement today. — I’m one who tends to hold tightly to control as a means of lessening anxiety…which, of course, is futile. Thanks for sharing with #ChasingCommunity today, Nicole. 🙂 ((hug))

  8. Nicole, I love the point you make that holding on to too much control feeds our anxiety. That is something I’ve often missed in my own life. And I love this: “the result of His love may not be instant relief.” So very true. We want that instant relief, but it is not always the best for us and God is into providing us with the very very best. Thank you for your encouragement today.

    1. It can be so hard when God withholds that instant relief and yet we can rest in the assurance that He is good. Thank you for sharing your thoughts, Leslie!

  9. Hey Nicole:) I love your point blank, down-to-earth approach to talking about anxiety. It draws others closer to Him when we’re honest about the struggle for sure. I’m happy to have run into you at Suzie’s place today.

    1. Thanks, Meg! Sometimes it is so helpful to have practical approaches when we are really struggling. So glad you visited 🙂

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