Both fear and anxiety have the power to become crippling when viewing life through the filter of harmful false beliefs. While we don't cause or control emotions, we can choose what to do with them. If we allow them to speak truth to us, not only could our course be altered, but we also have the potential of making no decision at all. That in itself produces more fear and anxiety as time goes on and decisions are suspended.
From Past to Future
Looking to the past we can uncover the beliefs that today's current dilemma is relying on to make decisions and influence our current emotional state. The uncertainly of the future is only a problem when we have a false view ourselves or God.
Let me illustrate with a fictional example. John and Stacy have been dating for three years and are considering marriage. Both are deeply in love and truly want to be married. Stacy is concerned that John has not proposed considering how often he talks about marriage. Each time John visits the jewelry store to purchase a ring, he is overcome with fear, experiences tightness in this chest and has difficulty breathing. John thought he was simply nervous or exited, but it continued to occur. After a while, John began to wonder if this was a sign that he and Stacy should not be married. Regardless, John and Stacy still aren't engaged and both are becoming frustrated.
What's the problem?
Let's look at the past. John's dad left his family when he was 8 years old and John quickly became the co-caregiver of his three younger siblings. While John sacrificed much of his own childhood to help his mother, his siblings wouldn't listen to him so as a teenager he stayed out of the house as much as possible, not wanting to continue letting his mom down. John's mom, exhausted by raising four children alone while woking full-time, often told John he was just like his father and over time, he believed her.
Beliefs Determine Behavior
Fast forward to present day. John's emotions of fear and anxiety have left him questioning his entire relationship with Stacy and as time passes, he begins to not only think they shouldn't be married, but that they probably shouldn't be together at all. This is all intensified as Stacy questions John and becomes upset thinking she had done something wrong.
Johns problem comes down to a false belief like this: Since I'm just like my dad, I might walk out on my family and ruin the lives of my wife and future children. I'm not good enough for Stacy and she deserves better.
The Solution - Living in the Moment
“My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” 2 Corinthians 12:9a
Living in the moment gives us the opportunity to allow God's grace to be enough. His grace was enough for yesterday and will be enough for tomorrow, but right now we're in neither of those places. Choosing to live in the moment frees us up to place our attention and focus on God, leading to dependence on Him. When we're dependent on God, we can begin to trade our false beliefs for truth. When we grasp and live out of the truth about ourselves based on our identity in Christ, our distorted thinking becomes renewed to the truth and our emotions experience healing.
Don't settle for a life directed by lies. Focus on the truth and experience the freedom you already have.
Contact us today to get started on your path to freedom!