Quiet Moments for the Anxious Heart

Hello, Do you worry? Do you worry about everything that could go wrong? Do you worry all the time? Do you worry about your relationships? Parenting? Awkward encounters with strangers at the store? Do you worry about what you said? What you are going to say? Are you filled with worry, worry, worry? I am! I am filled up to the brim with worry. People always comment “it must be stressful to be you”. They have no idea…. it certainly is. It is very stressful to be someone filled with constant worry. If you are like me and you suffer from anxiety, I get it… It is hard to be us! After living with anxiety and worry for over two decades, I have decided to do something. I wanted to take control and kick this worry thing to the curb. So, I started by adding in quiet time, prayer and reflection to my morning. I started to read and memorize bible verses. I started talking to people, taking screenshots of helpful quotes and taking notes. All these things have helped me grow. Now, I decided I wanted to share them with others. So, here is my devotional. It is filled with my worries, my insecurities, and my failures. It is filled with some things I have learned.......and am still learning. These pages are filled with my favorite verses, my prayers, and my quiet moments. This is what has helped me with my journey with anxiety. I hope as you embark on this journey with me, you read these stories and find the humor and the sincerity within them. I hope you learn more about yourself. I pray that as you read this devotional, you can find some things that can help you grow. I hope you take some time to reflect and grow closer to yourself, and to God. I also hope you understand you are not alone in dealing with anxiety. I pray that you can find peace and calmness throughout your devotional time and your days ahead. Good Luck! I am praying for you as you start! Day 2: Quicksand When I was a kid, I had an irrational fear of quicksand! I don’t know, it may have stemmed from the Atari game Pitfall. (Remember that one?) I remember that I was afraid to play outside at my cousin’s house because I could have sworn she had quicksand in her backyard. I could imagine it; I would be playing and then I would get stuck in the muck! I could already feel that sinking feeling, unable to get out, yelling for help and sinking more and more. It was terrifying. I chose to not play in the backyard at her house at all. I always suggested playing in the front yard to avoid getting swallowed up! Sometimes, I think that living with anxiety is a little like quicksand. You never feel like you can get out. You are just slowly sinking deeper and deeper, little by little. It’s not a quick sudden fall into a hole or pit. It is a slow and painstaking feeling that likes to keep us feeling weighed down. It keeps us struggling and sinking, as if it is going to swallow you up. As humans we can feel like we are drowning in a lot of different areas of our life. Are we up to our necks at work? Do we feel like we are just swimming to stay afloat in our relationships? Is parenting weighing you down? Sometimes the sinking feeling keeps growing and is just too much. There is good news! There is someone that can save us from that sinking feeling. If we are patient, and we turn our attention away from the quicksand, and to God, He will pull us to safety. If we ask for help, He will hear us. He can help us get out of the “muck” just by giving us His hand and pulling us to safety. We must trust Him. He will put us on solid ground and on the right path. With Him, we can play in the backyard or the front yard! We don’t have to listen to the stories our anxieties are telling us. He will always be there to pull us out and put us on a safe and secure foundation. Verse: Psalm 40:1-3 I waited patiently for the Lord to help me, and he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of a slimy pit, out of the mud and the mire. He set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our Lord. Many will see and fear the Lord, and put their trust in him. Question: Have you ever felt like you were drowning? At work? Parenting? In a relationship? Is anxiety or depression causing the drowning feeling? Imagine you are in quicksand. Jesus has just reached out His arm to pull you out. What do you tell Him? Give Him your weight so you don’t have to struggle to stay afloat. Now, thank Him for pulling you out! Prayer: Saviour, Thank you for showing up for me, when I feel like I am sinking. I know that all I have to do is say the word, and You will be by my side. Thank you for pulling me out whenever I need it and putting me back on solid ground. Lord, I want to trust in You! I know that You will help me navigate my work, or parenting, or anxiety or depression or anything that I am going through right now! I put my trust in You Lord. Thank you!