“Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?” -Matthew 6:26, 27 ESV
James Donovan: “I have a mandate to serve you, no body else does. Quite frankly, everybody else has an interest in sending you to the electric chair.”
Rudolph Abel: “All right.”
James Donovan: “You don’t seem alarmed?”
Rudolph Abel: “Would it help?”
-From the movie Bridge of Spies
“I get nervous about everything. Sometimes I literally don't know why I'm anxious. I just am and no one seems to understand that.” I‘ve heard that from many people and I’ve felt it myself.
My first panic attack occurred when I was 29 and studying for a Hebrew exam in seminary. I thought I was having a heart attack; struggling to breathe and sweating. As I laid on the couch, my wife grabbed the phone and was about to call 9-1-1. But slowly the chest pains subsided, I could breathe normally, and the sweating abated.
This whole thing scared me. It had never happened before. All I remember is thinking about the exam the next day, feeling I would fail, and the consequences of failure. I wasn’t sure what I was experiencing but several things were true: I could not control it or make it stop. And, I felt helpless and at the mercy of something inside me that wasn’t me.
Debilitating Anxiety Has Grown in Both Adults and Children
Problems with anxiety have grown exponentially over the last 50 years.
National prevalence data indicate that nearly 40 million people in the United States (18 percent) experience an anxiety disorder in any given year.
Approximately eight percent of children and teenagers experience an anxiety disorder with most people developing symptoms before the age of 21.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), one in 13 globally suffers from anxiety.
Those who claim to be Christians, or attend a church, suffer with anxiety in the same percentages as those who are not aligned with Christianity or attend a church.
Incidents of anxiety and panic attacks have grown among both men and women. Many doctors say that over 50 percent of their patients suffer from anxiety; at times, due to chronic illness or other trauma.
Even Jesus suffered a form of anxiety before His crucifixion, “And taking with Him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, He began to be sorrowful and troubled. Then He said to them, "My soul is very sorrowful, even to death; remain here, and watch with me.”(Matthew 25:37, 38)
The word in this passage for “sorrowful” in the Greek is the idea of being in great distress of soul. The word for “troubled” is very similar to anxiety, to feel fear and be deeply disturbed in soul and being. The feelings of anxiety and the distress in our soul that comes with it are common to all human beings. Some, however, suffer more than others. But regardless of the degree of suffering, there is hope in the agape love of a good God (I Corinthians 13:13).
I Can’t Stop the Insanity
The frustration with anxiety or panic attacks is that it can be very difficult, if not impossible, to control them. Anxiety can feel overwhelming at times, to the point that you can’t function in simple, daily tasks. The anxiety can lead to fatigue and other physical manifestations such as muscle pain, headaches and joint pain. It impacts the entire person: spirit, soul and body. Trying to stop it is like trying to stop a bus without brakes running downhill out of control. And it’s that sense of being out of control that feeds the anxiety.
In my journey dealing with anxiety, I’ve found that agape love is a good beginning point to stop the insanity. Because in God’s agape love, we can see, believe and experience that we are loved perfectly. That love is unconditional, sacrificial, non-judgmental, inclusive of all people, and seeks our highest good. We begin to see that we are in union with God, one with Him in Christ, and we never suffer or go through anything alone. Agape is always willing to suffer with the one loved.
God’s Agape and Anxiety
What is agape love? The word agape comes from the Greek, and it’s the word most used when the Bible speaks of God’s love. It’s a compound word from “ago” meaning to lead as a shepherd would lead. This speaks of sacrifice, selflessness, watchful care and gently leading. And from “pauo” meaning to rest. So, to lead or bring one into rest.
When we know (not just a mental assent) that we are loved this way by God our Father, then something begins to change within. To know His true character of agape is a first step to enjoying rest and peace of soul.
Change of Focus and Being Proactive
Anxiety is an inward issue, but it’s fed by external stimuli. It’s a focus on false views of yourself, God and others. I call it false data in the brain. A focus on the things that may or may not occur because of false beliefs and false identities, rather than a focus on your true identity in the agape of God the Father (a good God), and in Christ.
If you struggle with anxiety, here are some proactive suggestions:
If you haven’t, go see a doctor and get checked out physically. There are medications or treatments that can help if your doctor determines they’re needed.
Get spiritual counseling that deals with identity issues, your true self in Christ, and the true nature of God in agape love. This type of counseling assists in healing emotional wounds from the past and moving beyond false beliefs and false identities. Spiritual counseling ultimately impacts the body’s well-being too. Abiding in Agape Ministries offers this spiritual counseling. Simply contact us to request more Info.
Use mindfulness techniques to stay in the moment: breathing exercises, meditation, silence, contemplation and journaling are all helpful. I’ve found these to be effective in my struggle with anxiety as well as In my spiritual journey. More on these in part 2 and part 3 of this series.
A healthy diet, especially one high in vegetables, fruits, nuts and healthy proteins (such as fish and eggs), is vital.
Daily exercise can reduce stress and help maintain physical health. Both are important when dealing with anxiety. Consult with your doctor for what would be a good exercise regimen for your age and current health status.
Massages. Yes, massages are wonderful, especially head, neck and shoulder massages. Request a reference from someone you trust, a doctor, family member or friend, to find a good masseuse.
Be kind to yourself, love who you are just as you are, created in God’s image, because He does! This whole website is devoted to helping you realize God’s agape love of you.
In part 2 of this series, we’ll discuss the process of being controlled by anxiety to living in the peace and rest of soul in Christ that belongs to every person.