The Public-Schooled Christian

Have you ever been anxious about something?

Maybe, there was a time when you had to start a conversation with someone new… but you didn’t know what you were going to talk about. Maybe you had a hard test in English class and didn’t know how you were going to pass it. Maybe you’ve thought over a conversation and worried about if you said the right things; if you grew or ruined your relationship with a certain person. 

We have all struggled with fear before. Anxiousness, fear, and worry are of the same vein. And none of them are from God. 

If we stay stuck in fear, it will hold us back from doing great things for God’s glory. Fear, like many negative emotions, is a wheel that wants to keep rolling. If we let it, it will continue until it’s going so fast that we can’t control it. We have to stop the feeling in its tracks. 

We have to step forward and face our fears. Here are 3 tips to overcome this emotion. 

1. Try to calm yourself down. 

Physically calming yourself down can help control anxiety. For example, if the Holy Spirit tells you to share the gospel with someone and you’re nervous about it, try taking normal breaths before you go up and talk to that person. 

When I’m nervous, my mind runs faster than normal. I have too many thoughts, too many of them are negative, and I need a way to get rid of them. I can calm myself down by stretching, moving, and focusing on breathing. 

Mentally trying to calm yourself down can also help relieve anxiety, in my experience. If you’re nervous about presenting a project in class, remind yourself that it’s not as big of a deal as you think it is. The one presentation is not going to control the outcome of your future. And if you are calm, you’ll perform better. 

2. Take a step in faith. 

Often, taking the first step forward is the hardest. That’s what we have to push ourselves the most to do. 

To get myself to take that first step, I usually count down “3, 2, 1…” and do whatever God wants me to do. One reason I do this is so I don’t run out of time. If I wait too long to talk to someone, the person I wanted to talk to will have to leave—I can’t expect them to stay in the same spot forever. Opportunities don’t last forever, either. If God wants me to do something hard for Him, I don’t only want to obey what He says, I want to obey when He says to do something. 

I need to take that step forward before time runs out. If I don’t plunge ahead and do what God wants me to, I’ll waste time worrying about the situation. God will be with me and help me as I obey Him. I will draw closer to Him by doing what He asks me to. 

If the Holy Spirit calls me to take a step, I conclude that I have to do it… and then I start counting. 

3. Remind yourself of God’s truth. 

Our God is more important than anything else. He is the only one with true power; He controls the outcome of every situation, conversation… and every life. More than that, He is good. He is worthy of our praise and adoration. He is worthy of our lives. 

We calm ourselves down so we can perform well for God. Because we know God is with us. We take the scary step forward for God. Because we know God is calling us to do so. 

God has given so many encouraging truths in Scripture. He is with us, He will never fail us, and He will catch us if we fall. There’s nothing we can do that will mess up His plan. If we are called according to His purpose, He will use us for His plan and He will bring the work He’s started in us to completion, therefore making us perfectly like Christ. 

Reading the Word can remind us of God’s truth. The Bible should be a consistent part of our lives because it is God’s instructions for us. If we want to hear God speak, we should open our Bible. 

I also like to remind myself of the truth with music. This is in no way a replacement for the Word, but certain songs speak truth and encouragement. Worship songs help me set my focus on God, as do all songs that have a Christian worldview. These songs are encouraging and uplifting. Today, listen to Fear is a Liar by Zach Williams. 

Fear, anxiety, and nervousness often come from not knowing something. But God knows everything that will ever happen. 

Fear tells us that the outcome of a situation is out of control. Yes, the outcome is out of our control, but nothing is out of God’s control. Trust in Him!

Fear is a liar. You may not be good enough on your own, but through Jesus, anything is possible. There is nothing to be afraid of when we are on Jesus’ side, because He has won against the greatest one we have to be afraid of: Satan. 

Jesus has promised believers a perfect eternity with Him, and the Bible shows that He doesn’t break His promises. If you are saved, you will spend eternity with Jesus and He will work through you on Earth. That can’t change! When fear tells you that outcomes are out of control, fear is lying. 

And if fear is a liar, we have no reason to fear.