ANXIETY IS ONE OF THOSE heavy, undesirable spirits that seem to creep upon us as part of our fallen human experience. Sometimes, it looms in the subconscious; at other times, it springs up in the conscious mind. It can be disguised behind a broad artificial smile or manifested in the eyes of its victims. Some sufferers of anxiety choose to recoil in worry, while others put on their running shoes to break a sweat, thus
secreting an abundance of endorphins (a friendly hormone)!
David was quite familiar with anxiety, as indicated in his monologue in Psalm 42, but he showcased one of his coping strategies in the same passage. He reminded himself to keep hope alive because no situation is permanent: “Hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise Him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God” (verse 11, KJV).
We all can recall our various triggers of anxiety and how we respond. The context of my most memorable experience with anxiety was in my new home in South America, in the country of Suriname, where I migrated to live and work with my husband in 1997.
I was immersed in culture shock, a language barrier, unemployment, and homesickness. Additionally, the country was facing an economic downturn, which meant inflation and the unavailability of food items, such as infant formula, while I was raising two babies. My self-talk was concise and negative: “How could I have made such a foolish mistake to quit my well-paid job in Trinidad and come to live in this place?!” This was
sufficient fuel to ignite the spark of anxiety on all levels in my life.
THE ANTIDOTE
Our Creator, in His awareness of the structure of the human psychological faculty and with His knowledge of our archenemy, has provided us with an awesome antidote for anxiety. This antidote is always soothing to our psyche, and it is a weapon that brings victory against the mental attacks of the enemy. I am happy to testify that imbibing this remedy transposed my mental state from anxiety to a place of peace, hope, and rest in the bosom of our Heavenly Father.
Jesus has promised us, “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid” (John 14:27, KJV). Today, as I face life’s challenges, I choose to identify and quickly arrest all feelings of anxiety and have those feelings replaced by the poignant and powerful promise of these wonderful words whispered by the lips of my Savior. During the day, I walk and repeat the message under my breath, and at night, while in bed, I repeat this antidote over and over until I fall into the deepest, most restful sleep.
I encourage you, my friend, to apply this remedy: Memorize John 14:27 and follow my strategy. It kept my mental health intact for the ten-year sojourn in South America. Even though the situation appeared dark, it is incredible to experience a mysterious mental boost due to ruminating on this scripture. And I have found that His peace leads to praise! As we read earlier, David added, “I shall yet praise Him”—and I found this true. The Word says that God inhabits the praises of His people (Psalm 22:3).
