Today I have been battling with an anxious heart and mind. I have struggled with this for years now and I am feeling victorious over the past couple weeks! I may still be faced with these issues but I am overcoming them more and more! It's so exciting to see progress in an area of life that seems to never move. Have you felt like I do? Anxious? Uptight? Feeling on edge? Fearing the worst? Well, we are not alone. The Bible talks a lot about anxious hearts and fears. But we are to overcome them. They have no power over us because we have a great God who gives us power to do all things.
2 Timothy 1:7 NKJV
For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.
Fear is not from the Lord. Our God brings us peace.
Philippians 4:8 NIV
Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.
We must re-train our thoughts. Think positive. Only allow your mind to explore whatever you know to be true, on what is pure and lovely.
I know I struggle the most with my self talk. I know it is a problem for a lot of women. We compare ourselves to every other girl we see, rating ourselves against them. We try and cope with how we feel without actually working through a situation. We also are very quick to complain about the small things, big things and everything in between. Now this can be men too, but from talking to a lot of women and reading a lot of books, these are typically women things that we allow to consume our thoughts.
I came across a blog called A Girl Like Me and Kelly shared how she has a goal of writing out a list of 1000 things she is thankful for. This struck me and I immediately decided to do the same. I've found that it does help me look for the positives in each day. The best thing I've found to do is to keep my list in front of me. On the counter or fridge so I can see my list and add to it throughout the week as things happen or simply just things that warm my heart. I'm on #126 and I love glancing through my list of blessings and things that make life so wonderful! When I have my 1000x Thankful list complete I'm planning on making a collage of my papers to hang in my bedroom so I can keep them in front of me so I remember to think only on what is good.
Now back to tonight and right now :) (I go down bunny trails so easily) I wanted to read and study something that would help me in my anxious state of mind. I had no idea where to read in my Bible so I decided to pray and ask God to share with me what He would like to have me read tonight. I hadn't done this in a while but I seriously had no idea where to begin. So I closed my eyes, continued to pray, and opened my Bible to these verses:
John 12:20-33 NLT
"Some Greeks who had come to Jerusalem to attend the Passover paid a visit to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee. They said, "Sir, we want to meet Jesus." Philip told Andrew about it, and they went together to ask Jesus.
Jesus replied, "The time has come for the Son of Man to enter into his glory. The truth is, a kernel of wheat must be planted in the soil. Unless it dies, it will be alone-a single seed. But its death will produce many new kernels-a plentiful harvest of new lives. Those who love their life in this world will lose it. Those who despise their life in this world will keep it for eternal life. All those who want to be my disciples must come and follow me, because my servants must be where I am. And if they follow me, the Father will honor them, Now my soul is deeply troubled. Should I pray, 'Father, save me from what lies ahead'? But that is the very reason I came! Father, bring glory to your name!"
Then a voice spoke from heaven, saying, "I have already brought it glory, and I will do it again." When the crown heard the voice, some thought it was thunder, while others declared an angel had spoken to him.
Then Jesus told them, "The voice was for your benefit, not mine. The time of judgement for the world has come, when the prince of this world will be cast out. And when I am lifted up on the cross, I will draw everyone to myself." He said this to indicate how he was going to die.
Here is what I heard in these verses:
2 Timothy 1:7 NKJV
For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.
Fear is not from the Lord. Our God brings us peace.
Philippians 4:8 NIV
Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.
We must re-train our thoughts. Think positive. Only allow your mind to explore whatever you know to be true, on what is pure and lovely.
I know I struggle the most with my self talk. I know it is a problem for a lot of women. We compare ourselves to every other girl we see, rating ourselves against them. We try and cope with how we feel without actually working through a situation. We also are very quick to complain about the small things, big things and everything in between. Now this can be men too, but from talking to a lot of women and reading a lot of books, these are typically women things that we allow to consume our thoughts.
I came across a blog called A Girl Like Me and Kelly shared how she has a goal of writing out a list of 1000 things she is thankful for. This struck me and I immediately decided to do the same. I've found that it does help me look for the positives in each day. The best thing I've found to do is to keep my list in front of me. On the counter or fridge so I can see my list and add to it throughout the week as things happen or simply just things that warm my heart. I'm on #126 and I love glancing through my list of blessings and things that make life so wonderful! When I have my 1000x Thankful list complete I'm planning on making a collage of my papers to hang in my bedroom so I can keep them in front of me so I remember to think only on what is good.
Now back to tonight and right now :) (I go down bunny trails so easily) I wanted to read and study something that would help me in my anxious state of mind. I had no idea where to read in my Bible so I decided to pray and ask God to share with me what He would like to have me read tonight. I hadn't done this in a while but I seriously had no idea where to begin. So I closed my eyes, continued to pray, and opened my Bible to these verses:
John 12:20-33 NLT
"Some Greeks who had come to Jerusalem to attend the Passover paid a visit to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee. They said, "Sir, we want to meet Jesus." Philip told Andrew about it, and they went together to ask Jesus.
Jesus replied, "The time has come for the Son of Man to enter into his glory. The truth is, a kernel of wheat must be planted in the soil. Unless it dies, it will be alone-a single seed. But its death will produce many new kernels-a plentiful harvest of new lives. Those who love their life in this world will lose it. Those who despise their life in this world will keep it for eternal life. All those who want to be my disciples must come and follow me, because my servants must be where I am. And if they follow me, the Father will honor them, Now my soul is deeply troubled. Should I pray, 'Father, save me from what lies ahead'? But that is the very reason I came! Father, bring glory to your name!"
Then a voice spoke from heaven, saying, "I have already brought it glory, and I will do it again." When the crown heard the voice, some thought it was thunder, while others declared an angel had spoken to him.
Then Jesus told them, "The voice was for your benefit, not mine. The time of judgement for the world has come, when the prince of this world will be cast out. And when I am lifted up on the cross, I will draw everyone to myself." He said this to indicate how he was going to die.
Here is what I heard in these verses:
- I am to live my life for the glory of God.
- Satan has been cast out. He has no power over me. I have the power over him through Christ.
- I cannot be selfish. I must die to myself and my worldly desires so that others will see my life is different because of my relationship with Christ. Then others will be drawn to have a relationship with Christ because of my obedience to God.
- Satan has been defeated.
- Jesus Christ is LORD of ALL THINGS.
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