From Overwhelmed to Victorious: My 3-Key Strategy for Victory in Facing Life's Challenges
In times like these, we need a Savior and best friend who can provide help when all else fails. It's in those moments of helplessness and hopelessness, when anxiety and depression threaten to weigh us down, that we can turn to Him. My journey with Jesus began in July 1973, when I accepted Him as my Savior and gained a best friend. Since then, I've experienced His love and support in profound ways.
That day in July, I felt lost and alone, as if in the darkest abyss, but Jesus showed up and answered my desperate cry for help. He showed me that I can face any challenge that comes my way if I'll just let Him lead and keep my focus on Him, like the Apostle Peter.
Society is finally waking up to a crucial truth: it's okay not to be okay! We don't have to have all the answers, and mental challenges are nothing to be ashamed of. Many of us have faced anxiety or depression in some form, and it's time we acknowledge that it's okay to talk about it or ask for help. Life will always be full of challenges, and they're nothing to be ashamed of. When we find ourselves feeling lost and alone, that's when God is trying to help us understand that something in our lives isn't working, and needs changing.
As someone who has navigated anxiety and its challenges, I've learned valuable lessons throughout my life, that I'd like to share with you. I've discovered effective strategies for overcoming hopelessness, and finding victory. I'm excited to share what continues to work for me, in hopes it might help others.
To be clear, I'm not for preaching or proselytization – I wouldn't want to be preached at, either. My goal is to simply share subjects that are on my heart that have worked for me, in hopes they might be of help to others. I'll share 3 keys that have worked for my success in whatever life throws at me. Specifically, regarding anxiety. If any are not up to reading this, or just aren't interested, that's fine – feel free to skip it. For those who are still searching, I'm willing to share what has worked for me.
After years of searching, I realized that nothing in this world has the knowledge or ability to help me resolve life's challenges like the One who truly understands me. He's the only one equipped to provide the tools and help I need to survive and thrive. My part is to trust the process and exercise my faith by following the directions He has provided in scripture.
Faith activates action on God's part. We need to read the promises from God's Word, trust them, and then act on them. If we don't follow scripture's guidance, we won't see the outcome we desire. We have to do our part – our homework, our best. Simply dropping it in God's lap and waiting isn't faith; it's treating Him like a genie.
When I do my part and walk by faith, God takes care of the rest. That's the key. I can't be lazy in my faith and expect God to hand everything over without any faith on my part. Here's how I practice my faith so it can bring effective results: the minute I feel anxious, I turn to God and His Word.
We only get out of scripture what we put into it. It can't help us if we won't practice what it says. If you're looking for answers, you'll never find them in substitutes for what only Christ can do for you. When I read a verse that's there to help me, I place my trust in God's promise in that verse. Unless I do that, it's pointless.
God's Word is alive, and we need to be active with it – that's exercising our faith. Where there's faith, there are results. Faith is believing in our risen Savior, who has provided living promises in His Word, and He never breaks a promise. That's why we can trust Him. He is sinless – incapable of lying.
God as "sinless" is applied to Jesus Christ, who is described as without sin in passages like Hebrews 4:15 and 1 Peter 2:22. This means God can be trusted in any situation, at any time. No human can claim to be sinless, and this is why He alone is worthy to be our Mediator between God and man (1 Timothy 2:5).
Faith is simply taking God at His Word, believing He will keep His promises to us, just as you would trust anyone else you love. Sometimes people can let us down, but God will never let us down nor abandon us. After 53 years of sharing my life with Him, I can say that with great conviction.
If I don't exercise my faith, I won't get results. Every time I reach up to hit the switch on the lamp by my table, I'm exercising faith. I'm trusting that the electric company did its job in providing and delivering its promise to give me light. How much more faithful is our Living God of the universe?
When I place my faith and trust in God and His promises, I'm telling God, "I believe You. I trust You. I believe You're trustworthy, and therefore I'm placing all my trust in You." What that does is allow God to work on my behalf.
Think of it like this: just as an electric company needs our permission to access our home and restore power, God needs our invitation to fully engage with us. If we don't ask for help or acknowledge our need for Him, He won't force His way in. He's waiting for us to reach out and invite Him into our lives.
Jesus tenderly urges all to "Come unto Me, all of you who are weary of life and heavily burdened by it, and I will give you rest" (Matthew 11:28). That's a promise. Notice He didn't tell us to search the world over for answers, comfort, and peace. The world can't offer that.
