Hi everyone,
I'm brand new to this program. I've dealt with mild social anxiety all my life, but currently am debilitated by work-related anxiety that is affecting everything in my life, including my marriage. I'm basing my entire self-worth and attitude on my job performance, even though, rationally, I know I'm doing better than I think I am, and that my anxiety is unnatural.
Anyway, I am a person who prays but lately I have had a lot of difficulty praying. I feel I've forgotten *how* to pray, and I want desperately to feel God's presence to take my anxiety away. When I try to pray my thoughts just race, and I end up just pleading to God to take my anxiety away. I'd love any advice on how to calm my thoughts enough to pray, and to trust God.
Kristin
How to pray?
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Guest
The Psalms are considered great prayers. I believe that God doesn't expect us to be formal and the truth is He knows our every thoughts and needs. Since your thoughts just race, praying the Psalms keeps your mind occupied without having to try to come up with more than, "Pleading for Him to take away your anxiety" All that does is just remind you that you Have anxiety. Try praying the Lord's Prayer and then just read through the Psalms until you come across one that really stands out and then pray that one! He loves for us to come to Him!
Hope this helps!
You can't read my picture very well but it has in the top corner II Timothy 1:7 For God did not give us a Spirit of fear but of power and love and self-control.
Hope this helps!
You can't read my picture very well but it has in the top corner II Timothy 1:7 For God did not give us a Spirit of fear but of power and love and self-control.
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Guest
Dear Kristin,
I know what you mean -- so often I'll try to pray but my thoughts will race and I'll go off in tangents, and forget that I was praying in the first place.
Have you tried writing your prayers? This is one thing that helps me. If I am writing to God, my brain is more focused, and even if I do go off in tangents, my prayer is still there in black and white for me to get back to.
Another thing I have heard is that, even if you pray and your mind starts to race, God hears those thoughts and knows those thoughts. He will listen to those racing thoughts as prayers to Him ... since they are most likely where you need Him in your life at that time.
Music can help too -- if you have any contemporary Christian music you can sing along to (Sara Groves is one of my very favorites and sings a lot of raw and honest songs about her emotions and healing). One of my favorites of her CDs is called "All Right Here." (A great song on that one is "Less Like Scars").
Hang in there, and know that God hears you and loves you no matter how you pray! He understands your mind and how it races, and He is there with you, all the time.
My best to you!
Maureen
I know what you mean -- so often I'll try to pray but my thoughts will race and I'll go off in tangents, and forget that I was praying in the first place.
Have you tried writing your prayers? This is one thing that helps me. If I am writing to God, my brain is more focused, and even if I do go off in tangents, my prayer is still there in black and white for me to get back to.
Another thing I have heard is that, even if you pray and your mind starts to race, God hears those thoughts and knows those thoughts. He will listen to those racing thoughts as prayers to Him ... since they are most likely where you need Him in your life at that time.
Music can help too -- if you have any contemporary Christian music you can sing along to (Sara Groves is one of my very favorites and sings a lot of raw and honest songs about her emotions and healing). One of my favorites of her CDs is called "All Right Here." (A great song on that one is "Less Like Scars").
Hang in there, and know that God hears you and loves you no matter how you pray! He understands your mind and how it races, and He is there with you, all the time.
My best to you!
Maureen
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Guest
I have just been through our parish mission for this Lenten season & learned something very easy to do in a trail or suffering. You don't have to think about anything, just breathe "Jesus". Breathe in the first syllable, then breathe out the last syllable. You can also use your name. Say your name & then say "I love you", Jesus loves you. This will exercise your faith and make it stronger. Healing will come. I am just starting this program too. All the best!
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Guest
This is just my second time on the forum and I'm so glad to see other Christians, who have the same concerns I do. I used to have this problem so bad... the racing thoughts and not being able to focus during prayer. Right now, along with the program, I am reading The Purpose Driven life and this has seemed to help me a lot more. I have come to realize that God accepts us for who we are, anxiety problems and all, so just relax before prayer and hopefully that will help.
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Guest
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Guest
I too have found myself not able to concentrate at times, especially during a time of more anxiety and panic. I have had prayers that seemed to have strings(thoughts) pulling in different directions instead of making a tapestry of prayer.
I appreciate the idea to write our prayers down - I believe that will work to keep me focused during anxiety attacks.
The Psalms are a wonderful source of solace.
I have also found that having a routine helps me. I pray on my knees by my bed at morning at night, as a routine, to speak to our Heavenly Father. I also pray in my heart and mind throughout the day. Even with my routine - to give some order in my life, there are many times my mind races. I believe we have a truly loving Heavenly Father who knows all things and understands our hearts. If all we can say to him is,
"Dear Heavenly Father, I love thee, I am anxious, my mind is racing, please help me, I feel lost, in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen" He hears us (even if in the middle of that prayer our mind wanders around).
In, Matthew chapter 6 and Luke chapter 11, Jesus teaches us how to pray. In Matthew chapter 7 verses 7 and 8 it reads, "Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened." In this chapter Jesus goes on to teach about how our "Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him..." (Luke chapter 11 verses 9-13 shares the same message).
There have been countless times when I have prayed and those prayers have been answered. I pray specifically for things as well as in general (with small children in the house, there have been times when I had to pray for months to ask for charity, when dealing with the tantrums and daily behavior issues - I was given strength). It was an answer to prayer that I received this program (my mother in law gave it to me a couple weeks ago - I had not even heard about it - it will benefit my sisters-in-law too).
