Merciless anxiety

I am in dire need of prayer. My entire life feels as though it's spinning out of control and I am not in a position to do anything about it. The last time I made a prayer request, it was for my health, which has remained relatively the same (not good). Very little has changed for the better, save for a growth in my faith and a greater desire to seek the Lord's will. I know nothing is more powerful than the Lord we serve, and I also know we are called to seek prayer and congregation with our brethren, especially in times of strife. That being said, I'll keep it as brief as possible (or so I say lol).

I struggle with anxiety and depression. I come by my worrying honestly- a trait noted in both of my parents- and generally I can keep it under control with little effort or supplement (I hate using medications unless absolutely necessary). Unfortunately, several events that have transpired of the last few years have taken my normal anxiety levels and skyrocketed them to hellish heights (or depths, if you like). I find solace in my prayer time and whilst reading scripture but, not long after I finish, the horrible "butterflies of death" rise up in my stomach and I have to utilize every ounce of sanity and reasoning left in my head to maintain composure and not freak out. I have many valid concerns, including finances and ailments, but I find my greatest fears usually have no face, they're completely inexplicable and terrifying. I would never suppose I was possessed, given I know the Lord lives within me, but I don't know how else to explain the sensation when the terror grips me. If all of my paranoia and mental distress is a minor taste of what Hell is like, then I am even MORE thankful for the gracious sacrifice that Jesus gave.

Put simply, I am at a place where there are no clear choices to be made that take me anywhere. My thinking process is muddled with anxiety and stress, my physical body is wrought with ailments and the only things keeping me going are my hope in what comes after this life, the joy I have in Christ, and the love of God, my girlfriend, family, and friends. I may feel alone sometimes, but I know I am never truly am and that God will use my situation for His will.

Please pray that I may continue to find patience, wisdom, and joy in the arms of Christ, and that I can do His will in spite of my weakened state of health and mind. It would be greatly appreciated.

Much love and blessings!

you know you are only as weak as you think you are. God gave us this amazing gift of a very powerful mind. He even says in the bible you are what you think. So you need to learn to laugh at the devil when he tries to fill your mind with fear and start whispering to our Jesus that you trust him. I think that when one finds that their life is spinning out of control that is because you are trying so hard to control every aspect of everything instead of simply sighing and leaning back into that beautiful trust that our Jesus gifts us with. Speaking of that trust I remember the day when I looked up to the heavens and this grin of pure joy spread across my face and I felt the gift that God had just bestowed on me, the gift of complete trust. I remember shouting up to the heavens with happiness. When you come to truly trust our God ALL of that fear and anxiety simply becomes vapor that drifts away. You know that the hand of our heavenly beautiful amazing creator and God has ours gripped firmly in his. So let go and trust our Lord my brother in Christ.God has shown me that there is NOTHING in this world that I ever have to fear again including death. Do you have any idea how that completely frees your soul and your mind? I took a 3rd shift job at the 7 eleven where I live because its a tourist town where work is seasonal and I wanted a full time job. It is considered a dangerous job for a female to work at that time. When the guy that hired me said he was bothered about me working it I looked him in the eye and I told him that I have complete faith in my Jesus that nothing would happen to me. I still believe it with every fiber of my soul. You just have to realize that you are giving the power of your thoughts to the devil. Why? Its your choice. Let go of everything and just trust our Lord. Seek him with your whole heart, mind, and soul and you will find him completely in every way and then in ways you never even imagined possible.

Praying for you, dear child. ♥

"Very little has changed for the better, save for a growth in my faith and a greater desire to seek the Lord's will."
" the only things keeping me going are my hope in what comes after this life, the joy I have in Christ, and the love of God, my girlfriend, family, and friends. I may feel alone sometimes, but I know I am never truly am and that God will use my situation for His will."

These are no small things!
I will ask the Lord to give you His wisdom, and comfort, and healing. And that you will be given a testimony to the difference between happiness and joy in Him.

with love from a fellow recovering anxious worrier

It is sad to think that you go through so much anxiety.
When I was younger I too struggled.
A wise mentor told me to quote scripture and claim my freedom in Christ.
Have you tried quoting scripture?

Phil 4:6 & 7
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.

2 Tim 1:7
For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

You are right we do learn behaviors from our parents.
But the good news is we have a heavenly Father too.
He can make out flesh strong with the renewing of our minds,
through His spirit.

We not only learn bad charater traits, but we also learn bad eating, sleeping and self values from our parents.
If you are not eating healthy, drinking enough water and getting enough sleep.
Your mind and body will be weak, you will be an emotional wreck.

You need to value yourself enough to take care of your physical being too.
Once you start feeling better physically, you will gain mental clairity too.

