How God loosens the stranglehold of anxiety, stress, and worry on our lives

Each moment – as we trust His faithfulness and believe He is Who He says He is – God penetrates our trigger points and loosens the stranglehold of anxiety, stress, and worry on our lives.

The agony of pain consumed every aspect of my being. By day I struggled to put one foot in front of the other, and by night I writhed sleeplessly in an attempt to find comfort.

Months of doctor’s visits and tests revealed no answer to the diffuse pain that took hold of my hip. I was left with two options – surgery or physical therapy.

Not excited about undergoing surgery, I chose physical therapy consisting of stretching, working with weights, and treatments with dry needling. While stretching and using weights focused on the more significant issue, dry needling concentrated on the issue’s trigger point.

Over time with focused treatment of dry needling, generalized stretching, and weights, the pain I experienced for months subsided. I soon realized the warning signs of distress I ignored had completely over-taken my life.

Warning signs

Just as ignoring the warning signs of pain can cause an injury to consume our lives, so can missing the warning signs of worry and anxiety from everyday stresses. We feel anxious over an issue at work but push it aside to meet a deadline. We stress that our monthly income won’t meet the demands of the bills due, but ignore the issue and continue charging daily expenses. We worry about a child making life choices that will be detrimental to their future, but we push those feelings out of our mind believing it’s just a phase.

It’s easy to ignore the quick pangs of anxiety, stress, and worry, but over time those feelings smolder underneath the surface until we are all consumed.  We believe if we ignore the issues, they will correct themselves until we feel we’ve lost all hope.

God, our Great Physician

My friend, can I speak hope to your heart? God, our Great Physician, is waiting to provide therapy to your pain.

Hebrews 4:12 tells us God's Word is "alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow, it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart." (NIV)

God’s Word is alive and active – not a lifeless historical book. John 1:1 reminds us, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” (NIV) In the very beginning, before creation, God was the Word. And now, through the Holy Spirit, He speaks to our needs as we spend time in His Word.

God uses this time to stretch us with His Truth. Each moment – as we trust His faithfulness and believe He is Who He says He is – God penetrates our trigger points and loosens the stranglehold of anxiety, stress, and worry on our lives.

Will you commit today to stop ignoring the warning signs and allow God to penetrate your heart and mind with the truth of His Word? When you do, you will experience the overwhelming freedom of peace found only in Him.

You may be wondering how to focus and spend time in God’s Word. Friend, I want to share what helps me as I allow God to stretch me and access my trigger points.

Time in God’s Word

For the next five days, spend time focusing on one specific passage from God’s Word. Read it in several different translations. Write it in your journal and do a word study. Personalize the verse and pray through it each day.

Here are a few verses to help you get started.

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7 (NIV)

“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” Isaiah 41:10 (NIV)

“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9 (NIV)

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30 (NIV)

“Cast your cares on the LORD and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken.” Psalm 55:22 (NIV)

It may take a little bit of time, but as you allow God to be your Great Physician, He will renew your spirit and give you the hope found in Him.

In His Calm,