When I get anxious, I remember to practice these three things:
1. To immediately turn to God and scripture, wherein lies my help.
2. To read scripture verses that show me how to receive the peace my heart needs in times of trouble.
3. To exercise my faith and discipline myself to persevere in turning to God and His Word.
Myself? I like Holly Gerth, but mostly I find Carl Jung's self-help videos extremely helpful. God uses people like them to help us, as well. He inspires their words and work. He knows exactly how to untangle the mind, so it can be set free. However, God and the Bible have been the greatest help to me and have completely sent me free by giving me the spiritual and mental tools I need, in order to conquer dreaded anxiety. I refuse to let it dominate or control me, and there are many Bible verses that teach me how to have victory. The one that has helped me the most, however, and keeps me completely free from anxiety (when I practice its principles), is:
Isaiah 26:3 says, "You keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you."
We can't keep our minds on two things at once, right? The principle is that perfect peace comes from actively focusing our minds and trust on God, even amidst life's troubles. When we keep our minds steadfastly focused on Him, rather than the chaos around us, we find that peace that surpasses all understanding.
It is a famous principle and promise from God's own Word, found in Isaiah 26:3, and it means God provides deep, unwavering peace, to whom? Those who KEEP their focus and thoughts on God, and trust in Him, even amidst life's troubles, as their hope is anchored in the right person.
The phrase "idleness is the Devil's playground" (or "idle hands are the devil's workshop") comes from ancient Christian teachings, with its roots in biblical ideas about avoiding sin through work, popularized by 4th-century theologian Jerome. It evolves from the concept that unoccupied people find mischief, or are susceptible to temptation.
The idea also stems from scripture (like 1 Timothy 5:13, 2 Thessalonians 3:11) warning against idleness, which leads to gossip and sin, but the exact phrase isn't in the Bible.
Isaac Watts (18th Century): Isaac Watts used "Satan finds some mischief still for idle hands to do" in his Divine Songs, further cementing the connection between idleness and the devil's work.
No God – No Peace
Know God – Know Peace
The minute I turned my focus from the world's chaos to God, I was positioned to receive the perfect spiritual peace and love my heart so longed for.
Another scripture that brings me great comfort is when God reminds me to be anxious for nothing. God is in control, and there's nothing that He can not handle because "greater is He that is in me, than he that is in the world" (1 John 4:4). Our spirits yearn for connection with God, and without it, we can feel empty and lost.
John 15:5, Jesus says, "I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me, you will bear much fruit; apart from me, you can do nothing." This verse highlights our dependence on God and the importance of staying connected to Him. Similarly, Psalm 42:1-2 says that our soul thirsts for the living God.
If we're seeking answers for our spirit's well-being, then we must seek our spiritual God, who has all the answers to the puzzle of life. I sincerely hope that at least one of my strategies will help you on your road to recovery. Thanks for your time.
That day in July, I felt lost and alone, as if in the darkest abyss, but Jesus showed up and answered my desperate cry for help. He showed me that I can face any challenge that comes my way if I'll just let Him lead and keep my focus on Him, like the Apostle Peter.
Society is finally waking up to a crucial truth: it's okay not to be okay! We don't have to have all the answers, and mental challenges are nothing to be ashamed of. Many of us have faced anxiety or depression in some form, and it's time we acknowledge that it's okay to talk about it or ask for help. Life will always be full of challenges, and they're nothing to be ashamed of. When we find ourselves feeling lost and alone, that's when God is trying to help us understand that something in our lives isn't working, and needs changing.
As someone who has navigated anxiety and its challenges, I've learned valuable lessons throughout my life, that I'd like to share with you. I've discovered effective strategies for overcoming hopelessness, and finding victory. I'm excited to share what continues to work for me, in hopes it might help others.
To be clear, I'm not for preaching or proselytization – I wouldn't want to be preached at, either. My goal is to simply share subjects that are on my heart that have worked for me, in hopes they might be of help to others. I'll share 3 keys that have worked for my success in whatever life throws at me. Specifically, regarding anxiety. If any are not up to reading this, or just aren't interested, that's fine – feel free to skip it. For those who are still searching, I'm willing to share what has worked for me.
After years of searching, I realized that nothing in this world has the knowledge or ability to help me resolve life's challenges like the One who truly understands me. He's the only one equipped to provide the tools and help I need to survive and thrive. My part is to trust the process and exercise my faith by following the directions He has provided in scripture.
Faith activates action on God's part. We need to read the promises from God's Word, trust them, and then act on them. If we don't follow scripture's guidance, we won't see the outcome we desire. We have to do our part – our homework, our best. Simply dropping it in God's lap and waiting isn't faith; it's treating Him like a genie.
When I do my part and walk by faith, God takes care of the rest. That's the key. I can't be lazy in my faith and expect God to hand everything over without any faith on my part. Here's how I practice my faith so it can bring effective results: the minute I feel anxious, I turn to God and His Word.
