Hope for the Anxious

On a scale of one to ten – ten being the worst – how anxious do you feel? Six? Seven? Are you ever in the eight to nine range?

Anxiety is rampant in our culture and in our homes. Anxiety is about the scary “what ifs?” in life. What if our children don’t make good decisions? What if the economy negatively impacts our jobs? We dream up horrible scenarios about everything that could happen and rehearse them over and over again in our minds.

The payoff for all of that handwringing is control. Or to be accurate, the illusion of control. We believe that we can survive a crisis if we anticipate everything that could possibly go wrong and plan accordingly.

The truth is you can’t rehearse tragedy. After a certain point, recycling horrible scenarios through our minds doesn’t prepare us for when they happen. Worry never robs tomorrow of its sorrow; it saps today of its joy.

At Focus on the Family, we want to strengthen you in God’s love so that you feel released to freedom. In His grace and power, you can do all things – even conquer anxiety.

Philippians 4:6 says, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.” And Jesus reminds us in John 16:33 that despite the tribulation we face, He has “overcome the world.”

Focus on the Family can also help. Our broadcast “Hope for the Anxious” will help you find peace of mind by teaching you how to release your anxiety to God. Our guest is Deborah Pegues, who is offering an insightful look at worry as well as effective ways of dealing with the stress it causes.

Deborah shares how to focus on something positive to influence your future in the right direction by using the “S-T-R-E-S-S Model”:

S – Seek God’s guidance.
T – Trust what He tells you to do.
R – Remember past victories.
E – Exalt God above the problem.
S – Solicit the prayers and support of others.
S – Stand on the promises of God.

Hear our full conversation on your local radio station, online, on iTunes, via Podcast, or on our free phone app.

If you feel that your stress exceeds your abilities to handle it, please give us a call at 1-800-A-FAMILY (232-6459). We have caring, Christian counselors who can offer you guidance, prayer, and resources.

One helpful resource to consider is Deborah Pegues’ book 30 Days to Taming Worry and Anxiety, which is available through our ministry for a gift of any amount. Visit our website for more information.