The Anatomy of Anxiety
Part 35: A “Can Do” Spirit
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, 30, 31, 32, 33, and 34.
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.
Can Do…In Christ
It’s in the context of overcoming anxiety that Paul penned the famous words of encouragement, “I can do everything through him who gives me strength” (Philippians 4:13). Paul cultivated a “Can Do” spirit.
However, it is nothing like modern “self-help,” or “positive thinking,” or “possibility thinking.” That’s all founded on a self-sufficient basis. Paul’s “Can Do” spirit is based upon who he is in and through Christ, not upon who he is in himself—in his own effort, strength, or power.
What happens when the reality of my fear rams smack into the reality of Christ’s Word? My fear says, “I can’t do that!” Christ’s Word says, “You can do all things through Me.”
1. Face Your Fear by Faith to Face Down Your Fear by Grace
Some Christians would say, “Ignore your fears! Just obey Christ!” That’s not faith; that’s faking. Others might say, “Sure, admit your fear and then immediately defeat it.” That sounds so close to the truth, but it lacks reality (and compassion).
We have to avoid two extremes. Don’t fake it—don’t pretend your emotions don’t exist. Don’t flood—if you’ve been terrified for years, it’s normally unwise to tackle your greatest fear all in one shot, head on.
Instead, face fears by faith—wisely, and often incrementally, “stand and stay.” Having prepared wisely (see all the previous posts), by faith stay in the presence of what you fear.
So you start giving that speech, and your heart starts racing. Rather than focusing all your attention on your bodily reactions, courageously force yourself to continue. “Okay, I’m starting to get nervous. I wonder if they can tell. I’ll take a deep breath, trust that God is calling and equipping me, get back to my notes, and share my passion with passion!”
2. Turn Setbacks Into Comebacks
Most victories in life come with two steps forward and one step backwards. Perhaps you gave that speech and you bombed. You know it. Your friends are kind, but when you ask them for honest feedback, they share that you did seem to let your fear get the best of you some.
Victory over anxiety is not a neat, nice, linear process. God’s promise that we can do all things through Christ is not a guarantee that we’ll never face obstacles. Turn setbacks into comebacks. Realize that you can plateau and then climb higher. Be willing to take risks—to fight again, to try again.
3. Stir Up the Gift of God: Cultivate Courage
In the Body of Christ, we need to stir one another up (Hebrews 10:24-25). We also need to stir ourselves up (2 Timothy 1:6-7).
Of course, part of the key in serving Christ is knowing what God has called you to. When Paul says He can do all things through Christ—the “all things” were everything Paul was called and equipped to do. Faith does not mean committing ourselves to things we have no calling, training, experience, or expertise in. Ask others to help you to identify your strengths.
Once you’ve identified your strength and gained the equipping necessary, then when fear strikes, you’re ready. Remind yourself who you are in Christ. “I am an MVP in Christ. I have a spirit of power, love and wisdom. I don’t have a spirit of timidity. I am gifted at _______. I can do all things God calls me to do in and through Christ.”
Stirring up the gift of God includes cultivating courage. The French word for courage is Coeur which means “heart.” That’s where we gain phrases such as, “take heart, have heart, brave hearted, lion hearted, and strong of heart.”
Courage is the ability to move forward and toward what frightens me rather than moving away and avoiding it. It’s the opposite of being faint of heart.
This is vital because sometimes we mistakenly think, “If I feel fearful, that means I am fearful.” No. The truth is, “If I feel fearful and face down my fear, I am not faint of heart, but brave of heart.”
Keeping It Real
Where is God calling you to stir up the gift of God and face down your fear?
The Rest of the Story
We’ve looked at spiritual, relational, social, mental, and volitional (motivational and behavioral) healing for anxiety. Next we probe emotional healing for anxiety. We’ll learn together how to renew our emotions through the acrostic of: AWARE.
Join the Conversation
By God’s grace, what setback will you turn into a comeback?
