“If you were in the Bible more, you wouldn’t have anxiety.”

“You can just be over it if you just tried - Be happy!”

Wrong. So very wrong — yet I’ve heard it so many times. Ironically, those statements most often come from people who have never experienced anxiety first hand.

I don’t talk about this topic lightly. While writing this, I interviewed multiple close friends who have different levels of anxiety — some who are trying to navigate it without medication while others are.

Anxiety is an epidemic that is plaguing our generation. According to the ADAA, anxiety disorders affect 40 million adults in the United States — 18.1% of the population every year.

With all the rapidly changing technology that we have, we have entered the largest communication shift in 500 years (since the printing press). We were made for community, yet with these new forms of communication – like Snapchat, Facebook, texting, and so much more – we don’t know what to do with it. We don’t know how to form true community outside the world fabricated by the phone in our hands.

Many times we post our best moments online, a highlight reel. When we see others’ lives “all perfect” on social media, we may start to feel anxious about our own lives. This gives Satan a foothold to crawl in and he tells us lies. Social media is not the only reason people have anxiety, but it’s one of the tools he uses to bring us further away from our Creator. Anxiety is essentially the enemy selling you lies that further you from anything good, pure, and holy.

John 10:10, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life and have it to the full.”

This topic of mental health is so important. Especially within the church.

It’s easy to throw scripture and prayer at someone who battles with anxiety and then walk away. When someone struggles with anxiety, they are no less a person than we are. For someone who may have trouble practicing healing quiet times, our attempt at Biblical advice just sounds like lukewarm input to keep them quiet.

Everyday the enemy drops bombs on our lives, specifically designed to distance us from the Father. Anxiety is a damaged part of ourselves, put under a microscope by Satan, but then he flips the blame around on God. God is not responsible for our brokenness, he can only be credited for what is good and holy. Satan is the only one culpable for the defective aspects of our lives.

The stigma around anxiety is that it can be controlled — it’s a choice. Many times anxiety is caused by an underlying medical condition, physiological issues, or something else. I believe in a God of miracles, and I believe that God can heal our anxiety.

The powerful truth is that every moment that we overcome anxiety, we are living miracles.

Every time the peace of God infiltrates an anxiety attack, it’s living proof that our Father has already won the war. Anxiety fails to remember that peace is a promise God will always keep – and I declare that in my life and yours.

Philippians 4:6-7, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

I write this to give you a few tips and ideas. I asked a good friend who is diagnosed with chronic anxiety for some advice on how we can deal with anxiety in our own lives. If you have never dealt with anxiety, here’s also a few tips on how you can be a good friend to someone who has anxiety.

Two tips for someone who has anxiety:

1. Pray. There is power in prayer. It is the most effective and freeing medium for the presence of God in our lives. Do not underestimate it; it is the original darkness destroyer. It may not be the easiest thing, but pray for the Lord to reveal the root of what the anxiety is coming from. It’s one of the best ways to combat it and to truly understand why you are having anxiety attacks.
   
   
2. Find help. Accountability is key. Find a person or two who want to help you through this. If you don't see them, they do exist. Remember, we are biblically designed for community; God isn't sentencing you to this hardship alone. Let them in on what makes you anxious, what your symptoms of anxiety are, and what brings you peace. And of course, ask them to come alongside you in prayer. The enemy is unable to dwell in anything holy, and prayer is the most divine form of communication there is. Find someone in your life to talk to about things – and it’s okay (and probably best) if they are a professional. If therapy is too big of a step, there are Christian counselors in our community that would love to meet with you.

Two tips on how to be a good friend to someone who has anxiety:

1. Be there. No one wants to reach out voluntarily when they need help. So, if your friend struggles with anxiety, affirm their emotions and let them know they’re heard. Be there for them. Don’t go away. Anxiety doesn’t disappear overnight. Follow up. Sometimes it’s just best to sit and be with your friend. Doing life together is a great way to show you care. It might look like sitting and reading a book separately or maybe playing a board game together.  
2. Intercede. The enemy thrives and works most efficiently in silence. Once called out into the open, he loses all capability. When he has a stronghold on our irrational thought, he will do anything in his power to keep that asset. Nothing destroys invalid reasoning like talking it out with a friend. When your friend is having an anxiety attack, the best thing you can do is intercede for them. It can take away the demonic interference that is taking place. The Lord can break those chains.

If you need someone to talk to about your anxiety and don’t know where to take your first step, reach out to any of Vineyard’s staff and we can walk with you on this journey. You are not alone. If you hear one thing – you are not alone. You do not walk through this journey alone.

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 Anna Earl is the Assistant Director of Communications. In this role, she leads the Photography and Videography teams as well as manage Vineyard’s social presence which includes the website and social media.  She is also married to the amazing Nate Earl and together they live in South Bend.

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