I know our Heavenly Father hears our prayers and loves us more than we realize.
I appreciate the idea to write our prayers down - I believe that will work to keep me focused during anxiety attacks.
The Psalms are a wonderful source of solace.
I have also found that having a routine helps me. I pray on my knees by my bed at morning at night, as a routine, to speak to our Heavenly Father. I also pray in my heart and mind throughout the day. Even with my routine - to give some order in my life, there are many times my mind races. I believe we have a truly loving Heavenly Father who knows all things and understands our hearts. If all we can say to him is,
"Dear Heavenly Father, I love thee, I am anxious, my mind is racing, please help me, I feel lost, in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen" He hears us (even if in the middle of that prayer our mind wanders around).
In, Matthew chapter 6 and Luke chapter 11, Jesus teaches us how to pray. In Matthew chapter 7 verses 7 and 8 it reads, "Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened." In this chapter Jesus goes on to teach about how our "Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him..." (Luke chapter 11 verses 9-13 shares the same message).
There have been countless times when I have prayed and those prayers have been answered. I pray specifically for things as well as in general (with small children in the house, there have been times when I had to pray for months to ask for charity, when dealing with the tantrums and daily behavior issues - I was given strength). It was an answer to prayer that I received this program (my mother in law gave it to me a couple weeks ago - I had not even heard about it - it will benefit my sisters-in-law too).
I know our Heavenly Father hears our prayers and loves us more than we realize.
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Guest
Nice to hear from other devout Christians through this site. My prayers have been directed toward grace and strength to see how I am supposed to grow through this whole process. I'm acutely aware of the story of Job and the need for his suffering, just as we as Christians must prepare to suffer for Christ, as he suffered for us. Still, it is so hard to do, especially when the anxiety and depression are really bearing down. Thanks for you help!
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Guest
Prayer can definitely be a tremendous source of comfort, but it does take a certain degree of patience, because just like our parents on earth, we don't always get answers exactly when we want them, and we don't always hear exactly what we want to hear. Sometimes our parents try to help us to be patient by making us do the work before we get the results, or by having us wait a while for something so we can appreciate it more when we get it.
I don't know about everyone else, but when I think of God as a loving Father, it helps me to pray to Him in a more meaningful way. He has the ability to see through all the mess that we humans have made. He knows what's ahead, even if we don't. He knows how we think, how we feel, and what we are going through. After all, He created us! Getting distracted is a big problem when praying sometimes, so it helps not to get TOO comfortable, and to set a time(s) EVERY day to pray. Stick with it, too. Don't give up just because you THINK your prayers are bouncing off the ceiling. They aren't. The blockage is on our side, not on God's side. He hears and will answer. We just have to learn to recognize HOW we are answered and trust that He does hear us and loves us. He shows us each differently, just like a parent does with a child. Sometimes our answers will come through other people. Sometimes they come through things we read or hear, and sometimes its just a warm feeling we get. We are all different!
All the best.
I don't know about everyone else, but when I think of God as a loving Father, it helps me to pray to Him in a more meaningful way. He has the ability to see through all the mess that we humans have made. He knows what's ahead, even if we don't. He knows how we think, how we feel, and what we are going through. After all, He created us! Getting distracted is a big problem when praying sometimes, so it helps not to get TOO comfortable, and to set a time(s) EVERY day to pray. Stick with it, too. Don't give up just because you THINK your prayers are bouncing off the ceiling. They aren't. The blockage is on our side, not on God's side. He hears and will answer. We just have to learn to recognize HOW we are answered and trust that He does hear us and loves us. He shows us each differently, just like a parent does with a child. Sometimes our answers will come through other people. Sometimes they come through things we read or hear, and sometimes its just a warm feeling we get. We are all different!
All the best.
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Guest
How about just praying the Lord's Prayer as a starter or Psalms 23, or Psalms 91... And slow it down a bit by just focusing on a phrase and thinking on it and talk to the Lord about what comes to mind...
For example:
Psalm 23:1 The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want ..... Lord you are my Shepherd and I thank you... I am your little sheep, I am your lamb... and I know you take good care of me... I love you... and I thank you...
Psalm 23: 2a He makes me to lie down in green pastures... Lord I thank you, I truly believe that you just want me to rest and relax and calm down. Please help me to calm down and just talk to you in the quiet time. Thank you for this program that helps me cope and face my fears. I know this is your plan. Please fully deliver me from all my fears just as you did for Lucinda Bassett and all the rest... I am here Lord and I know you love me...
All you need is your bible, your heart and a secret place... God will meet you there.
God Bless,
For example:
Psalm 23:1 The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want ..... Lord you are my Shepherd and I thank you... I am your little sheep, I am your lamb... and I know you take good care of me... I love you... and I thank you...
Psalm 23: 2a He makes me to lie down in green pastures... Lord I thank you, I truly believe that you just want me to rest and relax and calm down. Please help me to calm down and just talk to you in the quiet time. Thank you for this program that helps me cope and face my fears. I know this is your plan. Please fully deliver me from all my fears just as you did for Lucinda Bassett and all the rest... I am here Lord and I know you love me...
All you need is your bible, your heart and a secret place... God will meet you there.
God Bless,