Whatever is True: Bible Help for Anxiety

Today I want to talk about the importance of our thought life as it relates to anxiety....Read more below

A very common anxiety trigger is having inaccurate beliefs about a situation. Sometimes these are automatic negative thoughts that come into our minds, which can start to spiral. The Bible gives us important advice about how we should actually be thinking. Philippians 4:8 says “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.”

Philippians 4:8 starts with “whatever is true…”

When you notice yourself experiencing anxiety, consider what you are thinking about and how you are thinking. If you are thinking negatively, it is important to combat these thoughts with positive truths.

For instance, if you are feeling anxious about going to a party, instead of telling yourself, “I’m going to be uncomfortable,” or “what if I don’t know anyone,” or “I’m going to look stupid…” you can say: “Although I am going to an event that I have uncertainty about, this does not mean that I will not meet anyone friendly, or that if people do not engage with me that they have negative feelings toward me.” Or, “People are often nervous at a party and many people aren’t comfortable talking with people they don’t know well, so if people aren’t going out of their way to talk with me, it does not mean that they don’t want to talk with me specifically.” Or, “I may go to the party and have a great time. I am a valuable person with a lot to offer.”

Consider positive thought alternatives when experiencing negative thoughts

Again, if you are experiencing anxiety, it is important to put your thoughts through the truth filter. Look to see what parts of your thought are true and worthy of putting some problem-solving effort into, and what parts are false and need to be dismissed or replaced with a true thought.

If you want more support around changing from negative to positive thinking, then please check out a program I created called “Overcome Overwhelm: Biblical Mental Health Tools for Worry.” It’s brand new and the first time I am offering it is coming up starting February 15th. In it I share tools from the Bible as well as cognitive behavioral therapy tools I use with my clients that have proven to be life-changing to many people.

Overcome Overwhelm

**Do you think I could be your “right fit” counselor? Be sure to set up a free 20-minute phone consultation at 281-746-9826 or kristen@upliftingcounsel.com. I provide counseling to clients in Texas and Oregon and would love to talk with you about the possibility of working together