Wednesday; February 12

I have known that I have had an issue with stress and anxiety for a lot of years – and I have done better with it during some times and no so well with it a other times.  Over the last few weeks I have really been focusing on what is creating the anxiety in me, so I am probably more aware of my stress levels recently and I am realizing something … stress wears you out!  In addition to the primary feelings of stress, there is the secondary symptom of feeling fatigued.   Whether it is because you are investing so much emotional energy in worrying about things or the fact that the anxious part of your brain never shuts down, anxiety drains you.  In addition to losing a positive outlook, you also just feel exhausted.

As I reflected on this, I realized this shouldn’t be a surprise to me because anxiety is the gift that keep giving.  When we are in that cycle, the issues never end.  For those of us who deal with anxiety, it isn’t necessarily the problem, it is the pattern.  It doesn’t really matter what’s bothering us – even if we don’t have a legitimate challenge, we have a tendency to make one up!  (Now for those of you who don’t struggle with anxiety, this may all seem like a bunch of gobbledy-gook; but if you deal with it, you can probably relate.)  So, the reason I bring this up is not to provide you with an answer to your struggles as much as it is to encourage you to find ways to deal with it.  If you can adjust your mindset, do it.  If you need to find outside help, do it.  Not only will it ease the anxiety, it might just restore the strength you once had.  I am not saying it’s easy, but I do believe it is possible – remember what the New Testament teaching, “And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:7).

Think About It! 


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