Journey of an Anxious Christian
Do you know those parts in the bible when they say: be anxious for nothing; let your heart not be troubled; trust in the Lord; and fear not for I am with you? I had always thought those words to be meant to comfort me in times in times of struggle. However, when I found myself with a full blown anxiety disorder, I looked to the church for guidance and was surprised at the response. In short, I was told in a bible study by a well-meaning woman that simply put, my being anxious was a full blown sin because it meant that I was not trusting in the Lord.
Well friends, I am here to tell you that statement is oversimplified and not true at all, in my humble opinion. Now, I do understand where she was coming from, to an extent. But there is a difference between being doubtful and having a chemical imbalance. There are literally people who cannot help but let their mind spiral out thinking about the worst case scenarios. I am one of those people.
While some churches do hold a stigma over mental health, it is not THE church that perpetuates that lie. It is super important to remember that a church is just a building and a denomination is just a label. THE church to me is people who believe in loving like Jesus. And guest what? Jesus loves everyone. Even those of us who struggle with overly anxious thoughts.
Jesus also heals. He healed the sick, the lame, the lepers, the blind - you name it. There is absolutely no doubt in my mind now that He left these words to help heal myself and others who struggle with anxiety: “be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." (Philippians 4:6,7)
If you are like me and have an anxious heart, my prayer for you is this: that you not give up hope. That you not let one bad church experience keep you from seeking the comfort and unconditional love that Jesus has for you. I once heard at a conference that the best antidote to a bad church experience is a good one. I promise there is a church home for you if you haven’t found it yet. Also, I pray that you protect your heart from this world so that it may be ready for Him one day. Remember, there is no feeling in you that He doesn’t understand. There is no feeling too dark or too deep that he won’t pull you back from. He has given us tools like the Bible, the church, our brothers and sisters in Christ, even doctors and medicine - all to glorify him! Don’t believe the lies of the enemy that any of those things will bring you further from God.
A voice in this field I highly suggest tuning in to is that of Jennie Allen. She has a couple really good books and studies about living free from anxiety and the pressures of this world. Check them out here: https://www.jennieallen.com/bible-studies.
If you ever want to chat about anxiety or depression, feel free to message me on Facebook or Instagram.
XO - Olivia