We only get out of scripture what we put into it. It can't help us if we won't practice what it says. If you're looking for answers, you'll never find them in substitutes for what only Christ can do for you. When I read a verse that's there to help me, I place my trust in God's promise in that verse. Unless I do that, it's pointless.
God's Word is alive, and we need to be active with it – that's exercising our faith. Where there's faith, there are results. Faith is believing in our risen Savior, who has provided living promises in His Word, and He never breaks a promise. That's why we can trust Him. He is sinless – incapable of lying.
God as "sinless" is applied to Jesus Christ, who is described as without sin in passages like Hebrews 4:15 and 1 Peter 2:22. This means God can be trusted in any situation, at any time. No human can claim to be sinless, and this is why He alone is worthy to be our Mediator between God and man (1 Timothy 2:5).
Faith is simply taking God at His Word, believing He will keep His promises to us, just as you would trust anyone else you love. Sometimes people can let us down, but God will never let us down nor abandon us. After 53 years of sharing my life with Him, I can say that with great conviction.
If I don't exercise my faith, I won't get results. Every time I reach up to hit the switch on the lamp by my table, I'm exercising faith. I'm trusting that the electric company did its job in providing and delivering its promise to give me light. How much more faithful is our Living God of the universe?
When I place my faith and trust in God and His promises, I'm telling God, "I believe You. I trust You. I believe You're trustworthy, and therefore I'm placing all my trust in You." What that does is allow God to work on my behalf.
Think of it like this: just as an electric company needs our permission to access our home and restore power, God needs our invitation to fully engage with us. If we don't ask for help or acknowledge our need for Him, He won't force His way in. He's waiting for us to reach out and invite Him into our lives.
Jesus tenderly urges all to "Come unto Me, all of you who are weary of life and heavily burdened by it, and I will give you rest" (Matthew 11:28). That's a promise. Notice He didn't tell us to search the world over for answers, comfort, and peace. The world can't offer that.
When I get anxious, I remember to practice these three things:
1. To immediately turn to God and scripture, wherein lies my help.
2. To read scripture verses that show me how to receive the peace my heart needs in times of trouble.
3. To exercise my faith and discipline myself to persevere in turning to God and His Word.
Myself? I like Holly Gerth, but mostly I find Carl Jung's self-help videos extremely helpful. God uses people like them to help us, as well. He inspires their words and work. He knows exactly how to untangle the mind, so it can be set free. However, God and the Bible have been the greatest help to me and have completely sent me free by giving me the spiritual and mental tools I need, in order to conquer dreaded anxiety. I refuse to let it dominate or control me, and there are many Bible verses that teach me how to have victory. The one that has helped me the most, however, and keeps me completely free from anxiety (when I practice its principles), is:
Isaiah 26:3 says, "You keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you."
We can't keep our minds on two things at once, right? The principle is that perfect peace comes from actively focusing our minds and trust on God, even amidst life's troubles. When we keep our minds steadfastly focused on Him, rather than the chaos around us, we find that peace that surpasses all understanding.
It is a famous principle and promise from God's own Word, found in Isaiah 26:3, and it means God provides deep, unwavering peace, to whom? Those who KEEP their focus and thoughts on God, and trust in Him, even amidst life's troubles, as their hope is anchored in the right person.
The phrase "idleness is the Devil's playground" (or "idle hands are the devil's workshop") comes from ancient Christian teachings, with its roots in biblical ideas about avoiding sin through work, popularized by 4th-century theologian Jerome. It evolves from the concept that unoccupied people find mischief, or are susceptible to temptation.
The idea also stems from scripture (like 1 Timothy 5:13, 2 Thessalonians 3:11) warning against idleness, which leads to gossip and sin, but the exact phrase isn't in the Bible.
Isaac Watts (18th Century): Isaac Watts used "Satan finds some mischief still for idle hands to do" in his Divine Songs, further cementing the connection between idleness and the devil's work.
No God – No Peace
Know God – Know Peace
The minute I turned my focus from the world's chaos to God, I was positioned to receive the perfect spiritual peace and love my heart so longed for.
Another scripture that brings me great comfort is when God reminds me to be anxious for nothing. God is in control, and there's nothing that He can not handle because "greater is He that is in me, than he that is in the world" (1 John 4:4). Our spirits yearn for connection with God, and without it, we can feel empty and lost.
John 15:5, Jesus says, "I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me, you will bear much fruit; apart from me, you can do nothing." This verse highlights our dependence on God and the importance of staying connected to Him. Similarly, Psalm 42:1-2 says that our soul thirsts for the living God.
If we're seeking answers for our spirit's well-being, then we must seek our spiritual God, who has all the answers to the puzzle of life. I sincerely hope that at least one of my strategies will help you on your road to recovery. Thanks for your time.
