There are two sides of me, and I have a wild guess that everyone maybe.. has these, too. My first side is the optimistic one. It always goes like "I can do this! They've been there, and they did that! Of course, why can't I, right?"
The other one is the opposite. "What if I don't make it? What would they say? Did I make the right choice? What if I fail again?"
Of course, I don't like the second side I mentioned, which, unfortunately, is the more active side than the first, in my case nowadays.
Is anxiety a choice? There will be an in depth discussion about it in the later parts of this article, but let me share my thoughts on this.
I did not choose anxiety. If it's indeed a choice, then does it mean everyone who has it willingly selected it to be in their lives? I don't think so. No one likes anxiety, unless you know someone who does, let me know. I wanna talk to that person. If I could just shoo it away quickly, I would shoo it as I want. If only it would go away. Between anxiety and sadness, I wouod choose the latter. I think I could push through with some sadness for the day, and relieve it with my hobbies and stuff, then go on.
But anxiety robs me of sleep. Of peace, and even happiness itself. It consumes my will to carry on, and makes me cynical about everyone, including myself. I could go on talking about how anxiety is indeed damaging. And let me reiterate, I did not choose to be this way. It just happens, it just comes. I swear.
There are people who live in anxiety.
Well, I guess everyone does. Every single thing can be a cause of anxiety to a person. As petty as foods, or small appointments, even to heavier issues like interactions, experiences, a tragic past, or even the future which does not exist yet.
I believe that feelings of anxiety is normal. We are humans, and we are not always confident. We feel anxious from time to time. And what's not normal is extreme anxiety. It's when anxiety controls our lives, affects our emotions and well-being, or impacts how we view the world.
Anxiety is a Choice.
I'm sorry, what? I had to pause for a while to process this. Hearing this sentence from our speaker today had me in awe. I have given a bit of my thoughts about it in the beginning of this blog, and I am sure I felt this way: It seems like an invalidating statement.
Again, I did not choose anxiety. No one did, and I believe no one ever will. No one would just wake up one peaceful morning and say, "I choose anxiety today!" Not trying to sound sarcastic but there is some point to what I've said, right?
1 Peter 5:7 says that our Father Almighty genuinely cares about us, and there's no reason to hesitate talking to Him whenever we feel worried.
Our Father Almighty is God, and indeed more powerful than all our fears and anxiety combined. It is up to us to release unto Him what burdens and bothers us, and of course, abandon the roots of our anxiety. Oh so this is the concept of the second sub-topic, anxiety is a choice. Anxiety may stay or go, depending on how we deal with it. Will we let it consume us, or we will submit it to the Lord and let Him dissolve all of it? It's up to us.
It may work overnight, or instantly, or to others, it may take longer. It depends per person. We have different timelines in battling with anxiety, and it's okay. No one's pressuring us to just wake up ine day and say we are freed from it. Because truth is, it's not that easy. It's not magic. And to some, it may even be hailed impossible.
Personally, I want to live life anxiety-free. Maybe others have gotten into a stage of their lives where worries or anxiety-provoking things just don't affect them that badly anymore, and I aim to be like that. I am a work in progress in building this mindset, in confidently saying "My anxiety is big, but my God is bigger!" while also making it possible through actions at the same time.
Anxiety is a choice: This sub-topic honestly, is still a sentence that I find hard to swallow. I will do my best to embrace it fully, and work on my life to understand it better, and agree with this statement 100% one day.
Anxiety is an enemy we have to defeat.
Anxiety, obviously, will never add even an hour to our life span. Matthew 6:27 says that.
In fact, anxiety even affects our life overall, whether physical, emotional, mental, or spiritual. Whenever I feel uncontrollable anxiety in me, I'll always try to remember this message from now on, so I could brush off anxiety away. Take a deep breath, mutter a short, sincere prayer, or longer times to pray, it depends on one's preferences.
Personally, I declare affirmations followed by "In Jesus' Name!" That's my own way of dealing with anxiety. I wonder is others do this, too. For example, I am competing in something I did not really want to, just there because I was guilt-tripped, pressured, and manipulated. In my mind, or through a soft whisper that only I can hear, I say, "I will get through this, in Jesus' Name! I won't get nervous, in Jesus' Name!" The affirmations differ according to every situation, but there should always be acknowledging of Jesus' name. That way, I can be sure that my prayers and declarations reach God. I will just do my best, and trust that God is already working to finish the rest.
Blessed Sunday!
This is another installment of my Bible Time Series every Sunday, where I share to you what I learned from our pastors' preaching. I hope I get to help you learn more about how to deal and battle anxiety, even if just alleviate it at least, if eliminating is close to impossible.
Is there something that's causing you an overwhelming anxiety these days? I hope we'll get through it and still stay faithful and endure it.
Until Next Time!
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I miss reading your articles. 😊 I think majority of us suffer from anxiety and we all have our ways of coping with it. But we should always remember that there is a God who can help us.