Religion can be a very powerful tool. Christianity actually has a very complex relationship with anxiety. When it comes to the Christian relationship in overcoming anxiety, many people see turning to God as a valuable tool for gaining strength against anxiety disorders, and use their religion as their primary source of coping.
Christianity and a Relationship with God
Jesus teaches acceptance, both of the world and of oneself. Acceptance starts by understanding your anxiety further and really recognizing causes and solutions for your anxiety symptoms.
"For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord. They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope." Jeremiah 29:11-12
One of the reasons that people find Christianity helps them overcome anxiety is because at the core of anxiety is fear. Fear over the unknown and the belief that specific things in your life are important. Christianity teaches values that promote less anxiety, specifically because the beliefs in Christianity runs directly counter to the issues that cause anxiety. For example:
- Fear of the Unknown The bible teaches that fear of the unknown shows a lack of faith in God. Everything is supposed to be the result of God's plan. If you're allowing yourself to be overcome by anxiety and fear, then you're showing that you don't have trust in God. The more trust you have, the more confident you are in change and what happens in the future.
- Fear of Death Christianity also teaches that death isn't something to fear at all. In fact, a life lived in God's path is designed to help you get to heaven, which is the ultimate goal of Christianity. This is seen in many Christians that adopt the religion after experiencing profound stress. Jesus gives their life purpose, which helps them overcome this belief that passing is something they need to fear.
- Personal Fears Many people also have personal fears that affect them. For example, someone may fear embarrassment, or they may fear spiders, or they may fear socializing. All of these personal fears go against the belief in God, which is that your fears are selfish, when God has a plan for you. Personal fears can be hard to control, but a strong belief system can help people overcome that anxiety.
The core of believing in God is about trust over every uncertainty and fear in life and so this belief can be used to allow people to stop anxiety.
How the Christian Relationship Can Be Used to Overcome Anxiety
If you believe in Christianity but still have anxiety, you may be asking what more you can do. That indicates that your relationship isn't as strong as you would like it to be. Consider the following tips to help use your belief to overcome anxiety:
- Do More Than Pray For Relief Praying for relief of anxiety isn't truly living with God's plan. Belief is what helps you overcome anxiety, and strength of that trust is what allows you to feel less fear. Praying that God simply relieves your anxiety may actually make it worse, because God does believe in personal effort, and anxiety isn't something He is going to simply wash away.
- Attend Church More Church represents a constant reminder of your relationship with God. It's not just about making sure that you do what you need to do to get into Heaven and show God you love Him. It's also about making sure that you are reminded of your belief as often as possible, so that you are able to keep that relationship strong with each passing day.
- Take Care of Your Body — "Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own - you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body." 1 Corinthians 6:19-20. Exercising an taking care of your body is actually ordered by God, and exercise is something that is known to cure anxiety. It is not a coincidence that God requires it.
- Volunteer Living for someone other than yourself is also a part of showing glory to God. Volunteering is a constant reminder of the values of humanity, which will bring you closer to your beliefs and build the Christian relationship inside of you. Find something you're passionate about and volunteer to it and see a real different in the way you find happiness in the world.
- Focus on Your Beliefs Finally, learn to get more in touch with the beliefs that you already have. The truth is that your beliefs can always be nurtured. Write down the beliefs that are important for showing faith in your Christianity, and continue to work towards them often so that you can continue to build on what you need to in order to rid yourself of anxiety.
The Christian relationship is a powerful one, and something that you can nurture in such a way that your anxiety is more likely to be countered as a result. Learn to address the beliefs that Christianity harbors and you may find that your anxiety is reduced as a result.
Also, don't forget to take advantage of what's available on this earth. Remember that God blessed the world with psychologists, medicines, research - these are not something that need to be looked at as an enemy to belief. Rather, they're something that God has offered as a way to improve upon one's life. You're not insulting God by looking to others for help. You're showing God that you're thankful for the help that He's made available to the world.
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