How to Cope with Stress and Anxiety
In today’s society, the words stress and anxiety are often seen as negative and by playing them down we try to avoid dealing with them.
When talking about our work, an upcoming exam, or the future, we often refer to these feelings to describe how we are feeling.
We are often unaware of how these feelings and negative self-talk with ourselves or others affect not just one individual, but a large number of people in an environment expressing the same kind of anxiety.
Stress and anxiety are contagious, they are often uncontrolled, unrestrained, which can lead to a lot of damage to the individual and a whole society. Especially these days, when we are living in a global pandemic, we feel the effects of anxious thoughts in the lives of many people. I am not trying to match these feelings with the coronavirus, but I do see a parallel. Stress and anxiety can weaken the body to a great extent, depending on who is affected and how they deal with it.
So how do we cope with stress and anxiety?
Now, one thing is clear, we all feel anxious and stressed at times. Most of the time we lack the means to find the way out.
The best solution is to face the fears and break them through Christ, who embodies the Word of God.
The Bible says in Philippians 4:6–8 (NIV):
6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
8 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable — if anything is excellent or praiseworthy — think about such things.
Being anxious or stressed does not reflect our true nature. While it is obvious that anxiety is human, it is also true that we are not meant to dwell in these states of constant fear and stress (1 Tim 1:9). The Bible calls us to be anxious about nothing. Feeling anxious is a sign that something in us needs to be fixed.
Let’s look at 5 Steps to break fears and thrive for inner peace and growth.
1. Self-Reflection and Acceptance
Start by having an honest conversation with yourself. Sit down and think deeply. Ask yourself the difficult questions. What are you afraid of and what keeps you awake at night? What is so scary about it? At this moment I recommend you take a notebook and write down your fears. This will keep you on track as you deal with each one.
3. Gain Wisdom and Starve your fears
Pray over the list of fears you have made. Let God know each one of them and ask for his guidance in these steps towards freedom.
Recognize the lies you keep telling yourself and confront them with the truth you find in the Word of God. Read, quote, and meditate on the Bible passage as often as possible to remind yourself of what God says about you and your life. Choose to think positively. Philippians 4:8 is a good guide to what these thoughts should be.
Imagine who you will be once you have overcome fear and successfully jump from one rock to another. Set yourself the goal of being that person.
4. Make it practical and Change your perspective
Understand the value of gratitude. When you start counting your blessings, anxiety will disappear because worries refuse to share the same heart with gratitude. Learn the secret of being content as described in Philippians 4:11–12: Paul was content even though all that surrounded him was a prison cell and a jailer. Be thankful even in the most frightening and unpleasant situations. Treat every anxious thought with a handful of grateful thoughts.
Fears have a bad connotation, as mentioned at the beginning, but in reality, each new fear we face unfolds a great opportunity for growth. Maturity and peace are the results when we have successfully overcome a fear. Jesus offers perfect peace (Philippians 4:7), the peace that keeps heart and mind.
5. Face your fears
The application of knowledge is what ultimately helps all these steps mentioned to take effect and leave a lasting change in your life. Do exactly what your mind tells you not to do, do it for at least 21 days, because as we know, that is how long it takes to form a new habit. Let faith guide you and go into action. It is a process and you have to be patient and committed to each step that leads to freedom.
Small progress is still progress.
“So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” (John 8:36)
Choose to be fearless!
