Moving Past Fear + Anxiety
Happy Wednesday!
We’re already half way through the week but I know it’s at this point that it can feel as though the weekend will never come. But it will be here before you know it and that’s why it’s so important that we learn to fully live each day as it’s presented to us. Otherwise we’ll look back on this year and wonder what we did with all that time.
One thing I know that can get in the way of us living our lives, and days, to there fullest is fear and anxiety. As women, we all deal with these two pesky trolls to varying degrees, but we’re usually no strangers to either. They implant themselves in our lives and cause commotion without any regard for our emotional and mental health.
But I don’t want to just talk about how real these things are, and our shared hatred for the trail of frustration they leave in their path. But I want to talk about actually moving forward from fear and anxiety. Because if the enemy can keep you stuck and frozen in your tracks, then he can keep you from experiencing the life that God has called you to: one of peace, joy and purpose.
One thing that I think is worth mentioning is how fear and anxiety both usually stem from either outside circumstances or thought patters about things that haven’t even happened yet. AKA, stressed out about life or worried about the future… two things that we have absolutely NO control over.
Because that’s when things get overwhelming… stressing out about things you can’t change. It never ends!
Understanding what is and is not in your control is vital to moving forward from fear and anxiety. While you can’t always change what life throws at you, or when negative and fearful thoughts start to sweep into your mind, you can decide what you’ll do from that moment on…
A couple weeks ago, our cat Mocha started acting weird. It freaked me out because I couldn’t ask him what was wrong and he was in so much pain it made my heart ache. It turns out he head a UTI, which is pretty common among cats. While he was sick, I sat in the basement with him, angry that the enemy would come against something we loved so much. Even though we were doing everything we could to get him better, the worst part of it all was the sense of fear that kept trying to come over me. It was paralyzing.
I knew I couldn’t let fear get anchored in my heart. I had spent so much of my life living in fear without even realizing it, that I knew I had to take a strong stance against it, or it would become a stronghold once again.
I remembered a song I had heard at a Hillsong concert we were recently at and I pulled it up on Spotify and played it for me an Mocha. Here are some of the words I heard…
“Your love stood down death
Crushed the devil’s head
Fear is just a liar
Running out of breath
The fight beneath your feet
I’m standing on Jesus’ Name
So let the devil know not today”
Listening to these words put so much into perspective for me. I got excited as I realized that fear has no control over me. As the song says, it’s just a liar running out of breath. It has no patience or perseverance. All it has are tricks of the mind, lies and confusion. Everything I have in Jesus is stronger, sturdier and far more superior.
I started singing this song on repeat and not only did Mocha get better, but I felt fear and anxiety leave my heart to more I said these words out loud. Sometimes, I think your own heart needs to hear your voice declare the truth. After all, you’re probably the most influential person to your own belief system.
You and I were not created to be dominated by fear, anxiety or any other ploy of the enemy that steals our joy, peace and power. It is possible to drive them away, but only if we learn to stand on truth before we feel it, and declare what Jesus did as greater than our feelings.
Listen to the song below and play it as an anthem over you, your family, and your home, whatever is in your domain. And whenever you feel that familiar sense of fear or anxiety start to creep up into your soul, turn this baby on and start speaking truth into your life.
You’ve got this girl. Don’t let fear keep you from the life you truly want to live. It’s not out of reach; it just takes a little intentionality and perhaps a good song or two.
Let’s take control of our thoughts together and start making the enemy regret he ever tried to mess with us.
