Do you ever have anxious thoughts about your life? How about a restless heart? Or maybe your mind is just tired? Friend, sometimes it can be hard to admit to having these struggles, especially when, as a Christian, we’re supposed to “have it all together.” But being a Christian doesn’t mean we have it all together or that we have all of the answers. And we don’t have to. Psalm 55:22 says, “Cast your burden on the LORD, and He will sustain you; He will never permit the righteous to be moved” (ESV). It’s not up to us to have life figured out. Otherwise, we wouldn’t need a Savior.

Let me be the first to admit I have experienced each of these struggles in my own life. There have been seasons when I have struggled with anxiousness ranging from a general restlessness to full-fledged panic attacks in my sleep--waking up in the middle of the night, gasping for air, and my heart racing so fast that I thought I was going to die. That’s when I took a step back and said, “Something isn’t right here.” I realized that, during these seasons, my stress was brought on by situations and people that were not willing to change. In order to alleviate my stress, I had to accept that those situations and people weren’t my responsibility to change, but how I handled them was. So, I began to pray for direction.  

“I bless the LORD who gives me counsel; in the night also my heart instructs me.” -Psalm 16:7 ESV

Read that scripture again. Isn’t it such a sweet visual to think of God whispering words of wisdom to us in the night? He cares for us on such an intimate and personal level. His intentions for you are good.

I want to share with you a list of steps that helped me on my journey through anxiety:

1. Pray. Talk to God about what you’re feeling and experiencing. Be honest with Him, He already knows what’s in your heart anyway, but He still wants to hear about it. “The eyes of the LORD are toward the righteous and His ears toward their cry.” -Psalm 34:15 (ESV)

2. Spend time in the Word. Wait in expectation (Psalm 5:3). Find out who God says you are, and, more importantly, who God is.

3. Write it out. Get your thoughts and feelings out of your head and onto paper. Otherwise, you will just keep tossing your thoughts around in your brain, which can become exhausting. Writing also brings clarity and allows you to look back on where you’ve been and how far you’ve come.

4. Set boundaries. Maybe that means leaving a toxic workplace or removing unhealthy people from your life. Remember, it’s okay to say “no.” “No,” is a complete sentence, and you don’t have to have a reason or an excuse.

Friends, let’s unclench our white-knuckled fists from the situations we can’t control. I encourage you to allow yourself to allow yourself to fully trust in who God is. You don’t have to have it all together, and your burdens will never be too much for Him. He will bless you and instruct you in the ways you should go. God is worthy of your trust. Let His measureless grace strengthen you.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jaime Roever is an ordained minister, writer, and public speaker that has a heartbeat for women of all ages. She loves to share the word and it’s practical truths that apply to our daily lives. She is a communicator at heart and would love to be your friend and chat with you over a cup of coffee about real everyday life and how God will meet you there. Jaime lives in Texas with her husband of almost 25 years and together they are raising two sons. She is the only girl in a house full of boys. Although she loves to do all the girly things, she also loves to be outdoors, work out, compete in marathons and triathlons, hike, and spend time with her many fur babies. Jaime is Cooper certified as a physical trainer and is a self defense instructor. She also works with the Special Victims Unit as an advocate for victims of domestic violence.