Anxiety and the Christian Woman

I’m not sure if this entry is best suited for GodsyGirl.com or my blog for senior pastors’ wives… or maybe both. By the time I finish writing, I’ll know which. 🙂 I want to talk about anxiety and the Christian Woman. It almost seems these two things don’t go together, but they do.

A lady emailed me a little anxiety the other day. As a Christian woman, I was like “thanks, now I have something to worry about…for a moment.” I’m being a little silly, but for a moment, I did ponder her question.

Here’s what she asked me.

A pastor’s wife asked me [online] how I manage “church groupies”. She was referring to those poor women that fall in love with the persona of pastors. You know the kind.

Anyway, her question, direct in nature, evoked several emotions – ironically, irritation was one of them.

Actually, I wasn’t angry at her for inquiring. It was something else. You know, after over twenty years of walking with the Lord, I understand a “little bit” about how this Christian “thing” works.

I also understand (and have fallen victim to) the tired, age-old plots of the enemy of our souls. This is what irritates me…the enemy!

Christian Lady, it makes me mad that he causes us to stumble with the same stupid tricks. It also makes me mad how often we (myself included) falls for them!

Hook line and sinker.

We fall for the enemy’s plots all the time.

One of them is anxiety and the Christian Woman reaction – depression.

Girl, his tricks are actually not new; they just have a similar approach.  

It seems to me he tries the same schemes to “trip” us up in our Christian walk. Insecurity is one of them. When we become insecure in our faith and in ourselves, he is able to pull us away from God’s plan for our life. He distracts us.

Sometimes, we help him. I know I help him by entertaining doubts. I’m getting better at it, but I often fall victim to the “maybe you’re not enough” types of uncertainties he plants. Have you ever dealt with that too?

It goes back and forth and starts all over again.

The enemy accuses or demeans us. Then, we have to choose whether or not to believe the lie or reject it altogether. The problem is we can grow anxious when we choose to accept the criticisms…no, lies of the enemy.

Then, it starts all over again.

He drops a doubt, then we have to figure out which way to go – accept or reject it. It never seems to end.

This “dance” of sorts, creates the need for us to make a decision – over and over. We must choose whether we will trust God or trust our own mind.

He’s always going to come for us Christian women. It’s not going to stop. After all, we are in a battle.

Yeah, his stupid “what” and the “how” never seem to change much at all.

Neither does his method. Sometimes he uses people to fire their foolishness at us. It’s all about doubting the Father and questioning our existence or our blessings.

As married women, he wants nothing more than to place that instability into our marriages…be it with “groupies” or anything else he can manage.

Makes me mad – especially when I fall for it and sometimes I do. Not often, but, I have before.

How the enemy tricks us…

If he’s not tempting us by muttering those doubtful words, he is tempting us to question God and his intentions toward us. Just like He did in the garden of Eden.

“Are you sure…”?

“Did He really say…?”

After he plants the doubts, we are often drawn away from what we know is right (God’s Word) until we have a great, big old mess of anxiety and depression to deal with.

But, that’s not it, Christian Woman.

The enemy has the memory of an elephant. Wait, is that scientific? Do elephants really have good memories?

I digress.

Anyway, the enemy remembers all the pains and struggles of your past. I think he remembers them better than we do or own selves!

Just when things are going normally, he mentally “replays” the horror movies of our pain. Then we feel anxious and unsure about our present because of all the junk in our past.

All this happens in our minds. How right Joyce Meyer was when she said the battle is primarily in our heads. Remember her book “Battlefield of the Mind”?

So, you get it- you have an enemy.

He comes for you the same ways over and over. Like Paul said, we know what that chump is up to!

“For we are not unaware of his schemes.”
2 Corinthians 2:11

It still frustrates me …the enemy’s plots.

I grow so weary of the carnal battle we have to fight every single day. However, it is what it is, right?

We, as women have a lot to deal with already – as mothers, wives, single moms, daughters, involved in ministry, and in work.

It’s all a lot to manage.

On top of all that, we fight an invisible enemy who shows up in a variety of forms with the intent to destroy our faith and our even lives altogether.

Yeah, anxiety and the Christian Woman is a real thing.

The best news for us Christian Women!

The stress and anxiety is not our prison. It’s nothing more than a weight we can easily get rid of! We are not stuck there!

The enemy is relying on us to wallow in the struggle and to relent in battle. Yeah, he’s hoping for that. He’s also hoping we’ll be dumb enough to try to fight this war in our own strength.

Sorry, Charlie! Not!

If you’re a Christian woman battling stress and anxiety, let me tell you there is a balm. Help exists. I promise you are not alone in this overwhelming struggle.

