Rhema If I were to list my biggest sin/flaw, it would be the fact that I'm the world's largest worry wart. I have anxiety about EVERYTHING! I'm afraid I lose my job, afraid I'll die lonely in a house full of fifty cats and smelling like cat pee, afraid I'll never be able to get into medical school, afraid I'll never be able to save a single soul for Christ, afraid I'll never reach my fullest potential... I mean the list just goes on and on.

Thankfully the Holy Spirit has been working in me to reveal my fears and help me become a stronger and more confident version of myself in Christ. This is a topic that is very close to my heart as it's something I've struggled all my life with and has manifested itself in all areas of my life from the relationships I make with others to something as ridiculously simple as my hobby. Worry is a crippling monster that dulls your outlook on life and drags you into a pit swarming with your worst fears. So I hope by opening up about this I can help someone else struggling with theirs.

What is worry/anxiousness/fear?
Fear is to believe and have faith that something bad will happen. Let me repeat that in case you missed it. FEAR is to have FAITH in that something bad will happen. Crazy! Right?! When those dots connected and I came across this while doing my devotional my mind was blown.


So the big question here is where are you going to decided to put your faith? In God or in your fears and unknown future? James 1:6 says "But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind." I hope this helps you choose the right answer. Jesus died for you so why would go through the crucification to only give you the worst? God has made a promise to you as it says in John 6:35, "Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty." Put your faith in God, in Jeuss who died for you, trust Him, He is for you and not against you.

Where do your worries take you?
Have you ever worried so much that it led you to doing something so stupid that not only made the problem worst but left you regretting every minute of it? Yeah? Well, welcome to the party which pretty much includes everyone. Worrying doesn't take you to nice places. It leads you to some very ugly places such Depressionville, Health Issues Town, and Stress City just to name a few. The biggest thing though is that it becomes a little voice in your head that leads DOUBT. And when you doubt, your relationship with God becomes strenous. Matthew 6:21 says, "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." Where is your treasure? In your fears or in God? I learned that the hard way very quickly. One of my biggest struggles right now is the fear that my future will be filled with loneliness. It lead to me making some very terrible decisions because I doubted in God and decided I could somehow control that by taking the reigns of who, what, where, and when. I came more hurt than ever with a low self-esteem and wounded heart. When I reached this point, I decided enough was enough and let God take control, because obviously I had no idea what I was doing. (But I can tell you I was awesome at creating problems! PRO Problem Creator winner here!) So, what does the Bible have to say about this? Matthew 6:25-35 is where you'll find your answer.


Motivation/Action:
Now that we learned God is for us and where our faith is, what can we do about it? Something I like to do is to apply one Bible verse to every day of the week. To meditate on it and apply it to my life and from small things like running to get my Starbucks to work and applying it on campus. I like to keep it in my mind until it is in my heart and in my mind. Here are the seven verses I'm applying to my life this week and if you'd like to give it a try, knock yourself out!
1. "“Go,” said Jesus, “your faith has healed you.” Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus along the road" - Mark 10:52: Where will you place your faith in today?
2. "Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours." - Mark 11:24 : FAITH=BELIEVE. What will you decided to believe in today? To believe in what God has planned for your or your imaginations of the future?
3. "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go." - Joshua 1:9: You are not alone. God is with you!
4. "Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight." - Proverbs 3:5-6: Obviously we don't know the future nor can we fathom what it has in store for us, so try not to let your wild imaginations get the best of you.
5. "So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." - Isaiah 41:10: God is with you! He is fighting for you so that you may rest in Him!
6. "I keep my eyes always on the LORD. With him at my right hand, I will not be shaken." - Psalm 16:8: Focus on God so that your fears can't take hold.
7. "Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you." - 1 Peter 5:7: Give your fears to God, all that worries you, just leave it in His hands.

There is no magic cure to anxiety. Yes, there are pills, but there's only so much science can do for us. This is something that you will have to be patient with yourself in and have faith that God will help you slowly walk out of your little worry wart cave and into the sunlight. It will require constant spiritual awareness of where your mind is going and your heart so you can steer back to the right road. Don't worry, you are not alone in this. Remember, worrying does not stop tomorrow's troubles, but only takes away today's peace so enjoy the day you were given.