Tonight I read something that stopped me in my anxiety ridden tracks. Seven words strung together to make a sentence that completely blew my mind. Words that are ordinary on their own, yet put together have opened my eyes to the possibility of freedom from anxiety. Are you ready for them?
The assurance of answered prayer brings peace.
Simple right? Yet so confounding because of it's simplictiy. Hundreds of thousands of dollars are spent each year on therapists, doctors, medications, trips, and more to try to gain peace and get rid of the anxious thoughts that keep us awake at night, and here it is in black and white. Assurance. Hmm....but still my mind thinks,
"How does one acquire assurance that will in turn bring peace?"
First, I had to find out exactly what the word assurance meant. According to Webster's Dictionary, assurance means the state of being assured (umm, thanks Webster). It goes on to say assured in a way such as: (a) being certain in the mind (b) confidence of mind or manner; easy freedom from self-doubt or uncertainty. It also means something that inspires or tends to inspire confidence. In simple terms, assurance means confident and with certainty.
My next task was to define what anxiety means. (*Note, Anxiety is a condition that in some cases requires medical attention. If you suffer from anxiety, panic attacks, or other compulsive behavoirs, please seek medical attention.)
Webster's Dictionary defines anxiety as a feeling of worry, nervousness, or unease, typically about an imminent event or something with an uncertain outcome. Some other words that can be used are worry, concern, apprehension, apprehensiveness, consternation, uneasiness, unease, fearfulness. In simple terms, anxiety means not confident and without certainty.
So now here we are with two words on the opposite ends of the spectrum. Assurance and anxiety. Certain and Uncertain. Freedom and Chains. How can I use this in my life to bring peace?
This is where I began studying peace and how to obtain it. If you look up the word peace in the Bible, you will see it is used 429 times in the King James version. That's a whole lot of peace! One may also note that the words fear not are mentioned in the Bible 365 times (Fun fact: there are also 365 days in a year--coincidence? I think not). It was in my searching the word peace in the Bible that I was led to the conclusion that peace is brought out by focusing on God's promises. When we can focus on the One who is the Prince of Peace, we can gain certainty of the one that is providing peace.
True peace is not found in positive thinking, absence of conflict, or good feelings. The way to peace is to focus on God's promises.
There are hundreds of promises throughout the Old and New Testament. Promises that were spoken directly to individuals from the mouth of God, and promises for us, the ones that were given the Word, as a love letter from God. These promises, both direct and indirect, are meant for us to stand on today. It's in these promises that we see the true heart of God and the love He has for us. Love that wants us to be certain and sure; a perfect love that casts out all fear. It is important to note that just reading these promises, and being able to recite them, is not enough. We must activate them with faith and discipline. We must bring our thoughts captive (2 Corinthians 2:5) and focus on what is unseen; even when the circumstances are screaming at us to freak out. We must draw on Christ's strength and power when we feel defeated and weak. We must discipline ourselves to not give in to our fight or flight tendencies that bubble to the surface when we become overridden with anxiety.
We have to take a stand and say that fear will not overrule our faith.
I can't count the number of times I've made rash decisions in the midst of an anxiety attack. These decisions usually lack any type of real thinking and in most cases will end with regret. That regret will then burrow down in my brain where it will wait to rise up again in the next anxiety driven decision I need to make, thus keeping the cycle of rash decisions and unyielding regret turning. One bad decision leads to another and before I know it, I've created a panic attack that is seconds away from me hyperventilating in a brown paper sack.
Ever been there? It's a pretty scary place. But today I'm standing up to say, God's blessed assurance is greater than any anxiety I feel. Thank you Jesus.