We all deal with this.

Jesus Christ is with you through it all and He’s provided everything you need to win!

1. The victory is already yours. It’s so easy to forget Satan is already a defeated foe. Jesus whipped his butt on the cross many years ago. That “win” means the enemy cannot accuse you of anything and there is nothing you should doubt in your life. Never doubt your ability, your strength, your beauty, your peace, your worth nor your value. You’re more than a conqueror already! Remind yourself of this immutable fact often!

2. Pick it up and put it on. Since you have victory, walk BOLDY in it! Never allow yourself to just lay around sad and anxious. Sweet Sister, trust God by replaying His promises throughout your day. You can do this with worship music or just by playing scriptures over and over on your Bible app.

Read my post on anxiety scriptures and keep those scriptures on your mind and on your tongue. You’re already a winner, so speak your wins often! Everything is going to be ok. Act like it in faith, ok?

3. Cast that care. I love the offer Jesus gives me and you to exchange our burden for His.

Think about Matthew 11:29-30 in the King James Version (KJV):
“Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

How in the world could you read that and not feel like giving a great big fat exhale? Girl, He’s trading with you and it’s a great trade!

Full disclosure: I ain’t there yet. 🙂

I still struggle with everything I’m telling you about. I think everyone honest will say they do too. It’s part of the human condition. But, I won’t give up! I won’t give in and I WON’T allow doubt to cripple me in my faith walk. Will you?

I must rely on God and His ability to sustain every part of my life and everything in it. He holds it all together, including my sanity.

It’s all Him; I can’t worry about “groupies” or anything us very much. That would be playing into the hands of the enemy – doing exactly what he wants me to do.

As for the groupie part…

Of course, my husband plays a role, but ultimately, his accountability is to God, and should he ever descend to wickedness, God can handle him much better than I ever could!  

I ain’t worried.

I’m not stressed. I’m not going to be anxious about the “groupies” that lady was talking about or anything else for that matter.

Sure, it’s a day-to-day walking out of the Word. It’s a daily trusting God to take care of all the things I can’t handle in my life.

It’s also a moment by moment battle to guard my mind against the doubts and insecurities the enemy drips (and drops) into my spirit.

I have a “no stress” stance…

No way do I stress or lose energy over what too many people do anymore. Sometimes, trusting is a struggle, but I’m training my spirit; beating it into submission until this discipline becomes part of the very core of my nature. Thank God for the Holy Spirit, the Word….and my mama too! (ha ha) She’s great at reminding me of God’s faithfulness – just like I hope I’m reminding you! YAY MAMA!

Seriously, God protects everything in our lives and it would be useless for us to lose sleep trying to do His job. We don’t have the capacity anyway.

Even when you *think* He’s let you down, you realize eventually, that He didn’t. Nothing is impossible with Him and He never slumbers or needs sleep.

However, I do. So, with that….all God needs for me to say is…”goodnight”.

Honey, He’s got it covered. Don’t stress.

Will you please join me as I continue to re-program my mind,
heart and emotions to trust God’s ability to handle….well, everything?

Don’t you dare allow the enemy’s lies, doubts, and schemes to throw you off track. Again, He’s got you covered and He’s up to something very good in your life. No worries, no insecurities, just trust in a trustworthy God.

Everything I shared is spiritual as it relates to the Christian walk. However, we have another existence too…a human one.

Christian Girl, if you are struggling beyond the normal everyday, garden variety stress, I want you to reach out to someone who understands how the body works and get help.

I’ve said it on here many times: our bodies are complex and sometimes, we need outside help to manage moods and such. Do not be the least bit ashamed of it, OK.

I also found some great practical tips on the ADAA site. The ADAA stands for the Anxiety and Depression Association of America. Click here to visit their site: https://adaa.org/tips.

The tips are really practical like taking care of one’s self, finding someone to talk to and even exercising. I’ve heard working out releases endorphins that can help with mood. Have you heard that too?

Anyhoo, this blog post worked for GodsyGirl.com after all. Go figure.

Hey, before I end, here are a few scriptures to keep handy when you deal with anxiety and the Christian woman life.

“Unless the LORD guards the city, The watchman keeps awake in vain.”
Psalm 127:1

“For with God, nothing shall be impossible.”
Luke 1:37

“The Lord is the portion of my inheritance and my cup;
You support my lot.”
Psalm 16:5 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

“And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.”
Romans 12:2 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

“so that no advantage would be taken of us by Satan, for we are not ignorant of his schemes.”
2 Corinthians 2:11 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

31 but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.
Isaiah 40:31 (NIV)

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