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Nervousness and worry are intently associated, though I’d say that worry may carry a few stronger emotional response. For anybody who has skilled a panic assault, it may be extraordinarily scary. Some have described it as feeling like they had been dying or having a coronary heart assault. Fortunately, I haven’t skilled panic assaults to that diploma, however I’ve had them, they usually had been nonetheless scary nonetheless. I used to get them loads after I was making my 40-minute commute dwelling from work. On the time, I wasn’t a believer and would simply preserve repeating to myself, “You’re okay. You’re okay” till it handed. On the uncommon events I’ve a panic assault now, I instantly cry out to the Lord. Nevertheless, if I’m simply in an anxious state, I don’t are inclined to cry out to God. As an alternative, I attempt to distract myself in an try and neglect about what’s making me anxious, however it doesn’t work. Possibly a few of you may relate.
Once we are experiencing anxiousness resulting from sure circumstances, our physique is reacting to our feelings. Sadly, this can be a symptom of not trusting the Lord for that state of affairs, and never instantly looking for Him for consolation. Simply to make clear, for many who have an anxiousness dysfunction, that may be a entire different realm, and though prayer will surely assist, some want medical intervention, and that’s nothing to be ashamed of.
The story of Jehoshaphat can educate us loads about learn how to strategy prayer once we are anxious or fearful: “Jehoshaphat was afraid and turned his consideration to hunt the Lord; and he proclaimed a interval of fasting all through Judah…and he mentioned, ‘Lord, God of our fathers, are You not God within the heavens? And are You not ruler over all of the kingdoms of the nations? Energy and may are in Your hand in order that nobody can stand in opposition to You. Did You not, our God, drive out the inhabitants of this land from Your individuals Israel, and provides it to the descendants of Your pal Abraham ceaselessly? They’ve lived in it, and have constructed You a sanctuary in it for Your identify, saying, “If catastrophe comes upon us, the sword, or judgment, or plague, or famine, we are going to stand earlier than this home and earlier than You (for Your identify is on this home), and cry out to You in our misery, and You’ll hear and save us.” Now behold, the sons of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, whom You didn’t enable Israel to invade once they got here out of the land of Egypt (for they turned except for them and didn’t destroy them), see how they’re rewarding us by coming to drive us out from Your possession which You’ve got given us as an inheritance. Our God, will You not decide them? For we’re powerless earlier than this nice multitude that’s coming in opposition to us; nor do we all know what to do, however our eyes are on You.’” 2 Chronicles 20:3-12
Let’s check out six approaches to prayer we are able to make use of when anxious, as modeled above by Jehoshaphat:
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1. Search the Lord Instantly
“I sought the Lord, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears.” Psalm 34:4
Is looking for the Lord instantly your go-to response if you find yourself feeling anxious about one thing? Sadly, I confess, it’s not at all times mine. There are particular cases the place I’ll go to the Lord instantly, however I’d say a majority of the time, it’s a course of to get to that time, which is extra about me attempting to determine issues out quite than looking for the One who has it all discovered.
Why ought to we search the Lord instantly? As a result of He has referred to as us to. Time and time once more, He tells us that He’s “our refuge and energy, a really current assist in hassle” (Psalm 46:1). And we’ve all skilled that assist! You understand that unimaginable peace you are feeling once you search the Lord along with your entire coronary heart and profoundly sense His presence. But, we’re a forgetful individuals…
Let’s change that and ask the Holy Spirit day by day to remind us to hunt the Lord first, particularly once we are anxious. He’ll certainly reply that prayer, and we will likely be on our option to a peace that surpasses all understanding.
2. Quick and Learn the Phrase
Not everybody is ready to quick from meals. I’m a kind of individuals. However for the needs of coping with anxiousness, there’s something I can quick from—distractions. I’d say that I’m not alone in looking for to distract myself, particularly via social media with senseless scrolling, hoping to neglect what’s making me anxious.
What if, once we really feel anxious, we quick from something that we’re utilizing to disassociate from our state of affairs and as an alternative spend time within the Phrase, looking for our consolation and relaxation from Him? I can promise you that the Lord will converse life into your state of affairs via His residing Phrase, and you’ll really feel the anxiousness begin to soften away.
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3. Acknowledge the Attributes of God
I like how Jehoshaphat declared all the pieces about God that was true associated to his particular prayer request. It’s no totally different for you or me. There are attributes of God that you could declare over the state of affairs that’s making you anxious.
Acknowledging the attributes of God on your circumstances reminds you of who God is and what He is ready to do. It takes the main focus off of self and places it squarely on the Lord. You may consider God when He says, “You needn’t struggle on this battle; take your place, stand and watch the salvation of the Lord in your behalf, Judah and Jerusalem. Don’t worry or be dismayed; tomorrow, exit to face them, for the Lord is with you” (2 Chronicles 20:17).
Once we belief in who God is, our anxiousness will shrink below the ability of God’s may for that circumstance.
4. “Remind” God of What He Has Already Finished for You
All through the Bible and together with Jehoshaphat’s story, many would “remind” the Lord of what He had already completed for them. This didn’t imply that the Lord had forgotten, however it’s extra an train of remembering, declaring, and trusting that He completely will do it once more.
Once we “remind” the Lord of what He has completed, we’re, in essence, giving Him glory as soon as once more and strengthening our religion, which is able to lower our anxiousness.
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5. Proclaim God’s Victory Over Your Circumstances
Proclaiming God’s victory over the circumstances inflicting you anxiousness is a robust antidote. There are numerous verses the place God guarantees to be with us, strengthen us, defend us, and supply for us. How may we not proclaim God’s victory over what’s inflicting us anxiousness?
Once we proclaim God’s victory over our circumstances, our anxious ideas will cower!
6. Humble Your self
“Humble yourselves, due to this fact, below the mighty hand of God, that he might exalt you in due time. Casting all of your anxieties on him, as a result of he cares for you.” 1 Peter 5:6-7
This verse says all of it. Once we don’t search the Lord with our anxiousness, we’re, in essence, saying we are going to deal with it. As an alternative, we should humble ourselves, specific our have to the Lord, and He and He alone will exalt us.
Once we humble ourselves, that’s when the Lord does His best work as a result of we’re not muddying the state of affairs with our personal units, however wholly relying on God. What freedom from anxiousness will come once we do exactly that?
Allow us to keep in mind that “God has not given us a spirit of worry, however of energy and of affection and of a sound thoughts” (2 Timothy 1:7). The ability we now have is to hunt Him instantly with our anxious ideas in humility, filling our minds with His Phrase, remembering who God is and what He has completed.
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Initially printed Monday, 21 July 2025.
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