This crisis is drowning many people in fear. It is difficult keeping our heads above water especially with job losses, retirement accounts wiped out and health problems. The anxiety and stress pulls us down deeper into the waters of fear. We become surrounded by darkness as the rays of hope fade.
You may have seen social media posts of phrases like “faith over fear,” or “worship over worry.” These messages provide a momentary gasp of air, but our fears pull us back into the stormy waters. So how can we take breathes of faith? What does that look like in this crisis. Here are three practical ways to stay afloat in the midst of fear.
GET OUT the fear/ Stress
Every person experiences fear and worries. Our physical bodies feel it. In fact, our bodies produce adrenaline to react to these stressful moments. It’s a basic human instinct for survival. But it’s not supposed to be ongoing. If we are drowning in that stress perpetually, then the adrenaline negatively impacts all areas of your life.
For instance, I normally can fall asleep very quickly. There are some nights that I lay awake. It’s usually because I’m thinking about something that bothered me in the day or week. I’m obsessing about it and trying to handle it in my mind. My mind is racing and it won’t let my body sleep and be at rest. I’m allowing the adrenaline to race through my body. I lay there for hours hoping to fall asleep. I finally do fall asleep, but when I wake up, I feel unrested. I’m more stressed and grumpy. The fear is still inside me.
So I have learned to get the fear out of my body and mind. I now get out of bed and I write a letter to God. I write out all my fears that I have bottled inside me. I am raw, honest and vulnerable with God about every feeling and thought. I unload it all. After I do this, I am able to breathe and relax. My body is able to rest and I fall asleep.
There is no right way or wrong way to do this. Do whatever works for you to get out those fears out. You can pray out loud while walking or draw no a piece of paper. You can write a song or sing a song that portrays your feelings. Whatever you choose, I want to encourage you to write it out or say it out. Don’t keep it in your head. Some say that your mind can think on average 48.6 thoughts per minute. That’s a lot of thoughts. However, when you write down your fears or say them out loud, it slows your mind. It focuses on your mind on what’s happening. Also, when you say it out loud, it becomes more real. You can see it and start to breathe.
King David did this in the Psalms. They are his honest conversations with God. He pours out his fears and failures in Psalm 13: 1-2:
How long, Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? How long must I wrestle with my thoughts and day after day have sorrow in my heart? How long will my enemy triumph over me?
King David regularly expresses himself to God honestly. When was the last time you were honest with God about your feelings and fears? Spend some time today with God. Here are some questions to help you process your fears that you are going through:
- What do you want right now?
- What do you want that you don’t have?
- What is your mind consumed with? What about your time or money?
- What worries you and gives you anxiety?
- What are you avoiding or who are you avoiding?
- What are you feeling and how are you processing that? Is it working?
GET IN God’s Word
After I write out all my fears and worries, something happens to my mind and body. I’ve emptied myself of the fears and now I am filled with God’s presence. I am in a place to listen to the voice of God. Usually, God gives me a word, a truth or a Bible verse that anchors my heart and soul. The Bible verse helps me to understand what I need to think and feel. It also shows me how to live. This allows me to float against my fears and worries.
Most of the day, we are consumed with our version of reality and fears. This is a limited perspective of life. But when we remember and repeat God’s word, we are choosing to live by faith. We are choosing to have hope.
My verse for this year is James 1:2-4. I see why God gave me this verse. It’s to help me find joy in the midst of trials. I’m learning to find joy so that I can grow and be mature through pain.
There is a verse and truth that God wants to speak to you about. He wants you to memorize and float on his truth. Here are some questions to help you discover and hold onto His word.
- What Bible verses pops to your head and heart?
- What word/ phrase tugs at your heart?
- Where do you need to put it so you are reminded every moment?
GET HELP
When someone is drowning, our natural tendency is to kick, scream and flail our arms. It is our way to do something. We believe we are saving ourselves, but it makes the lifeguard’s job more difficult and dangerous. The only way to save that person is for them to stop moving and receive help from outside. We need to allow others to help us. We can’t choose our coping mechanisms of isolation or thoughts that we don’t want to burden others.
We need to ask for help and allow ourselves to be helped. It’s biblical and a command in Galatians 6:2. We are to “carry each other’s burden.” We can’t carry each other’s burden if we don’t know each other’s burden. We need to reach out for help. The biggest lie that the enemy wants you to believe is that you are alone with no options. You have options. The church is your option. There are several people you can reach out too. They include but are not limited to small group members, friends, family, pastors or church leaders, and mentors and counselors. There are also other services provided by the community and state. There are options and possibilities.
Now, reaching out for help does not mean that your problems go away and everything is magically great. However, you will see that there are more possibilities. You will see that you are not alone and that God can work even in the most impossible situations. You can still have peace and joy even when the storm is raging on.
There’s one person that did not have to ask for help. His name is Jesus. He’s totally perfect and could fix any situation and problem. However, when he was on earth, he asked for help. He needed help getting baptized. He could not do it by himself. He needed help with transportation entering the city of Jerusalem. He borrowed a donkey. He asked his closest friends to pray for him before he was about to be crucified. He asked Simon to help him carry the cross. It was too heavy for him at that moment.
Jesus asked for help. We need to be like Jesus. Asking for help is not a sign of weakness but of strength. Even the greatest athletes, musicians, and executives ask for help from coaches and mentors. It’s a sign of maturity and wisdom. We need help even in the smallest areas of our life.
Who do you need to reach out and ask for help from?
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