Anxiety runs in my family. 

My mother suffered from depression and a panic disorder that made her seem distant and unaffectionate. 

But in the 1970s, depression was not widely understood as a disease. We simply accepted that our silent mother who cooked, cleaned and sewed for us rarely laughed or even smiled. She never complained, merely endured.

As a young adult, I was happy to break free from my gloomy home. But years later, as a mother with a successful career, I found myself falling prey to the same mental patterns. When a problem or crisis cropped up, I became tense and prone to panic. I constantly believed disaster was imminent.

 

This build-up of tension led to a breakdown. One day I couldn’t get out of bed, immobilised by fear. My doctor prescribed medication, and though it helped, I also wanted to ask for God’s healing. I recognised mental habits that needed to be changed and believed in God’s power to set me free.

I began to meditate on God’s word. ‘God has not given me a spirit of fear,’ I would repeat over and over as panic welled up inside, making my heart race.

 

Soon I would feel calm wash over me, the calm of God’s power and love, and a sound mind. Years later, I can report that God did indeed give me a sound mind. I rarely experience anxiety now, but when I do, I remember this verse.

Prayer: Dear God our Helper, thank you for delivering us from fear and bringing peace to our troubled minds and hearts. In Jesus’ name. Amen