Stopping the Spiral This Christmas

As we grow older, a new kind of spiral called anxiety enters our lives. These anxieties often create dangerous spirals that you and I wish would stop.

Anxiety is an out-of-control thought pattern. These corkscrews settle over our minds like a severe weather system, spewing thunderclouds and casting lightning bolts. Life can be like an airplane in a tailspin. We fall into feeding on what-ifs and worst-case scenarios.

 What if the Coronavirus is unstoppable?

What if the vaccine doesn’t work? Or, worse yet, has terrible side-effects? 

The economy is sliding into a bear market. 

I’ll lose my health. 

I’ll lose my job. 

I’ll lose it all. 

How will I survive on unemployment?

Down. Down. Down. Spiraling out of control.

If only you were able to just ‘put the game box away’. But you can’t. And the peace of Christmas seems so distant. 

Maybe you can relate.

If so, what are we to do?

Don’t give in to this thought pattern. It’s a sinkhole. Don’t catastrophize your way into quicksand. Instead, please take a deep breath and then consider these remedies from Max Lucado in his book, Anxious for Nothing.

1. Pray about it. At the first hint of an anxious thought, take the thought captive. Don’t tolerate the devil, not even for a second. Lasso the anxious thought with a word of prayer. Lord, there is an intruder at the door! Please take over! (For an excellent article on properly understanding how to take thoughts captive, click HERE.)
2. Identify the culprit. Generalities are not permitted. None of this: “I’m worried.” Get specific: Lord, I’m worried about the layoffs at work. Now, that’s better. But even more detailed: I’m worried that I will lose my job. Will I be able to find more work? Will we have to move? Specificity disarms anxiety.
3. Take a reality check. Is this a legitimate concern? Or is this a vague, ill-defined, rumor-fed possibility? They say layoffs are inevitable. Who are they?
4. Take an action step. Assuming the concern is legitimate, what can you do? Make a list of two or three steps you can take. Resist the urge to try to solve everything immediately.
5. Ask: “Can God solve this?”
   Is this challenge within His skill set? Is He overwhelmed by this setback? Are the angels pounding on the door of heaven trying to persuade Him to come out of hiding? Is He resisting? Is He thinking, “I can’t handle this challenge. It is too great. I don’t know what to do! I’m stumped, stuck, and stalled out.”?
   No…I don’t think so either. God is never baffled or belittled. Take the problem to him.

Remember, “No weapon formed against you shall prosper, and every tongue which rises against you in judgment, You shall condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their righteousness is from Me, says the Lord” (Isaiah 54:17).

As you grasp and implement these remedies and as you remember God’s promises, I pray your anxious storms will resolve and that God will create generous space in your heart and mind for the peace Jesus intends for you.

Wishing you and yours a peaceFULL Christmas!

And just in case you feel the urge, the Spirograph drawing set is available in many places, including HERE! 😉