Anxiety Elective
Notes
Transcript
Anxiety Presentation for FLY
Anxiety. How do I deal with it?
Grades, sports, performance, looks, status, friends, etc. These are all common things that may bring stress and anxiety to students. In this elective, the leader will address both the reality, and common causes of, anxiety in the lives of young people and how such things can be dealt with in a healthy, God-honoring and Christ centered way.
Situational triggers/pressures:
Situational triggers/pressures:
Q. What are different things that make people anxious?
Giving an elective on anxiety? Social media
Q. What are some symptoms of anxiety that you know about? How does it feel to be anxious?
Me: I’m not an expert on anxiety, except that I am intimately familiar with being anxious and I have close friends and family that struggle with anxiety. I am not a professional counselor, therapist, psychologist. I am however a Pastor, and I do provide pastoral, biblical counseling to people who struggle with various issues including anxiety, depression, and the like. Though there are many experts out there who could help you more with different parts of this, I do think and hope that you will find some help through this elective today. I want to share some things that I’ve learned, and, most importantly, point you to the truth of God’s Word and the Triune God Himself.
Anxiety in a man’s heart weighs him down,
but a good word makes him glad.
Causes of Anxiety/Reasons we become anxious
Causes of Anxiety/Reasons we become anxious
Pastor Ryan Patenaude’s message last night about our 3 enemies: the World, the Devil, our sinful flesh/heart
Whole person: body, soul/spirit, emotions
Whole person: body, soul/spirit, emotions
Greek worldview/gnosticism - the flesh is evil.
But God wove us together in our mother womb [bodily]
and Jesus took on flesh and dwelt among us, and He rose from the dead bodily, and He ascended to heaven and sits at the right hand of the Father bodily.
We too will all be raised from the dead bodily and will go to judgment where will be sent bodily to the lake of fire or welcomed into the blessed presence of God forever… with our bodies.
Dr. Blosser
Nancy Pearcey -”Love Thy Body” separating body and soul
People are treating their body as being something different than who they really are, that their body doesn’t matter, that it can be hurt, changed, used up and corrupted with drugs or immorality, as if it doesn’t affect their person, their soul, or heart.
A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.
Gracious words are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the body.
Physical/health: Nature & Nurture - environment
chemical imbalances
injuries
diseases
possible solutions:
healthy diet
exercise
fresh air and sunshine
medicine
structure & schedule
discipline in tackling tasks (not procrastinating) so that you can avoid the panic of being unprepared before a deadline
counseling
talking to loved ones about your needs/feelings & openly working through things
“Do the next right thing” - Alan Noble in On Getting Out of Bed
grounding techniques- getting back into your body
Emptying mind versus filling it
Emptying mind versus filling it
We need to remove bad thoughts.
Esther Smith - think about a pink tiger. now don’t think about the pink tiger.
Buddhist meditation versus Christian meditation
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.
When the cares of my heart are many,
your consolations cheer my soul.
Scriptural Meditation:
Scriptural Meditation:
Maybe you didn’t realize this, but the Bible is full of people who struggled with anxiety:
Biblical message:
Psalms & Proverbs
Elijah in the cleft (1 Kings 19:1-18) - he is afraid, anxious for his life, wants to die, feels all alone. God feeds him (body and soul are connected!). He vents his fears, frustrations, and hopelessness to God. God hears him, reveals His holy presence to Elijah, and comforts Elijah by telling him that God knows the future, is guiding the events of history, that God will provide, protect, and bring justice, and that Elijah is not alone but is one of 7,000!
Gideon in the hole - “Mighty man of valor!”
Jeremiah the weeping prophet
Saul being paranoid about David and other threats and seeking the witch of Endor instead of listening to God.
“Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
“Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.
The Lord cares about your body, your clothing, your food and drink, and your feelings. He wants you to know that He is taking care of you.
Believing that life is worth living (Alan Noble) is key to getting out of bed everyday.
Believing that you have value, that every human has value, that God has given us life today, that He has a purpose, that He has a good plan for justice, blessing, and eternal life.
Alan discussing suicidal thoughts and referencing the novel The Road by Cormac McCarthy. Why is life worth all this agony?
Our Savior and God Jesus has been tempted in every way as we are, and yet was without sin. Jesus sweating blood “Not my will, but thine be done.”
(p.99-101) A guided meditation on Scripture and a call to pray:
“Be still and know that I am God.” Psalm 46:10
come to me all you who are weary and heavy laden and i will give you rest
Prayer -
Prayer -
cognitive behavioral therapy can be useful but it limits you to working on your own thoughts. We need God to renew our minds.
do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
it is powerful and effective (James 5)
brutally honest and transparent (Esther Smith, who has many great guided prayers)
casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.
Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world. And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. To him be the dominion forever and ever. Amen.
