We all deal with anxiety in our lives. There are various ways that we usually deal with these problems. Many people retreat to bad habits. Others put their energy into things that distract them from their anxiety. Some ignore the anxiety altogether. Though these methods may work temporarily, they will never fix the problems that exist in our lives. I am here to tell you there is another way – it is so much easier and it works much better. Give your anxieties to God.

It’s as simple as that. For those who don’t understand how it works, I will explain. God is our creator and He loves ALL of us. How great is that? He loves us and wants us each to spend time with Him. He wants us to rely on Him. He wants us to talk to Him and worship Him. Essentially, God wants a personal relationship with us. God, who created the world and everything that is good, wants a relationship with each one of us. He wants us to face our anxieties and willingly give them up to Him – so we can focus on the long-term aspects of our lives (like the fact that He gave up His son so that we will have eternal life! YAY!)

I know this is a lot to process. If you would have told me this five years ago, I might have laughed. Now that I better understand, I have so much MORE joy in my life and so much LESS anxiety. I discovered God’s work in my life through studying the Word. Don’t underestimate the Bible. You can find guidance through the Word for any problem you are dealing with. My biggest problem is anxiety. I am constantly worried about how things will turn out, how people feel about me, how things could have gone differently, etc. I am so grateful for discovering my new favorite passage, which I refer to frequently.

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, 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." -Philippians 4:6-7

Reading this passage always centers my life away from my obligations and back to God. Because sometimes I forget something very important – God has given me everything. I am who I am because of who He is. Why worry about short-term anxieties? God is in control anyways. Why worry about what others think of me? God is the one who I should be working to impress.

By giving our anxieties to God, we can face them head on. We do not have to hide from them or pretend they don’t exist – we can look at them for what they are and not be afraid, because we know that God will take care of us if we just trust in Him. To remind ourselves of this, we can always find relief through the Word. We can pray to God every time it comes in our mind. We can make more time for God in our lives – and we will experience so much joy.