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Anxiety Can Trigger for Good

Episode #8

We all deal with anxiety on some level, so we’ve got to learn how to deal with it. In Matthew chapter 6, Jesus actually tells us what the key to overcoming our anxiety is. In today’s episode, we’re going to talk about what it means to seek the Kingdom of God, why it’s the solution to anxiety, and some practical ways to do it.

Seek First the Kingdom of God:

  • Read Matthew 6:25-33; 7:7-8
  • When you worry, you are concentrating on things that are out of your control.
  • Anxiety over material things is pointless because it won’t bring you any of the things you need.
  • God knows what you need and will provide for your needs.
  • You’re probably worrying about:
    • Things that will never actually happen.
    • Things that God is going to take care of anyway.
    • Things that aren’t important in the grand scheme of things.

Last episode I shared some examples of how we typically respond to anxiety such as blowing up, shutting down, and self-medicating.

Question: How does Jesus tell us to respond to anxiety?
Answer: Let your anxiety trigger you to seek God’s Kingdom.

Seek God’s Kingdom by Serving Others:

  • The key to overcoming worry is to stop thinking about yourself and start thinking about others.
  • Get out of your head and start using your hands.
  • There are people who need your help. Serve God by serving them.

Seek God’s Kingdom by Getting Outside and Thinking:

  • Get out in nature and look at how God is taking care of His creation.
  • Go for a walk, look at the stars, get some Vitamin D.
  • Be reminded of how big God is. He is meeting all the needs of the universe and sustaining the world.
  • When you think about how God works, you tend to trust in how God works.
  • He’s providing for animals and nature, of course He’s going to provide for your needs too!

Seek God’s Kingdom in Small Groups:

  • We are wired to be in relationships and need to develop them on a deeper level.
  • Get into a small group, invite someone out to lunch or coffee.
  • You need to open up to others about your worries and struggles.
  • Get a different perspective from those around you.

Next Episode: We’ll conclude this series on overcoming anxiety.

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