Overcoming anxiety, depression, and fear

A little background

I am six (6) days away from a surgical consultation regarding my Congenital hydrocephalus. That being said, my anxiety, which is always high, is even worse now. Because of that, I began a seven day devotional reading today that addresses anxiety, depression, and fear and, more specifically, how prayer and Scripture reading can help us through those tough times.

Fear Not, I Will Help You

“Those who contended with you, those who war against you shall be as nothing, as a nonexistent thing. For I, the Lord your God, will hold your right hand, saying to you, ‘Fear not, I will help you’” (Isa. 41:12–13).

Back in the days of the Hatfields and McCoys, when you messed with one member of the family, you basically picked a fight with the whole clan. Right or wrong, your family was behind you. I believe that is God’s message here; anyone who messes with you has Me to contend with.

Don’t underestimate the value of the Lord holding your hand either. Sometimes we just need the encouragement of someone standing along beside us to give us the strength to fight the battle. “Though one may be overpowered by another, two can withstand him. And a threefold cord is not quickly broken” (Eccles. 4:12). When God is part of your cord, there is certainly no reason to fear. So what are you anxious about today? What is weighing you down? Or maybe something is weighing down your friend, your spouse, or perhaps your child. If you are a believer, then you are part of the body of Christ. You may need to be Jesus to someone today, His arms or His hands. Maybe today you will need to be the one who comes alongside someone and hold their right hand or wrap your arms around them.

Remember when you were a child and had a bad dream, and you needed someone to hold your hand or hug you and reassure you that everything would be okay? Maybe they told you, Don’t be afraid, mommy and daddy are here to protect you. Well, your Heavenly Father wants you to know the same thing:

 “Fear not, I will help you.”

If fear is venom, the anti-venom would be Psalm 91. On any day you’re feeling particularly fearful or worrisome, read this entire Psalm. “He will call upon me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him” (Ps. 91:15, NIV). You can call upon God any time of any day, and you’ll never reach a busy signal. Plus, you have unlimited minutes on His calling plan. “Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you” (1 Pet. 5:7, NIV).

Prayer: Thank You, Lord, that You are right there in the middle of the crisis, holding my hand. I will not live in fear. Help me to take my courage and share it with others when they need someone to come alongside of them. In Jesus name, amen.

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I am lucky that, besides my biological family, God has blessed me with "adopted" sisters, my Hydrocephalus family, and my fire service family (pictured in part above). If you mess with me, you are going to have to deal with them and, particularly my sister in Rhode island, is very protective when it comes to me.

Fear not . . . be of good courage (Deuteronomy 31:6)

Deuteronomy 31:6 KJV

Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the Lord thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.

You might wonder what a picture of firefighters battling a fire has to do with being strong and of good courage. Having done it (or, should I say, faced it) I can tell you it takes courage to face the heat and danger that results from a fire in a commercial building -- particularly large structures like a warehouse or a store. But God is there anytime there is fear and uncertainty. For example, last fall, when I was hospitalized for three weeks after my hydrocephalus became symptomatic, all I could do was turn to God. Imagine, if you will, having a headache, blurred vision, and vertigo so severe that the only option is to perform brain surgery. Just one problem: the pressure inside your head (known as intracranial pressure) is so high, that even the slightest change in it could result in a potentially fatal brain bleed. That was my situation and all I could do was ask Heavenly Father to relieve the pressure and pain and bless the doctor's with the wisdom to provide an effective, but safe, treatment. It has taken some time, but I am pretty much back to my baseline to use medical terminology.

Today's prayer

Lord, if I am fearful or uncertain, please give me your peace and remind me that you are with me always . . . even until the end of the age. Amen.

Overcoming the 'perfect storm' (part 2)

Meditate on These Things

Paul’s final instruction in his prescription to anxiety is to meditate on the things of God. In other words, pick what you ponder. Picture your thoughts as airplanes in the sky above a busy airport. You are the air traffic controller of that airport. You get to decide which thoughts land and which ones fly away. Want to be happy tomorrow? Let the thoughts of happiness land today. Want to be miserable tomorrow? Let thoughts of guilt, worry, and fear land today.

Healing from anxiety requires healthy thinking. In truth, your challenge is not your challenge; your challenge is the way you think about your challenge. Likewise, your problem is not your problem; the way you look at the problem is your problem. Satan knows this, which is why he is always seeking to plant lies in your thinking. He wants to influence the way you perceive your struggles or uncertainties. But remember that he is not the master of your mind.

Furthermore, you have a power he can never defeat, for you have God on your side. When anxiety threatens to weigh down your heart, you can simply call on God. This slaps the handcuffs on the culprit and marches it before the One who has all authority. This denies worries and fears to have a platform to influence your mind. This guards your thoughts as you trust in God your Father.

Of course, saying this and doing this are two different things. You may want to resolve that today you will think only on things that are true, honorable, and right. . . even if it kills you. But who can really do this?

There is a simpler way: just make it your aim to cling to Christ. Abide in him. Go to him as your source of strength and the One your thoughts need to obey. Read God’s Word. Listen to sermons. Worship him. Set aside distractions and claim time for him. Understand that if anything good comes into your life, he will be the conduit.