I pray God will lead and direct you, and that you will crave the foods you need to be strong and healthy physically and mentally.
As this change happens, self value will fallow too. In Jesus Name, Amen

2 Thes 3:16
Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way. The Lord be with all of you.

May the Lord grant you peace, understanding, acceptance and solution in Jesus Name, Amen.

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jd35-M-xLX4[/video]

Will pray for you bro, may God lift up that anxiety in Jesus name, amen.

praying for you <3

my prayers are with you, Gods mercy is always with us and he gives us the strength to get through each day. We are all here for you in cc and anytime you just need to talk I know there are so many here who will listen and help all we can, but your greatest help comes from the lord. Take care and know that you are in many hearts and prayes this day and every day.

Listen to this my brother, take care, God Bless
[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r6VrlP8Ak5Y[/video]

I can tell you that I suffer from this too. And I've found something to help me in Buddhist meditation. It's basically a way of getting rid of anger, nervousness, expectation, amongst other things. It really doesn't contradict Christianity in any way and I have no problem in reading these teachings as a way of self-calming. It's quite good. Like yoga for the mind.

And the basic principle is this:

Nothing is lost in the universe. Matter to energy, energy to matter. A seed falls in soil. Seed sprouts to a plant. Plant lives, then dies, and rots back into soil. Cycle continues. Everything is ever-changing. And nothing on Earth is permanent. We are beings able to make decisions that will affect our futures. But our future is never certain. Our past has already happened and nothing that we do in the present can change that, because it has already happened. the only thing that is certain is this moment, right now. So our whole minds should be in this moment, always, to appreciate it for what it is and remove the worry of the future, and the burden of the past.

There are four things about life that it addresses:

1. Suffering exists.
2. We are mostly the cause of our own suffering.
3. Suffering can be stopped.
4. How to stop suffering.

It teaches that greed, anger, ignorance and arrogance are the main causes of suffering. And we do most of these things from either fear, or from expectation. When we expect, we set ourselves up for possible disappointment. So why expect at all? The future is unknown. Why try to know it? It is impossible.

A child asks for a sweet. Then they ask for another. Then they expect another. Then when they don't get it, they get upset. When they do get it, it gives them a stomach-ache. It is the things we want the most that end up causing us the most distress. So why expect? Why want?

It teaches inner calm and how to let go of the expectations and values of the world so that you can concentrate on calm, on the moment and on eventually benefiting both yourself and others in any situation by being patient, calm and making good decisions.

It teaches that we should not hurt others in what job we do. We should not waste effort of our minds in getting happiness from making others unhappy. That we should not defile ourselves. A lot of it is very similar to the lifestyle teachings that Jesus taught.

I also find a good sleeping pattern helps, A LOT. and remembering to eat at least 5 small meals a day. It's worse when I'm hungry. We have the means to rid ourselves of these problems, God knows it, and I know it, and now you know it too Your life is in your hands. Don't take it anymore

It's good to get an understanding of certain truth, and I do believe Buddhism has some truths to it. The best lie has truth in it. Living life without expectation is not biblical. It is not what Jesus did. Expectation is a form of hope. We must always hope in what was promised us by God. We should not just fail to expect it. We should expect God to be good to us, to heal us, to speak to us. We should expect pain in life, and the love of the lord.
Jesus went to the cross for us and he expected the Father to come through for him. Without this expectation it wouldnt have been possible.
I agree with your first two points wholeheartedly, but to say suffering can be stopped isnt truly biblical. Some may be stopped, certainly. All will be gone in heaven. But I. earth there will always be suffering. Our flesh will cause suffering as we experience the result of our sin and the result of the fall. Our world will suffer because many will be under the power of Satan and will subject others to it.

Our own can be stopped. And that of those around us. Shoukd we acfept suffering when we can change it? This question answers itself. And it isnt that you do not hope, it is that you do not expect material gain, or your own way. You hope for good things,not selfish gain. Read again

Good job simplyme, you hit the nail right on the head. If only more people had this kind of faith then satan would be defeted sooner. God bless you!!!

why thank you. I know without a shadow of a doubt that when you truly seek him with every fiber of your being you find him and then he gifts you with the beautiful gift of untouchable faith as a reward for seeking and believing in him. When I do something wrong within a half a minute after the fact I repent it. I know that is the Holy Spirit inside of me. God is a jealous God. When you become his he doesn't let you stray to far from him. Because we are his lamb and he is our shepherd. He always calls us back to him in love. Gentle Love or sometimes Hard Love.

Praying .

Praying with all here in agreement in Jesus Christ is Lord come in the flesh for all care, healing, provision and peace.

God bless
pickles