The Step-by-Step Cure for Anxiety, Stress, and Worry

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Every morning, in less than 30 seconds, I do something that has made me much healthier during cold and flu season: I take a whole-food-based probiotic. Yes, I know the research on probiotics is inconclusive at best, but based on my personal experience, there’s nothing anyone could say to convince me that my probiotic habit isn’t at least partially responsible for reducing my susceptibility to winter-borne illnesses that seem rampant this time of year. Simply put, I have a firm belief that has been put through the test for many years. And unlike all the inconsistent and often conflicting studies on probiotics and supplements, the critical role that belief plays in boosting my immune resistance is backed by scientific proof, of which, one of the most compelling is the placebo effect.

"The placebo effect is more than positive thinking — believing a treatment or procedure will work. It's about creating a stronger connection between the brain and body and how they work together," said Professor Ted Kaptchuk in a 2017 newsletter from Harvard Medical School. Kaptchuk specializes in research on the placebo effect. According to him, having a firm belief that a treatment will work can dramatically improve symptoms modulated by the brain, like the perception of pain. This means that worry and stress-induced symptoms and problems, as is often the case with insomnia and fatigue, have a direct correlation to what we believe. Furthermore, stress is a factor in 75% of all illnesses and diseases, according to the American Medical Association, so we all could benefit from learning how to harness the power of belief.

The key to belief’s power is its ability to control, restrain, and change the brain itself. When our bodies resist doing something (i.e. getting up earlier or working harder) it is our beliefs that drive us to overcome inertia and push toward a goal. The stronger we believe in something, the more likely we will directly affect our brain’s reactions and performance levels — for better or worse. So if we want to spend less time worrying and stressing, then we have no choice but to discover, learn, and reinforce the kinds of beliefs capable of transforming our minds. Of course, deeply entrenched and powerful beliefs are not created overnight. Whether good or bad, all beliefs are nurtured and grown over long periods of time, nourished on the water of experience and the food of daily habits and routines. So naturally, if we want to reduce our tendencies toward worry, anxiety, and stress, we have to start with belief itself. And there is no better place to begin than with Scripture.

Step 1: Understand what belief really is and how it works. Most people, even Christians, think that the verbs believe and hope are interchangeable. They’re not even close. Belief causes hope. Believing in God gives us hope. Hope without a rock solid trust that God will do what He says He will do and that He will do it personally and uniquely for you, is an empty hope. In fact, it’s more like a wish or a dream. No, the kind of belief capable of controlling your mind in the most dire circumstances, is one that unswervingly trusts that God is not only sovereign over your life (Proverbs 16:9), but He is also loving and powerful enough to be involved in — and in control of — every aspect of your days and years on this earth (Luke 12:6-7).
Here’s how a true belief plays out in real life. Something bad happens. Your belief system immediately kicks in to shape how your brain perceives the bad situation. Previous experience and your learned reactions based on your beliefs, compels you to an immediate reaction of some kind — either healthy or unhealthy, kind or mean, skeptical or optimistic. Your brain then begins to strategize next steps based on that framework. The older you get, the more likely you will respond and react more intensely in the same manner over and over. Yet here’s an incredibly empowering and encouraging fact — you have a choice to nourish your beliefs and re-engineer your mental framework. It’s hard. It takes a long time. But God guarantees your success. Romans 12:2 promises us the renewal of our minds, and 2 Corinthians 5:17 says we are a new creation in Christ.

Before you can proceed to step 2, therefore, you must take the time to really evaluate your beliefs. If you really believe God is who He says He is, then you will trust Him. And if you trust Him, then you will be motivated enough to put that belief in action by not worrying and stressing out. It will take time to learn to how to do this, to rewire your neural pathways, to submit to the Holy Spirit’s leading, and to give up your need for control. But don’t despair if you realize your belief is weak. If you recognize it and earnestly seek God in prayer, the Word, and worship, He will be faithful to lead you into a stronger faith.

Administering the Lifetime Cure
The rest of the prescription that cures anxiety, stress, and worry is outlined beautifully in Philippians 4:4-9. Again, it is not a quick fix*, but a lifestyle. Learning to live out this passage in your daily routines, habits, thinking, decision-making, and interactions with others will purify your heart, renew your mind, and completely overhaul your perspective. Here’s the passage from the New Living Translation:
“Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again—rejoice! Let everyone see that you are considerate in all you do. Remember, the Lord is coming soon. Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me—everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you.”

Step 2: Rejoice and give thanks continually. Yep, it means what it says it means. Do. This. All, The. Time. I even have a gentle, low-volume chime that goes off on the hour to remind me all day to turn to Him with a quick thought of thanksgiving and a 10-second prayer. When we discipline our hearts and minds to constantly acknowledge God, His rightful authority, and His generous hand in our lives — in every circumstance — we open the door for the Holy Spirit’s comfort, guidance, and encouragement. When we thank God, we reinforce our own humility and simultaneously honor Him above our own comfort, control, and pleasure. Peace and calm come from a heart at rest even on a stormy sea. Romans 8:28-39 says plainly that God is for us and loves us more than we can fathom. God doesn’t want us to be agitated, frustrated, stressed, anxious, or burned out. EVER. But experiencing the all-satisfying presence of God begins with praise, honor, and thanksgiving. Do whatever it takes in your schedule and habits to make this happen. Give God a chance to interrupt your day’s agenda, and He will do it. And you won’t be sorry.

