Anxiety is something I struggle with constantly. Every day, I wage war against the lies in my mind that I'm not good enough, that I have no friends, that no matter how hard I try, this anxiety will never go away. Some days, I can deal with it quite well. Other days, however, it brings me to my knees, stops my heart, and reduces me to tears.
To be completely honest, I hate living with anxiety. I hate everything about it. There are times when I will freeze up and retreat into myself even when I'm hanging out with people I love being with. There are times when I question every little decision I make. I really can't stand living with anxiety. Sometimes, it makes my life horrible.
However, even though it's miserable, my anxiety has taught me a very important lesson.
Living with anxiety has taught me that, no matter what lies my mind may tell me, God is always with me. He has never left me, and He will never forsake me (Deuteronomy 31:6). Even when I feel as though I'm all alone in the world, He is always with me. He is always by my side protecting me. That's one of the many promises He has made for me.
I always feel much more comforted knowing the God of the universe is protecting me everywhere I go. Not only can He protect me from the physical dangers of this world, He can also protect me from the lies that my mind tells me.
I have also learned to bring all of my anxiety to God because He loves me (1 Peter 5:7). God's love for me is so much bigger than I could have ever imagined and can handle anything my anxiety may bring. God taking my anxiety shows me just how much He loves me.
If God loves me, what do I have to be afraid of?
When God shows me His unfailing love every day, I know that I don't have to be afraid of anything. He is always there for me and will always fight for me. While I know my struggle with anxiety may be something I carry with me for a long time, I know that God will be there with me through all of it. His love and protection will always be there with me, so I can stand firm against the lies my mind tells me.