Prayer Glasses
Sunglasses can help us see better visually and prayer glasses can help us see better spiritually. Watch the video to see more.
Stop telling yourself “don’t worry, don’t be scared, don’t be anxious” because it don’t work!
If I told you that no matter what you read or see in no way are you to visualize in your mind a picture of a pink elephant with a yellow baseball hat. Now, what did you just see in your mind? When I said don’t picture a pink elephant it actually caused your mind to see a pink elephant. Telling yourself not to worry or be anxious can stimulate anxiety and cause you to worry. So let’s explore some other ways to deal with stress, anxiety and worry.
Coping Mechanisms
There are some coping mechanisms that won’t fix the problem but will help deal with the physical and emotional symptoms. Something as simple as deep, slow breathing will help alleviate anxiety.
Changing Perceptions
Anxiety and fear are often the result of wrong thinking and perceptions. If we learn to recognize wrong or false thoughts and replace them with the truth we will see there is hope.
Trusting in God
But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen. 2Peter 3:18 KJV
Coping Mechanisms
Want to reduce stress then join a choir and sing praises to God all day long.
Sing praises to God, sing praises: sing praises unto our King, sing praises. For God is the King of all the earth: sing ye praises with understanding. – Psalm 47:6-7 KJV
Singing reduces stress. Here is an article that gives ten ways that singing improves health and the first one listed is relieving stress. Click the button to read:
Singing reduces stress and helps to take your mind off worrisome things and focuses your attention on uplifting things. However, singing in a choir gives additional health benefits. Here is an article that states joining a choir aids social bonding, exercises the brain, improves posture and muscle tension, breathing and more:
Click on the button to read:
The Unwanted Guest
Anxiety, Fears and bad thoughts don’t go away just because we want them to. Acceptance and commitment therapy advocates that accepting the presence of those thoughts instead of trying to force them out will allow you to focus on other guest or thoughts. The video below does a good job explaining how it works. This coping mechanism may allow you to relax so you can focus on prayer and good things.
Unwanted Guests: anxiety, fears, worries, bad experiences, temptations, obsessions, etc. Wanted Guests: God, prayer, the Word of God, whatsoever things are true,whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things arejust, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever thingsare lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.
Music can be a coping mechanism for anxiety. Try listening and see if you feel calmer.
Changing Perceptions
Do you feel alone and isolated? Are those feelings causing depression and anxiety? The following article may be for you “Never Alone… an Audience of One: Practicing God’s Presence and Power” by Ian F. Jones, Ph.D., Ph.D.
Perception is important, if you see yourself as alone you feel alone. The truth is that God is always here if we will just acknowledge Him and draw near to Him. Dr. Jones has written this article to overcome the issue of loneliness by the presence of God. He give these three steps to help change our perception and see the truth. “Biblical meditation can help you keep your focus and engage in prayerful conversation with God. First, prepare your mind and body by doing relaxation and breathing exercises and slowing down your thoughts and mind., begin reading (and memorizing) Bible passages that initiate a calming conversation with God. Passages that I have memorized and found helpful are Psalm 23, Psalm 103:1-5, and Matthew 5:3-10 (the Beatitudes), but you should select passages in which you find particularly meaningful. Third, seek comfort and understanding in conversation with God as you meditate on the words, phrases, and verses of Scripture. Fourth, ask the prompting of the Holy Spirit to guide you to deeper growth and maturity in Christ, giving “all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you” (1 Peter 5:7, NLT).” Click the button to read the article:
I Wish My Heart Would Keep It’s Big Mouth Shut!
When something obstructs the desires of the heart it causes anxiety. But can we trust our hearts? Gen 8:21 says the imaginations of man’s heart is evil from his youth. The heart and conscience are different and at times in conflict with one another which creates anxiety. The desires of our hearts can cause our perspective to be out of wack. Sometimes a little humor can help put things back in perspective (Play the video and see if it helps). So… do your desires match up with the Word of God? Is your conscience troubled by them? Have you prayed and sought the Lord’s will and guidance for them?
Nobody Knows How I Feel!
There are times in everyone’s lives that they feel they are alone and know body knows how they feel. The truth is that regardless of what we are going through, others have been through it and many are going through it. The Bible tells us there is nothing new under the sun. “The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun. Is there any thing whereof it may be said, See, this is new? it hath been already of old time, which was before us” (Ecc. 1:9-10 KJV). There is a reason people relate to the attached video. Pray for God to give you grace, wisdom, strength and discernment. He is a very real and present help in times of need.
Trusting in God
How to make good decisions that brings you peace not anxiety:
Giving up Control:
Barry Hamm contends that control is an illusion. We need to see ourselves as clay in the Potter’s hand. We also need to chose to stay there. He wrote, “The prophet Isaiah proclaims to God that “we are the clay, You are the potter; we are all the work of Your hand” (Isa. 64:8). I envision myself on a potter’s wheel with God trying to shape me into something magnificent. However, because I can’t see what He is making and I don’t enjoy the shaping process, I am like clay that somehow manages to climb off the wheel. In doing that, I become just a blob of clay on the table. And yet, I then complain about the fact that I am a blob. And of course, I blame God.” Click the button to read the article: