Three Myths About People Who Wrestle With Anxiety

#1 - People Who Battle With Anxiety Do Not Pray Enough.

This comes back to the belief that sounds awesome - and would look great on a Christian coffee cup - but just isn’t true - “If we will just pray, then ‘it’ will go away!”  

Let me be very clear—I believe in the power of prayer.  

I know prayer has changed my life—and I’ve seen it change the lives of other as well.  

However, when a person is dealing with anxiety - while prayer is definitely a part of the process—it’s not the magic pill that makes all the bad go away.  

Jesus, in Matthew 26:36-38 lets us see this very clearly.  

36 Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.” 37 He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled.38 Then he said to them, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.”

Jesus was…wait…”overwhelmed” (His words, not mine) - and this continued throughout His time of prayer as we are also told in Scripture that He literally began to sweat drops of blood.  

If you have tried to pray your anxiety away—and feel horrible because it hasn’t seemed to move - it doesn’t mean you are a bad person, it just means there are other things that need to be included in your journey towards healing as well.  

#2 - People Who Battle With Anxiety Don’t Read Their Bible Enough

I honestly can’t really recall very many days in the past 29 years that I have not read the Bible.(Reading the Scriptures is my primary way on connecting with Jesus.)  

However, my battle with anxiety did not come about because I was NOT reading the Bible; in fact, when I first experienced symptoms of anxiety I felt guilt and shame—and actually began reading my Bible MORE, believing that somehow I could work my way out of what was happening to me.  

(Side note - when this did not work—it actually increased my anxiety because I thought I was doing it wrong!)  

The Apostle Paul - who had the Old Testament MEMORIZED, and who actually wrote most of the New Testament said the following to the church in Corinth in his second letter to them…

II Corinthians 1:8 - "We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters, about the troubles we experienced in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired of life itself."

So - here we have a guy who knew more Bible than all of us combined - and he admits to being in a situation where he (and those with him) even despaired life itself!!!

We can know every verse the Bible says about not being anxious, we can tell ourselves and others Jesus said not to worry - but - when anxiety is triggered, it’s not what we know that consumes our mind—it’s what we feel.  And getting past feeling overwhelmed in the moment takes time—it’s a process that often times will include Scripture—but believing the Bible will beat the anxiety out of us will only leave us beaten up!  

#3 - People Who Battle With Anxiety Do Not Have Enough Faith.

This myth crippled me for years - and it caused me to suffer in silence because I knew if I admitted I battled with anxiety…or even (gulp) had to go on medication—it would clearly demonstrate my walk with Jesus was not where it needed to be—and that I did not have enough faith.

Looking back…if I am completely honest, the seasons I wrestled with anxiety the most are the times where my faith grew the most as well.  

Because…when anxiety screams “stay in bed,” it takes faith to put your feet on the floor.  

When anxiety screams, “stay at home,” it takes faith to walk outside and go to school or work.  

When anxiety screams, “don’t trust anyone,” it takes faith to open up to a friend about what you are wrestling with.  

The people who actually lack faith are the ones who choose to suffer in silence (I know because I did this for far too long!)  

Remember - overcoming anxiety is a process - it’s one anyone can begin…but there has to be a place where it is said, “right here is where the journey started for me!”  

Which is one of the reasons I wrote my new book, “Overcoming Anxiety!”  

While I do not make you the promise that, after reading it, you will never worry or fear again—I do promise you will be more equipped to deal what life throws your way.  

Go here and pre-order it ASAP - expected release date is February 11 - hoping and praying with all my heart it helps so many people - and that we truly can adapt the mindset that THE BEST IS YET TO COME!