Anxiety disorders are the most common mental illness in the United States. In fact, they’re affecting 40 million adults – that’s 18.1% of the population – every year. Though treatable, most sufferers don’t get treatment.It’s connected to stress, worry, doubt, depression, panic, and more.
If you’re one such sufferer or know someone who is, I encourage your to learn more about anxiety and depression.
Historically, there have been many stigmas attached to anxiety and depression. It’s something I’ve personally experienced throughout life. And it’s something I’m also just really starting to understand.
Sadly, the church is too often unequipped to help. Sure, churchgoers can say ‘I’ll pray for you,” and God does work in our lives. Yet, there’s more complexity than meets the eye. It’s for this reason that the road to overcoming anxiety is a lonely road.
When properly framed, and maybe even embraced, we can learn much from our anxiety. We can learn who we are, what drives us, where we need more faith in our God and so much more. That’s why we’re listening up, kids.
Here’s seven posts to help us learn more, together.
Learning About And Understanding Anxiety
Overcoming anxiety is a lonely road. Though, when properly framed, we can learn much from it. Here’s 7 posts about letting it be your teacher. Keep listening up, kids.
Read The Bible To Your Anxiety (John Piper at Desiring God) – Piper teaches through Matthew 6:24–34 to understand how Jesus helps us overcome anxiety and draw out six lessons for reading the Bible.
Why Learn About Fear & Anxiety? (Garrett Ray Harriman at Explorable) – Anxiety and fear are natural emotions that protect us in many life instances. Harriman shows us that gaining knowledge of it helps us empathize with others when they are coping with those emotions.
5 Things Christians Should Know About Depression and Anxiety (Brandon W. Peach at Relevant Magazine) – As Peach points out, depression and anxiety are touchy subjects in the church. If we’re going to start talking about such issues, there are a few things we should know. This article gets the ball rolling.
Christian Contentment vs Anxiety (AllAboutFolloingJesus) – Drawing on Philippians 4:6-7, we see that our anxiety displays fear, which displays a lacking of faith in God and God’s control in our lives.
Coping With And overcoming Anxiety
Dealing with Anxiety: Why does Jesus say we shouldn’t worry? (Dr. Erwin Lutzer at Running to Win via OnePlace) – Lutzer explains that anxious worry leads to the mind splitting from body obediently going elsewhere. Speaking to His disciples, Jesus gave three reasons for not worrying. Moreover, they are reasons why we don’t have to worry.
7 Ways to Deal With Stress and Anxiety as a Christian (Aaron Gloy) – Gloy shares his personal story about hitting a mental wall and the toll it took on him. It sparked his road back to health. And now he shares his strategies for others who find themselves in similar places.
Anxiety: How Can I Cope? (David Powlison at FamilyLife) – God’s Word includes many useful and true things to help in our mental struggles. Drawing on 2 Corinthians 11:28; Psalm 94:9, Powlison shows us that it’s a God-given capacity for knowing something bad is going on. What’s more, he explores how it is not necessarily negative.