Step 3: Pray, pray, pray. Notice that thanksgiving and rejoicing came before making petitions to God. That’s because praising and thanking Him will shift your perspective from yourself to Him. Then when you come into prayer time, the Holy Spirit has an open heart to work with and lead into the throne room. God wants us to lean on Him, depend on Him, and ask Him for help in our lives. 1 John 5:14-15 says that we can have confidence that He hears us and will respond. The more we seek Him for solutions, the greater our peace will overflow. When I have trouble sleeping, one of the practices that helps me the most is to turn every thought that races through my mind over to God and release its care to His oversight.

Step 4: Think about only that which is true, honorable, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent or worthy of praise. The final step may be the hardest for some people, but if your brain were like a car, then this step is where the replacement parts get installed and the corroded ones get tossed out. This verse should be the master filter for all your thoughts. Every single one of them. If a thought comes into your head that isn’t true — not a speculation, exaggeration, or even a possibility — then deal with it appropriately, but don’t dwell on it. Whether it has to do with a person or a problem, pray for discernment, but don’t fret, stress, or worry over it. The same goes with the rest of the filtration words. We are called to meditate, ponder, and fix our minds on only things that meet the criteria of this verse. And while ugly, destructive, and discouraging things happen to us, we can choose what we allow to dominate our thoughts.

Genesis 50:20 reminds us of God’s guiding hand and faithfulness toward Joseph, even during times of extreme hardship, like attempted murder and slavery. “As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.” And this is where belief undergirds everything. When life gets rough, we can apply this thought filter because we believe that God will work all that happens together for good (Romans 8:28), no matter how things appear — or feel — at the moment. It was more than two decades between the time Joseph was left for dead in a pit by his brothers and when God brought good out of the pain. Likewise, it may take a long time for you to see God’s hand in something difficult, but when you apply these steps faithfully despite your limited vision and in the midst of your struggle, God promises to give you the kind of supernatural peace, rest, and hope that the world around you will notice. And just like Joseph, many people may be kept alive — perhaps for eternity — all because of your willingness to obey and trust even when you couldn’t see. Hebrews 11:1-2 from The Message version says it so well: “The fundamental fact of existence is that this trust in God, this faith, is the firm foundation under everything that makes life worth living. It’s our handle on what we can’t see."

If you struggle with stress, anxiety, worry, or continuing frustration, be encouraged today that your tendency toward these struggles is NOT a sin. As human beings, we all have weaknesses. God does not hold you accountable for them. Rather, you are held accountable for how you choose to deal with them. Your Heavenly Father wants to use them to showcase the splendor of His Son alive in you. His plan is for you to depend on Him so much that you radiate Jesus through the cracks, broken places, and fault lines. The only question that remains is whether you’re willing to be a trusting vessel for His glory, or if you’d prefer to wear yourself out by trying to hide the flaws and patch up the holes with your own resources. For those of us raised with a DIY, perfectionist, or pessimistic mentality, the prescription from Philippians 4:8 seems to be the equivalent of a personality transplant. And in a way, it kind of is… little by little the Holy Spirit is transforming our minds to be more like Jesus. In the process, we will struggle. We will have setbacks. But as the peace and radiance of Jesus grows ever brighter, our longing and attachment for our old selves will grow dimmer and dimmer until we eventually don’t recognize who we used to be at all.

If you know someone struggling with anxiety, stress, or worry, please reach out to them in love and share this message of affirmation and hope with them. It may be the perfect thing they need to hear today and you are the only person who knows they need it.

*If you are currently taking medications (or need to consider getting medical treatment) to help you with anxiety or stress-related concerns, that doesn't mean that you are not relying on God. Keep taking the treatments you need, along with seeking spiritual growth through the application of principles from God's Word. Healing sometimes takes many months or years, and the Holy Spirit will guide you in the process.  He is faithful and He will see you through!

For Further Reflection & Deeper Study
Plus Resources to Help You Tackle Your Anxiety and Stress!

How were you raised to deal with and react to difficult situations and hardships? Can you recall the first time you remember feeling really stressed out or worrying a lot? Was a belief in God a factor in your upbringing or is inviting God into your daily thought habits new to you? How do you think your approach to handling stress and worry needs to change in light of scripture?

Consider approaching a friend who seems to trust God continually through trials and asking him or her to be an accountability partner. Get together over coffee and talk about the ways in which God is leading you to trust Him more and ask your friend to pray for you and check in with you on your progress.

If you are struggling with your belief and trust in God, turning your circumstances over to Him, and finding peace in your life, here are some resources you might want to explore.

Audio/Video Resources
Video Bible Studies on Anxiety on Right Now Media:
- Anxious for Nothing by Max Lucado
- Get Out of Your Head by Jennie Allen
Podcast - Cleaning Up the Mental Mess with Dr. Caroline Leaf
Audio Workshop - Overcoming Anxiety, Worry, and Stress Audio Workshop by Kim Stiver

Further Reading to Help You Beat Anxiety, Stress, and Worry
Believing God, Beth Moore — Direct and challenging, this book will help you get to the core of what you believe about God and whether or not you trust Him completely
Trusting God, Jerry Bridges — For a more theological approach to trusting God, this book is a classic for a reason.
Loving God With All Your Mind, Elizabeth George — Written for women, but applicable for everyone, this book teaches you how to apply Philippians 4 step by step.
Faith Is Not A Feeling, Ney Bailey — Written after a great tragedy in her life, this practical book will help you learn to trust even in the darkest of times.
Switch On Your Brain, Dr. Caroline Leaf — This revolutionary book explains the science behind rewiring your brain to overcome anxiety and negative thoughts. It includes a system for change.

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