Resolving Anxiety Issues

Isaiah 26:3
“Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.”

We live in a world where it seems like so many people claim to have anxiety issues. There is little doubt in my mind that their claims are true when you look at a society that has pushed God out of every aspect of their lives. You will have anxiety issues when the Prince of peace (God) has no place in your life. You will not resolve your anxiety issues by staying home from church when you are going through problems in life. You are not going to resolve your anxiety issues when God isn’t even your last resort for your problems. You are not going to resolve your anxiety issues when you trust the news media and the government more than you trust God’s Word. My friend, anxiety issues are real, but they are no one else’s fault but your own.

The verse above says, “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.” This verse is the answer to your anxiety issues. God promises “perfect peace” to those whose mind is “stayed” on God. “Perfect peace” is complete peace that silences all the unrest that life tries to send your way. If “perfect peace” only comes from staying your mind on God, we must figure out what it means to stay our mind on God and how to do it. Let me share with you what it means.

First, to stay means to remain behind. In other words, you will never find peace in life if you are not willing to stay back to get alone with God in His Word and in prayer. Peace is found by spending time with God. According to the Scriptures, God is the Prince of Peace. Vice only gives temporary relief from life’s problems, but God gives perfect peace from your problems. God doesn’t make your problems worse; rather, He steadies your life while you go through the storms of life.

Second, to stay means to make room for God in your mind. In other words, spend time thinking about God. When your anxiety arises, don’t think about the problems, but stop and think about the God Who lives in your heart. A mind that dwells on God is sure to find the perfect peace that anxiety tries to chase away.

Third, to stay means to defer back to God. You will find that anxiety would flee if you deferred back to what God would want you to do when anxiety tries to make your life unstable. All you have to do when you begin to worry about what to do in life is to ask yourself what God would want you to do in your present situation. In other words, don’t worry about what you don’t know what to do, but instead, do what you do know what to do. Doing what you do know what to do is what gives you the peace of mind in times of unease.

Fourth, to stay means to take a mental vacation with God. Let me encourage you when life becomes uneasy to get away from the problem and spend time singing about God and talking to Him in prayer. Your mind will be calmed by taking a mental vacation with God.

Fifth, to stay means to let God be the support structure for your mind. Stop running to the world to find out how to handle anxiety and worries and let God’s Word be the support structure that tells you what to do. You will never fail to find peace in life if you do what God’s Word tells you to do. God is the Prince of Peace, and He gives you His Word to follow so that you can have peace in the storms of life.

Author: Allen Domelle