The other day I was researching the bible about weight and gluttony, trying to get God’s perspective in that area. I came across this article that talked about God and weight loss and it said something that challenged my inferiority. It said:
Anxiety and depression are a couple of the most common reasons to eat out of balance. “Anxious eating” is much more common than most people realize. Of course, the Bible has plenty to say about how to deal with anxiety and depression. God repeatedly tells His children not to fear and to cast their cares upon Him (1 Peter 5:7).
Reading this made me feel some kind of way and not in a good way. It brought my attention to an inferior attitude and resentment I had toward Gods word. I was offended and sort of caught off guard by the audacity of this writer to tell me…to my face…that I’m not supposed to be worrying about things anyway.
This challenged my perspective and made me go deeper. The past year and some change, I have struggled really hard with anxiety. It’s to the point where I am beginning to accept that it’s something that I have to learn to manage.
However, I can’t tell you how many times I have read scriptures that tell me not to worry.
Anxiety is worrying.
I am angry at God for getting in my face like this. Challenging me to go against inferiority and to take responsibility for my thought life. How dare this writer of this article who don’t know me speak me to me like this! I resent EVERYscripture that tells me to not worry or have fear.
I know that might sound harsh, but honestly, I resent anything that challenges me to dig deeper, or that challenges my place to be inferior. To implement Gods scripture means that I HAVE to give up my worries. Worrying is a comfort for me. I know that I can’t solve everything, so worrying FEELS right.
Proverbs 28:26 whoever trusts in his own mind is a fool, but he who walks in wisdom will be delivered.
2 Corinthians 10:5 we destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive.
1 John 3:20 For whenever our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and he knows everything.
Although my initial reaction to the article was full of resistance and resentment, I know God can see past that. I know that those thoughts and feelings were against God and most importantly I know that Gods word is wisdom.
Although this article challenged me, it served to remind me that the Word is more than words written on a piece of paper. My path to being fully healed from anxiety is a daily practice of 1 peter 5:7, along with other health practices.
It's a balance between the physical and the spiritual.
-Kaitlin Alexander