The dominant duty of the disciple is to cling to Jesus. And when you cling to Jesus, you fill your mind with God’s truth. You disarm the enemy and keep anxiety at bay. You receive God’s truth. And that truth sets you free—free from fear, free from dread, and, yes, free from anxiety.

Having anxiety just means you are human. It does not mean you are emotionally underdeveloped, stupid, demon possessed, or a failure. It does not mean your parents failed you, or vice versa. And — this is important — it does not mean you are not a Christian. Yes, even Christians battle anxiety. Jesus himself battled anxiety in the Garden of Gethsemane. But he didn’t stay anxious. And neither should you.

A new day awaits you. A new season in which you will worry less and trust more. A season with reduced fear and enhanced faith. Can you imagine a life in which you are anxious for nothing?

God can. And, with His help, you will experience it.

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As I mentioned yesterday, over the past eight months, I have had the opportunity to experience a so-called 'perfect storm' and now I am coming out on the other side. You might wonder, if that is the case, why I posted a picture of a hospital room. Between October 12, 2017 and the week prior to Thanksgiving, I was hospitalized due to complications from my hydrocephalus that included a severe headache, vertigo, and vision problems. The love I was shown during those 21 days was absolutely phenomenal. Folks that had never met each other (and, in some cases, that I had never met) came together for one purpose . . . to let me know that I was loved and that I was going to make it. Did that do away with the anxiety that I felt? Not completely . . . but my "adopted" family can tell when it was troubling me and they would circle the wagons. Christ love in human form.

Overcoming the "perfect storm" (part 1)

The Peace of God Will Guard Your Heart

When mariners describe a tempest that no sailor can escape, they call it a “perfect storm.” Not perfect in the sense of ideal, but perfect in the sense of combining factors. All the elements, such as hurricane-force winds plus a cold front plus a downpour of rain, work together to create an insurmountable disaster. The winds alone would be a challenge—but the winds plus the cold plus the rain? The perfect recipe for disaster.

You don’t need to be a mariner to experience a perfect storm. In fact, you’ve undoubtedly already faced a few in your lifetime. A layoff plus recession. An illness plus a job change. A relationship breakup plus a college rejection. A sudden loss plus an unforeseen event that threatens your future. Individually, these elements might be manageable. But collectively, they are absolutely formidable. It’s enough to make you wonder, Will I even survive?

Paul’s answer to that question is as profound as it is concise. When you present your requests to God with thanksgiving, “the peace of God . . . will guard your heart” (Philippians 4:7 NIV). In other words, as you do your part and release the worry to God, he does his part by bestowing on you his perfect peace. You should be worried . . . but you’re not. You should be upset . . . but you are calm. The peace of God transcends all logic, scheming, and efforts to explain it.

When Paul was faced with a “perfect storm” at sea, he told the sailors, “Last night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve stood beside me and said, ‘Do not be afraid, Paul. . . . God has graciously given you the lives of all who sail with you'" (Acts 27:23–24 NIV). On the deck of a sinking ship, God sent angels to minister to Paul. He will do the same for you. Unlike the world, his resources are limitless and his peace is permanent.

Perhaps you’ve prayed and prayed and heard nothing. Don’t give up! Rest in the truth that just as God sent angels to protect those you read about in the Bible, he will send his angels to protect you—even as your storm continues to rage. When you gave your life to him, he took you into his family as a cherished child. He has purpose for your days, and he invites you to join in accomplishing his will in the world. He will use the storms to grow your faith and trust in him.

When you seek the Lord, you will find him. So seek him first. Lead with worship and thanksgiving. Go first to your Father in prayer and praise. Confess to him your fears. Gather with his people. Set your face toward God. Cry out for help. Admit your weakness. Then, once God moves, take a step and move with him.

Expect to see the God of ages fight for you. He is near, as near as your next breath. You may be facing the perfect storm, but Jesus offers the perfect peace.

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I am a firm believer that nothing in our life "just happens" or is mere happenstance . . . God doesn't work that way. My devotional this morning (copied above) is a prime example because I have just weathered one of those perfect storms. It started one year ago next month (May, 2017) when my beloved wife MaryLou began showing early indications of dementia. For my readers who might not be familiar with it, dementia (Alzheimer's Association, 2018) is a general term used to describe a condition that results in the decline of a person's mental abilities to the point it interferes with their day-to-day activities. Despite the fact her diagnosis was intermediate dementia, I was determined to care for her at home as long as I possibly could. From late May until early August, I did just that despite the fact that it was taking a toll on my health.

Toward the end of August, I had to call EMS after her blood glucose skyrocketed and she blacked out. They kept her overnight in the ER. Early the next morning, her doctor came in and said: 1) He was going to admit her so that I could get some rest; and 2) He was going to start the process to get her in a skilled nursing facility. It was then I realized the toll it had taken on me . . .

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Alzheimer's Association (2018). What is dementia. Retrieved on April 22, 2018 from https://m.alz.org/what-is-dementia.asp