Riding The Wave

Overwhelmed. Too many people. Can’t focus. Can’t think.

You know the verses. The one about casting your anxiety on Him. You just don’t always know how to cast it without keeping a little behind.

You talk fast. You rush. Get irritated. But you know you are unreasonable. But it’s real.

Your mind focuses on one thing. Getting out. Finding the exit. So you can breathe. So you can have some space. Personal space. Hmm. Maybe that’s why you see personal space as a necessity. Space to breathe and think.

You breathe in and out deep and slow. You pray. You allow yourself that quiet time to get refocused. You try again. Successfully!

That’s one more time you’ve rode the wave of anxiety and didn’t drown.

It’s a real thing.

You try to explain it to your people. They may say that you shouldn’t feel this way. That it’s no big deal. They may make you feel like you are ridiculous for having to leave a store because there are too many people there. But it’s real.

You are fine in some crowded places. You are fine in your normal crowded habitats. But some places send you searching for an exit.

You often fill like you don’t fit in. You feel like you are a stranger in a crowd of friends. You don’t make eye contact when walking through a room. You hate the way you are.

A battle to overcome. A thorn in your side. That’s anxiety.

When you aren’t in control. Anxiety. When you have so much to do and the thoughts in your mind are just bouncing back and forth and you can’t focus. Anxiety. It’s a real struggle for many.

When you are the one who would prefer to people watch instead of engage in meaningless conversation. Is that so wrong? I think not.

When you don’t love to have shallow conversations or to talk just for the sake of talking. Wrong? No.

God made us all different. He doesn’t make junk and he is incapable of messing up.

I’ve learned to ride the waves. I’ve learned to embrace who God made me to be. I’m still learning to put on the armor of God daily. Not just a few days a week. But daily.

You don’t worry all the time and you aren’t what most would consider “anxious”. Or maybe you do. Either way, anxiety rears its head in many forms. Not just the typical ones that you hear of.

Maybe it’s an uptight feeling. Or a feeling that you have to get it all done right now but don’t know where to start so you just don’t. Or maybe it’s the wanting to online shop because shopping in stores leaves you overwhelmed with too many things to look at and too many people to deal with.

Anxiety. Such a multi faceted word.

Be anxious for nothing. But in everything, with prayer and thanksgiving make your requests known to God. Got it. ✅

Maybe just maybe it’s not anxiety that we deal with but a lack of Being Still enough with The One who truly calms our souls.

Jesus often went to lonely places to pray. It says so in HIS word. He woke up in the early mornings to spend time with His Father.

He went away from the crowds. To be still. Because let’s face it. Crowds are great to get lost in and they are a great place to blend in. But really, they can be overwhelming at times.

What if we looked at “anxiety” as a gift? A gift that forced us to spend alone time. To be still. With Jesus.

What if we turned to HIM and rested our weary heads in the crook of his neck and rode the waves safely to shore? That actually sounds nice. We can do that you know.

“When doubts filled my mind, your comfort gave me renewed hope and cheer.”

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭94:19‬ ‭NLT‬‬

{ Look for a post to go along with this one. One that will give tips and ways to help with anxiety}

Seeking Him,