Tears come. I can’t breathe. It feels like the world is crashing down on top of me, and I’m
suddenly overwhelmed by emotions that appear without cause and without warning. Beginning as a fifteen year-old, this is what anxiety feels like for me. It hurts. There is no eloquent way to put it—it just hurts.
Feeling truly hopeless for the first time in my life, I looked for a worldly and concrete fix, but there were none. I ran out of options except to pray and seek the Word (a horrible outlook to have, as the Lord has now taught me to run to him first and always). I dug into scripture like never before, desperately searching for some kind of “cure.” Instead, I just found Jesus. I found the promises of the Lord and his revealing of his own beautiful attributes. The Spirit occupied my heart and mind with these truths.
"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.” // Philippians 4:8
Jesus is the perfect manifestation of each of these qualities. He is true, he is pure, he is worthy of praise. When I went to the Word seeking some sort of hope, the Lord just showed me Jesus because he is hope. The Lord took my reckless and desperate thoughts and pointed them toward himself and his Son. He replaced them with his joy and with his peace. This didn’t happen overnight, and there are still hard days when I feel that fear rising up in my chest. But with that rising fear comes a rising hope.
The Lord works in the waiting; He works in the good days and the difficult, and he works in our broken minds when we lie to ourselves and feel like we have nothing. We belong to a deeply personal God who cares about each thought and emotion. He is filling us with his truth and working to point every thought toward his perfect glory. Rest assured that your Father is fearless when you are fearful and calm when you are anxious.
He is love. He is comfort. He is rest for your broken heart and uneasy mind. Breathe, and rest in him.
Bailey Tibbs // Freshman
Finance // Lynchburg, VA
If you or someone you know have questions about mental health follow this link and/or talk to a BCM staff member for more resources.
Comments