Anxiety is a dream killer and a thief. I know this firsthand because I’ve dealt with anxiety in my life and even went through what I call my seven months of hell. I know that anxiety is something that so many people deal with, so this week, I want to talk to you about some practical ways that I worked through it and overcame fear to find peace on the other side.
I think one of the biggest sources of fear is thinking about the future with a distorted lens. One of my favorite verses is Matthew 6:34 (NIV): “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” But what does that look like in real time? How do we practice not worrying about tomorrow when we’re facing real challenges, whether that be financially, like not being able to pay our bills, or even relationally, like dealing with the fear of being a parent?
Grace for Each Day
Today I want to exhort you with this thought for the week: What would your week look like if you chose to be present and let go of all worry about the future? Sounds like a dream, right? The truth is it can be a reality!
In a nutshell:
- If we’re growing as people, we will have greater challenges every day. If we look at tomorrow’s giants (challenges) with today’s grace, it will cause anxiety.
- What we have to understand is when we get to tomorrow, there will be grace for whatever we face then. We have to trust that God will give us what we need when we get there.
- When we are so concerned about what’s going to happen tomorrow we don’t actually get everything that God has for us today. Being present is a gift.
5 Things I Do When I’m Afraid
- I remind myself of things I was afraid of in the past that never happened. Then I remind myself of how true they felt, but they didn’t happen. This helps me to remember that fear is a liar.
- I question reality in light of the previous lies, and a new perspective emerges.
- I make a conscious choice to trust my future to Jesus and remind myself of His care for me.
- I bring up my history with God. I recall the testimonies in my life as a way of retelling the scary story that was running in my mind.
- I bring up what God says about my future. I bring to mind the prophetic words over my life and remember that I have a bright future!
Takeaway for the Week
Today, I want to encourage you to choose trust over worry. So much peace comes out of knowing whose and who you are. Your good, good Father has you covered. Root your peace in His character instead of your circumstances. Whenever you’re dealing with fear about your future, I encourage you to work through the five steps and remember that you have a bright future!
Finally, I want to bless you with a fresh outpouring of hope over your spirit. I pray that the Prince of Peace would be made known in your life this week, and I speak abundant life and joy over your future. May you know the grace that is given to you today, and may you have faith that He will provide grace for you tomorrow.
How do you deal with anxiety? I’d love to hear from you in the comments. {eoa}
Kris Vallotton is the senior associate leader of Bethel Church in Redding, California, and cofounder of Bethel School of Supernatural Ministry (BSSM). Kris travels internationally, training and equipping people to successfully fulfill their divine purpose. He’s a best-selling author, having written more than a dozen books and training manuals to help prepare believers for life in the kingdom. He has a diverse background in business, counseling, consulting, pastoring and teaching, which gives him unique leadership insights and perspectives. Kris has a passion to use his experience and his prophetic gift to assist world leaders in achieving their goals and accomplishing their mission.
This article originally appeared at krisvallotton.com.
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