Do Not Be Anxious of Anything

As I was praying  one morning, I could not help but ponder on what Philippians 4:6-11 declares, “Do not be anxious about anything , but in every situation,  by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

True indeed, in the midst of problems that beset us, we could not help but be anxious  on the challenges and trials that come along in our journey. If the burdens are too heavy to bear, we spend sleepless nights thinking on these “demons.”

 I, for one, could not help but be anxious sometimes of a situation that pesters my inner being. Although I pray hard, yet my prayer in a particular situation is not yet granted. Sometimes, I’d whisper in my heart and ask the Lord, “Lord, when are you going to grant my request.” I think God is still testing my patience and trust in Him. Philippians declaration is a reminder that I should not waiver in my prayer, but instead be steadfast in my request to the Lord.

I am reminded of young  relative  who underwent mastectomy recently. She is not bitter on what had happened to her. She is very positive in her situation. She told her mom that being anxious does not bring her anywhere. Instead, she said, “I think God has a plan for me why I am given this illness. I lift my life to Him, since He is the giver of life.”

Are you bothered by something that makes you anxious? There are healthy ways to reduce it as suggested by Margarita Tartakovsk of https://psychcentral.com website:

• Take a deep breath. “The first thing to do when you get anxious is to breathe,” said Tom Corboy, founder and executive director of the QCD Center of Los Angeles. Psychologist Maria W. Deibler, a clinical psychologist suggested this practice: “Try slowly inhaling to a count of 4, filling your belly first and then your chest, gently holding your breath to a count of 4, and slowly exhaling to a count of 4 and repeat several times.

• Use a calming visualization. Picture yourself on a river bank or a beach. Watch leaves pass by on the river or clouds pass by in the sky. Just watch them float.

• Focus on right now. When people are anxious, they are usually obsessing about something that might occur in the future,” Corboy said. “Instead pause, breathe and pay attention to what’s happening right now. Even if something serious is happening, focusing on the present moment will improve your ability to manage the situation.

• Focus on meaningful activities. When you’re feeling anxious, it helps to focus your attention on a meaningful, goal-directed activity. If you were going to see a movie, still go. If you were going to do the laundry, still do it. The worst thing you can do when anxious is to passively sit around obsessing about how you feel. The bottom line is, get busy with the business of life. Don’t sit around focusing on being anxious – nothing good will come of that.”