Anxiety can be allowing yourself to go through worst-case-scenerio thoughts before anything actually happens.
We recently went through this before placing Little E in residential treatment. It was truly a "darned-if-we-do/darned-if-we-don't" situation. I obsessed over every detail. "Will she hate us?" "Will she come out worse?" "If we wait a little longer..." "What if she picks up additional bad habits?"
And the biggest for me--"What will people think?" We went through over a year of indecision on the issue.
We can also have anxiety about things that are in the past--second guessing decisions we've made, worrying about situations over which we have no control, etc.
I am the queen of over thinking and worry. Seriously.
I got some Christmas money and decided I'd finally get a pair of cowgirl boots--after years of wishing and wanting. I spent days agonizing over my decision. I had a couple of windows open on my phone for different stores, with boots in my cart. I just had to read all the reviews. And obsess over the measurements of each (I have athletic calves). And make sure I found THE BEST PRICE.
I FINALLY made a decision after trying on so many pairs. At so many stores. ACKKKK!!! What did I just do? I spent what?
I HATE MAKING DECISIONS!!!!!!
1Peter 5:7 says: Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.
"Cast" in Greek is defined as, "to throw upon; place upon".
It's not very hard to pray and give your anxiety to the Lord, but do you let Him keep it?
Imagine that you're walking down the sidewalk, carrying a couple of heavy boxes. They're just high enough that you have trouble seeing over them, and they are cutting off the circulation in your arms. A friend walks by and sees you struggling. He offers to take the boxes and help you get them to your destination. Do you let him carry them the entire way, or do you snatch them back and stumble on?
Take a few deep breathes every time you feel the anxiety rising in you. Ask God for help. Don't take it back.
I have to add (because I care), that if anxiety is a regular, overwhelming issue for you, please don't be afraid to see your doctor. I'm not embarrassed to admit that with all I've gone through, Zoloft does help a bit. Debilitating anxiety isn't something that should be ignored.
