Spiritually Smart Ways to Eliminate Anxiety, Find Peace, and Live Free for God.
It is time to stop letting fear play a part in your daily decisions. If you believe in God yet still struggle to find peace, you are not alone. Anxiety is snowballing and reaching unprecedented levels in America and around the world. But you can break away from it by learning the principles expressed in Unchained. In this free book, you will discover how to:
● Kiss anxiety goodbye
● Live free for God
● Trust in God
● Gain happiness as stress disappears
With God, you can find peace and freedom from anxiety. It is time to break the shackles, open the prison door, and leave anxiety in the rearview mirror.
Excerpt:
What would a Christian story of redemption be without a struggle? Now I can say that I live free of anxiety and depression because of Jesus, but that did not come easy. It felt like a long path that dragged on for years. I had been attempting to figure out life on my own without applying what Jesus taught us about living free.
It’s All Right to Struggle
To reach this peace and learn God’s plans for me, I had to experience much internal strife. Who likes to struggle? Not many that I know of. I was especially weak mentally and spiritually because of how much anxiety and depression chained me down in life.
When my once-promising internship didn’t turn into a permanent job, I felt being unemployed without a job in my career field made me look like a failure. It brought a sense of embarrassment. At the time of my suffering, I felt judged by others. In reality, though, I was the only one who felt this way. I became very hard on myself. It just continued to spiral into a deep, dark depression.
This suffering seemed unbearable for so long. I didn’t know what to do. I loved God so much but didn’t know how to make a change. I was completely caught up in my own mental torture, and any suffering that I encountered made me resist even more.
One thing I wish I could have looked back on and told my younger self is that it’s all right to struggle. How else can one learn and grow? The Bible talks about this suffering and discusses how there can be peace from it. In Matthew 5:10, we read, “Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”
Biblical Lesson: It is noble to stand firm with God when you are suffering or being attacked. Don’t give in to your enemies or fall for their bait. Sometimes we want to throw in the towel and give into our anxieties and fears. Being a Christian is often a conflict with what the world views or desires. Christians are tortured and killed all around the world. Those who are loyal to the Lord are the ones who will be saved.
While I have not been physically beaten by others, I did cause my own angst from trying to be a perfectionist and being very hard on myself. Many people are their own worst enemy from putting constant pressure and expectations on themselves that aren’t necessary. Thus, we create our own hell.
Seeking Help
When one experiences years of internal turmoil, it can be extremely difficult to cope and feel like others can help. Sometimes there is a stigma in society that someone is weak if they see a counselor. This is not true at all! It takes courage to seek help, but it is the right thing to do. I saw numerous doctors, Christian counselors, and psychiatrists seeking answers. Sometimes I would get clarity or solutions that would only solve my dilemmas temporarily. It would be right back to the drawing board. It was such a vicious cycle, and it was easy to feel lonely. I felt alone because I thought no one was experiencing what I was feeling in those moments.
I have an amazing wife, kids, parents, family, and friends. They all have loved me so much and have been nothing but supportive and a huge help. But they can only do so much. Ultimately, I was the one who needed to make changes. During these times, I felt alone even though I was strongly supported by many. Back when I was unemployed, I became engaged. Deep down, I felt like a man needed a good-paying job to take care of his spouse. Never once did my fiancé, family members, or friends say that I was a failure. They had my back and were there to support me. However, I was trapped in my own struggles and couldn’t see, feel, or embrace the love others showed me. This is the definition of being chained down by one’s own internal strife.
It’s so important to remember that Jesus will always be with you no matter what evil you are facing. Many Bible verses reflect on this, but a few really stick out to me. In Joshua 1:9, his Word states, “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”
Biblical Lesson: This is very powerful because the Lord is our protector. God is our refuge, and nothing else remotely comes close. Some situations in life may present giant hurdles where we don’t have all the answers. It may seem very scary when we tackle challenges alone without clarity. Instead, Jesus wants us to take a leap of faith by trusting in him. He is on our team to hold and guide our hands when we feel that no one else knows exactly how we feel.
But you need to actively seek out God and ask for his help, and sometimes you have to be brave and seek help from others. It is better to communicate and ask for help than to suffer silently. God wants you to reach out because he wants all his children to prosper. Many resources exist for those struggling with mental health. I did it, and if this applies in your situation, please reach out to anyone who can be of assistance.