The Anatomy of Anxiety
Part 31: Talk to Yourself Instead of Letting Yourself Talk to You
Note: For previous posts in this blog series, visit: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, and 30.
Big Idea: Does worry, doubt, or fear get the best of you sometimes? Do you wonder where anxiety comes from and how to defeat it in your life and the lives of those you love? Then we need a biblical anatomy of anxiety. We need God’s prescription for victory over anxiety.
Master Your Thought Life: Biblical Self-Confrontation
Today’s title may seem a tad odd. If so, blame it on Pastor Dr. Martin Lloyd Jones. It was while reading his book on Spiritual Depression that I came across his concept, based upon Psalm 42:5, that David talked to himself instead of letting his self talk to him. “Why are you so disquieted, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God.”
I often tell parishioners, counselees, and friends that “the brain has a mind of its own.” We’re constantly bombarded with ideas, thoughts, and messages—our internal dialogue. To experience Christ’s victory over anxiety, fear, and worry, we have to master our thought life. We have to change habitual thinking, speak the truth to ourselves, and align our thoughts with God’s thoughts.
Catch Your Thoughts: Listen to Your Self
To start with, we have to “catch our thoughts.” We must become aware of the habitual, unhealthy, unbiblical sentences, ideas, and images dancing in our heads. Before we can talk to our self, we must listen to our self!
If you’re experiencing worry, slow down your thinking. Ask yourself, “What is my bottom line fearful belief right now? What images of my self, my world, God, and others are scrolling through my brain?”
Challenge Your Self
Having captured the thoughts that previously captivated your mind, now challenge the lies that you’re believing. Ask questions such as:
*What is the evidence that this belief/idea/image is true?
*Is this belief/idea/image always true, or are there exceptions?
*Where was I recruited into this belief/idea/image?
*What does God’s Word say about this belief/idea/image?
Speak Truth to Your Self
Imagine that you’re about to give a presentation: teach a Sunday school class, speak to a small group at work, share your findings with your supervisors, give a speech in a high school, college, or graduate school class, etc. And imagine that it’s all you can think about. You can’t sleep. As the days get closer, the worry grows deeper. You’ve caught your thinking by listening to your self and by challenging yourself. Speak truth to your self now such as:
*God has empowered me before to conquer my fear of public speaking, He can do so again.
*Even if the worst case scenario occurred, God will never leave me nor forsake me.
*I am ultimately speaking before an audience of One—God—and He will never condemn me.
*I have not been given a spirit of fear, but a spirit of power, love, and wisdom.
*I am more than a conqueror through Christ who loves me so.
Keeping It Real
Think of something in your life that is creating worry, fear, anxiety, or stress. Walk through each of the steps in the post, applying them to your mental victory.
The Rest of the Story
Having talked to your self, next you can learn how to renew your mind by renewing your ides and images. Yes, God designed us to think both in words and pictures, and biblical mind renewal requires that we address both.
Join the Conversation
Do you agree or disagree with Pastor Martin Lloyd Jones that we must talk to our self instead of letting our self talk to us? Do you agree or disagree with me that “the brain has a mind of its own?”
