I am very passionate about words. The whole point of Words Are Golden is to encourage others in words because of how powerful they truly are. Our words have the power to speak life, bring joy, and deeply inspire others. They also have such power to cause deep hurt & pain to others & even to ourselves. Our thoughts consist of words. Our anxious thoughts are made up of words that the enemy places in our mind to try to distract us from truth.
If I am being honest with you, I struggle big time with anxious thoughts and speaking words over myself in my mind that does not build me up. One thought comes, and then another, and then another, and it becomes a massive spiral that makes me feel so lonely, like I have no purpose, and full of despair.
The enemy loves to attack me in my thoughts. In fact it was a few weeks ago that I was at church and was walking around before service started and I was on full attack. Anxious thoughts were swarming:
“See, you weren’t invited to be with them, they don’t enjoy hanging out with you” “If only you weren’t a nurse and could actually come to church then you would have more friends” “You don’t belong” “You need to be more like her to be accepted”
I was so overwhelmed. I was scared. I felt hopeless.
The enemy attacks us all in different areas. For me, friendship is a big area that I feel anxiety about. The enemy knows that so he does everything he can to attack me in that area.
Back to the story at church, service began to start, and I began to weep. I felt so alone. I was afraid of the thoughts I was having. I didn’t know what to do. As I was speaking words that were complete opposite of what God speaks over me I felt God begin to intervene on my behalf. I had reached my breaking point and was so desperate to feel the presence of the Lord and to just sit in His love.
He began speaking His words of truth over me.
“You are my chosen child, you are so deeply loved by your friends.” “You are following me on the path I have you on, the enemy doesn’t like it so he is attacking you, but I am with you.” “I see you my child, I see your pain, and I love you through it all.”
I had never experienced such a breakthrough before. One moment I was sobbing because of the horrible thoughts in my mind and the next moment I was still sobbing but because of the truth the Lord was speaking over me.
He meets us in our pain, feels the pain with us, and picks us up with His strength and carries us on.
I fully believe He wants to do that for you today. He wants to take your anxious thoughts and replace them with His truth. He wants to take the words you are speaking in you mind and replace them with His word.
Now what happened for me isn’t what happens every time I have anxious thoughts like that. Most times I have to do the work myself and recognize the thoughts I am having and actively begin to seek words of truth to speak over myself instead. I believe what God did for me the other week was a beautiful reminder of how He truly does meet us in our despair and comforts us with His deep love.
If you find yourself today struggling with anxious thoughts about what is to come, the change in the world, friendships, relationships, career & calling, then this is the right place to be.
Below are some steps you can take to help combat your anxious thoughts when they begin to take over your mind:
- Sit down & write these verses out: Isaiah 46:4, Isaiah 43:2, John 16:33, 1 Peter 5:7
- Pray to God. Ask Him to help you set His truth deep in your spirit.
- Command the enemy to leave from your mind and tell him he is not welcome and has no hold on who you are.
- Write your anxious thoughts down (maybe do them as bullet points & leave space next to them) Get them all out. What are you scared of? What is making you weary? What is causing you to feel this way?
- Then, next to each bullet point write “I hand this thought over to you Jesus. I replace this thought with your truth that you are always with me, you will never leave or forsake me (Deut. 31:6). You are my strength. You call me beloved and this thought does not define who I am.”
The enemy does everything he can to place anxious thoughts in our heads. The last thing he wants is for you to realize and believe that God is for you and with you and ready to place His truth deep in your heart. The enemy loves to keep our anxious thoughts rolling but guess what!?
Our God is bigger than the enemy. Our God has been named victorious. It is in Him in which we can overcome our anxious thoughts because He has overcome the world.
My friend, You have the power to control your thoughts with the help & strength of the Lord! He is with you. He sustains you. He loves you. He sees you right where you are & chooses you!
We are in this together my friend,
Allyson Golden
