The Opportunity Of Anxiety
What a strange title for this blog post right? You may be thinking this woman is crazy. But, hear me out. Life is hard and it can produce a lot of anxiety. It's irritating and yet depending on how we lean in it can become an opportunity. As believers, we do 1 of several things.
We can deny the problems and it's accompanying anxiety by using platitudes. I'm too blessed to be stressed which is not even scriptural. Even Jesus sweat drops of blood because of what he had to face.
We can endure the trials and trauma that bring on anxiety as if we were holding on tightly through the storm. But, honestly, it's not our inheritance.
We can stand on the promises of God which is a partial part of the process.
We must also connect deeply with our heavenly Father to experience his comfort. God says he is with us!
It's here where the problems and storms of life can become opportunities! I know I hate to admit it too. Think about how a pearl is formed. A fish passes by an oyster by using its tail. The movement forms a cloud of sand, from which several grains lodge in the oyster. Most of the time the oyster can get rid of it. Except for a piece that can bury itself in the flesh of the oyster. And so it is when we experience stress, anxiety, and even trauma.
The promise of God is that we will be overcomers,
with a testimony, that becomes nourishment for others.
If we're going to stand on Truth this is a good one to believe for.
It doesn't happen overnight. Storms don't pass until they have accomplished what they were sent to do. Denying our need robs us of God's provision and nearness. White knuckling our way through anxiety prolongs our suffering. Standing on a promise is good and scriptural to build up our spirits, but often doesn't go quite far enough to impact us at the heart level. Connecting at a heart level with our heavenly Father is what brings about peace in the midst of whatever life throws our way.
What do you mean by connecting with God at a heart level? It's the idea of developing and using our spiritual senses along with an asking style of prayer. In short, we ask God questions, tune in with our spiritual senses and receive what our emotional heart needs. It sounds simple but it takes time. The rewards are emotional healing and a lifestyle of connection with the one who is the shepherd and overseer of our souls. It's wholeness! To the degree, we allow God into the places of pain is the degree he occupies our heart. This is how we are meant to live. The process lasts a lifetime. God gets our attention when we're in anxiety and pain. But, he keeps our attention with his love and care.
So, the opportunity is for transformation! How do I know this? Because this is what God did with my trauma. He healed me from big and small things that happened as far back as childhood. Yes, childhood. As he healed my heart, I grew and matured. I was comfortable in my own skin. I became the person God designed me to be. Am I done? no! Like I said, he got my attention because of the anxiety and pain but he kept my attention because of his love and care.
Interested in setting out on a pilgrimage of emotional healing for your soul? This pilgrimage isn't meant to be taken alone initially. Let me be your guide. Please don't let the suffering of your soul continue any longer. Reach out to me at pinneyl@pittsburghtransfomationcenter.com
Lisa Pinney is a certified encounter coach and the founder of Pittsburgh Transformation Center. She is an expert in working with hurting people to help them experience healing and emotional wholeness through deep personal encounters with God. She trains others to become resiliency coaches. She is the author of the book DEEPER, Living the Christian Life in the Deep Down. Lisa is the developer of CUT CARDS. A groundbreaking, faith-filled, therapeutic deck cards based on scriptural principles and cognitive behavior therapy. She is a speaker and conducts DEEPER STILL CONTEMPLATIVE RETREATS.
Her mission and call are to see the message of emotional healing through Christ become as much a part of the regular Christian experience as reading, worship, and prayer are.
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