The Lies Anxiety Tells
By Aaron D’Anthony Brown
Bible Reading:
“Anxiety in a person’s heart weighs it down, but a good word cheers it up.” Proverbs 12:25, CSB
Working part-time as a writing consultant affords me many opportunities to converse with college students. Unsurprisingly, these youth, fresh out of high school, are still discovering who they are and finding their way in the world. As they have reminded me, there’s plenty of uncertainty to experience, and with uncertainty, fear.
Countless times, they express worry over failing a particular class or assignment. And countless times, they come back to me, recounting how well they performed. Even after they can contrast fear with reality, they often end up in the same place when uncertainty rolls back around again. They fear.
I could look at these students and wonder, “Why don’t they get it?” However, I was a student just like them. At times, as an adult, my anxiety still lies to me, and I still listen.
As believers today, we often look back on the Israelites and wonder why they constantly strayed from God. We question how fear could lead them to worship false idols and lack faith when God pulled them through hard times again and again. We may have even wondered the same about ourselves. God shows His hand, but we still forget His works. That’s because of the lies anxiety tells, or more accurately, the lies we choose to believe.
We hear them, we believe them, we internalize them.
Our inner monologue looks something like, “You are unloved,” “You are unworthy,” “You don’t belong,” “You’re not good enough,” and much more. Whatever that voice is speaking to you in whatever area of your life, know that the only way to counteract a lie permanently is with the truth.
Intersecting Faith & Life:
Overcoming your worries means grounding yourself in truth. Only then will the lies that anxiety tells become less potent. Here are two steps to follow and make into a daily habit.
Discover truth.
One way to discover the truth is through God’s Word. Anxiety and other forms of fear tell you things about your character and worth, things that aren’t true. God’s Word also speaks to who you are and can become. If you had to choose between the two, which would you pick?
We might say God is the obvious answer, but when anxiety is pelting our brains, we often don’t think about God’s truth. We aren’t recounting verses about our worth or God designing us with purpose. However, we should. The more we know the Word of God, the more we will know what He thinks of us. Not only that, but we will also discover what He wants us to think of ourselves.
Another way to find out what is true is through experience. If you are constantly worried about money, but your finances always work out, take note of that. If you think everyone is out to get you when, in reality, no one bothers you at all, take note. Perhaps you’re holding on to some past offense and living in fear, rather than reality.
The more self-aware you become, the better off you will be. Spotting lies will be easier, as will believing what’s true.
Remember the truth.
While becoming aware of the truth is important, humans and sinners naturally forget. Therefore, if we don’t want to forget, we need to create reminders for ourselves. These could take the form of sticky notes, a journal, encouragement from peers, or some other daily or weekly habit.
If God has provided for you in the past, don’t allow yourself to forget. Take note of your blessings. Take notes. Write down why you’re grateful, your strengths, or what you have to offer.
The fears are going to keep coming. We are flawed people living in a flawed world, but they don’t have to possess so much power. The lies we believe become lies we ignore when we have something else to believe in—the Truth.
Further Reading:
Exodus 16:3
1 Corinthians 10:13
Isaiah 41:10
2 Timothy 1:7
Psalm 34:8
Photo Credit: ©iStock/Getty Images Plus/lightspeedshutter
Get in touch with him at aarondanthony.com and check out his debut short story anthology Honey Dreams on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.
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Related Resource: 3 Simple Steps to Manage Your Emotions
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