I know that none of you struggle with anxiety or worry. Just like I don’t.

Okay, confession, I do have my moments of anxiety and worry. You know, those moments when thoughts won’t quit running circles in your head or your legs won’t quit running circles around the room.

Worry.

Chronic worrying affects your daily life so much that it interferes with your appetite, lifestyle habits, relationships, sleep, and job performance. (Web MD)

Worry is dangerous to our health. How do we temper the worry?

Anxiety.

How do we silence the anxiety and slow down our out-of-control thoughts that threaten our well being? We aren’t alone in this race. According to Web MD:

Anxiety disorders are commonplace in the U.S., affecting nearly 40 million adults. Anxiety manifests itself in multiple ways and does not discriminate by age, gender, or race.

40 million!

We need some help. That’s a crazy number.

The Bible tells us how to stop this epidemic.

…in quietness and trust is your strength… (Isaiah 30:15)

Worry  and anxiety weakens us physically, emotionally, and spiritually. But in His wisdom, like a loving papa who knows what we need better than his children do, God speaks the key to health and peace.

Be quiet.

“Quietness” has been translated from the Hebrew word Saqat: to rest, be undisturbed, be unmolested, to be still, inactive.

The word means more than not speaking, though for some of us, that would be powerful. It’s so easy to react with words. What would happen if we held our tongues? But Saqat means rest. Stillness. Inactivity.

Have you heard people say, “God helps those who help themselves”? It’s quoted as if it were biblical.

For the clear record, this quote is not biblical because it makes it appear we have to “do” something to please God. But nothing pleases God more than waiting on His answer. 

“…in quietness and trust is your strength…”

The word translated as “trust” is the Hebrew word Bithah. It means-confidence, hope.

Where does our confidence lie? Not just confidence, but confident hope?

Are we confidently hopeful that God has good plans for us even when our circumstances are bad?

[tweetability]2 steps to help stop the worry and anxiety in your life according to Isaiah 30:15[tweetability]

• Spend at least 5 minutes alone with God in silence. Just sit and listen.

 

• Ask Him to help you trust (confidently hope) in Him every time you want to figure out the problem and worry again.

This is a life changing prayer.

Trusting God doesn’t happen over night for most of us. Trusting God comes as we experience His faithfulness, but there are times when prayers aren’t answered favorably and we find ourselves with the choice of trusting Him, choosing hopeful confidence in His wisdom and goodness, or choosing angry worry.

How do you know which choice is better? Just take your blood pressure.

I’ve written a plethora of posts about trusting God. If you need more encouragement simply type in “trust” in the “Search for a topic” box at the bottom of the screen.

It’s a topic close to my heart and one I’ve wrestled with. Here’s an excerpt from a 2012 post. That’s the greatest thing about journaling and blogging: you can look back and be reminded of God’s faithfulness.

Give Him your worries, my friends. He’s got you.

I hope this brings you peace and confident hope and encourages you to spend time in quiet with Him.

This morning as I stumbled down the outside stairs with puppy Jack who decided he wanted out at 5:00am, the black sky freckled with shiny pieces of light welcomed me into something much bigger than me. It was as if God wanted me to start my morning looking up. I took a deep breath and greeted those same stars who met Mary Magdalene on her way to the tomb the day she found a resurrected Jesus, or rather He found her. And I was reminded of the constant of our God. Our miraculous God.

He alone can be trusted.

What helps you turn your worry into confident hope?

With Purpose,