Dealing with Anxiety and Uncertainty

One cold winter morning  in yoga class, my heart pounded as I heard the instructor talk about the snow globe.  She described that sometimes life is like a snow globe that is all shaken up.  You know that there is an object at the center of the snow globe but you can not see it because the “snow” is blocking it. It was like she was speaking directly to me.  In that moment, I was in the middle of a very confusing situation and I was struggling to make any sense of it.  I was disappointed, troubled and very anxious.  I could not see what God was doing.

Her lesson encouraged me to have resolve and know that in time, everything would become clear.  There was a reason that God had not revealed the entire picture to me yet and I had to trust that He knew best.

Many of us are experiencing situations that are very uncertain.  Our marriage seems shaky, our children are rebelling, friends have pulled away and financial stress is weighing us down.   We can not see the future and are finding it hard to believe that God is working it all out for us.

What can you do while you are waiting for your “snowglobe” to settle?

1. Spend time daily in God’s word.  He speaks to you from His word and many times we miss out on hearing from Him because we are negligent.
2. Take every thought captive.  The devil lies to you and tells you that God has forgotten or will never answer your prayer.  Don’t let yourself go down a negative thought pattern.
3. Seek godly fellowship.  Who are the people in your life that speak truth to your soul?  Invite them into your dark places so they can encourage you in your hardship.
4. Count your blessings.  Anxiety and praise can not exist at the same moment.  Turn your worry into praise and see how God brings you peace.
5. Think about the HOPE we have in Heaven.  In Heaven there will be no more sickness, death, jealousy, betrayal, sadness or stress.  We were made for eternity and our life here on earth is very short.  Be thankful that you have an eternal home in Heaven.

Where is Jesus in my storm?

Life is hard.  We face so many trials everyday and often, God seems far away.  In our 24 year marriage, Jonathan and I have faced our own share of problems.  From financial stress, family issues, health crisis, we have seen a lot of hard times.  One of these storms came at us in a particularly personal way and we were hit from all sides.  In the middle of what I would call a “perfect storm”,  I asked Jonathan, “Will we make it through?”.

You see I felt like the waves, wind and the howling all around me were too much for me to survive.  My heart was broken in a million pieces and fear and sadness had taken over.  There were times when I could not feel the Lord close to me and I wondered why He was allowing me to suffer in the storm.

In the short term, I let anxiety win.  I gave into my fears and sadness and felt the downward spiral.

I guess I am not much different that the disciples.  They fearfully weathered a terrible storm for 9 hours while Jesus slept on the boat.  Jesus allowed the storm.  Why would he do that?

I think there are lots of reasons but the one that has proven true in my situation was that I had some growing up to do.  There were some lessons that I hadn’t learned and growth that had not happened in my life.  He also was shaping my heart and changing me from the inside out.  He was always with me…he heard prayers and wiped my tears.  Even when everything was cloudy and tossed about, he steadied my feet and kept me from falling.

And as I waited out the storm, He did something powerful.  It didn’t happen right away.  In fact, it was 9 months into the storm when the miracle happened.  I was listening to a podcast and the speaker told the story of David and Goliath.  Before David’s epic battle he recounts how the Lord was with him when he fought the lion on the bear and that He would be with him when he fought the giant.  God had prepared him for the battle.  Then she went on to explain that many of our private battles happen in the spiritual realm, where no one else sees the war.  But WE KNOW how the enemy has attacked us and WE SEE the spiritual battle for our hearts and souls.  I began to weep because I felt like the Lord was speaking to my soul saying that He was there in my storm.  He was fighting for me when the enemy was attacking.  Others did not see it, but the Lord was with me in the fire.

Remembering this powerful moment brings tears to my eyes today.  I am a different person than I was a year ago.  The Lord drew me to Himself in a way I never expected.

Today I am facing new trials and am in a different type of storm.  What lessons have I learned that will help me not give in to fear and anxiety?

• I am not alone.  Angels are assigned to children of God.  (Hebrews 1:14)
• I belong to God.  (1 John 3:1)
• I have a job to do here on earth that is not complete. (Matthew 28:19)

So when tragedy and heartache seem to be taking over, remember that God is in control. Surrender your heart to Him and allow Him to work in your heart as you wait out the storm.

^{John 16:33} “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”