This week make a note every time you feel anxious. Observe some details about your troubling thoughts.
• What were you worried about? Here are some examples to get you thinking.
“This traffic will make me late for the meeting! I’m going to miss the best part!”
“I’m worried that it’s going to rain on next Saturday’s picnic.”
“I catch myself thinking about the kids and their college tuition. Are we saving enough money?”
• What situation or event triggered the anxiety?
• How did this anxiety make you feel?
• How did you react?
Take a few minutes to review what you have observed about your worries.
• Try to identify the core fear or insecurity behind the anxiety. Do you see a common theme? Is there some catastrophic event you fear?
• How many of your worries materialized? Highlight the number of times you were worried about something that never actually happened.
• Was the gain worth the pain? As you look at the emotional toll the anxiety took, was it worth it?
• How did your anxiety affect others in your life?
• Is there anything you can do to address the source of anxiety? What is a practical step you can take? Make an intentional choice to act so the next time this anxiety surfaces, you can tell yourself what you are doing to alleviate the potential problem.
Each morning add your concern to your prayer time. Ask God to go ahead of you.
VERSE FOR REFLECTION
And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. (Rom. 8:28)
PRAY IT THROUGH
Father,
I release the fears and anxieties I face today, and I place them in your hands. Help me surrender my tendency to try to control certainty. May the truth that you are sovereign over every detail of today bring peace to my heart and my mind.
In Jesus’ name, amen.