On my knees...

[John61]

I've had anxiety for about 10 years and the last few have been pretty good. Through all of this I have not really had a relationship with God other then saying grace at dinner and a few prayers here and there. The past few days my anxiety has come back with a vengeance. I'm on my knees praying but feeling guilty and disconnected with God. Guilty because I feel I've turned my back on him and now I'm asking for his help.

How do I get back the feeling the God is in my life and my heart like I used to feel?

[NeverQuit]

Hey John,
I think what's key is to fill your mind with positive scriptures and songs! Verses about God's forgiveness and unconditional love for us. I don't know if you listen to Christian music artists much, but there's a song called Times by Tenth Avenue North that is just AWESOME to listen to when you're stuck in the middle of a rut!!

Have you tried reading the Psalms? King David was honest before God and just poured his heart out, and God answered his prayers!

Ephesians 3:17-19, "And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God."

Romans 8:1-2, "Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death." This is SO important for Christians to remember! We often bang ourselves over the head for our mistakes, when God forgives EVERY sin through the blood of Jesus!

Hebrews 10:14: "For by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy." I like this verse because it shows that God HAS made us perfect through faith in the blood of Jesus, even while we are in PROCESS of being made holy in our day-to-day lives!

Romans 8:31-39: "What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: “For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”[j] No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,[k] neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord."

This is a great verse for when you are just stuck in the middle of anxiety and don't know what or how to pray! Romans 8:26-27: "In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God."

I hope that these are an encouragement to you.

[John61]

Thank you so much for those scriptures, I've always liked the one from Romans. I really struggle with negative really scary thoughts, it's almost like my brain is attacking me at times. It will be good to memorise some of these to say to myself.

[NeverQuit]

I totally understand what you're saying. It's a bad habit, and your brain is stuck in a negative groove. It's really hard work to get yourself out, I am struggling with doing it myself. But when you can think that you can actually retrain your brain to have a GOOD habit just like you can train it to have a BAD habit, it's pretty empowering.

[Paisleegreen]

Great posting!

[pjmorales]

I have worried about this too, my son has the light of God and he speaks in church, does youth minstries, since he was little people have thought he is going to be a priest one day. (hes 18 btw) Anyway everytime he would get up and speak in mass i was never there, i missed it every time because i fell away from the church. i was basically to lazy to get up and go. I have felt so guilty about that. So now that my panic attacks and depression is back my son has told me i need to go back to church, if i get back in touch with god things will get better. So i told him its hard because i feel bad for ignoring God for so long. And this is what he told me, he said mom what would you do if i moved away and didnt talk to you for a year then one day i knocked on your door. And i told him of course i would welcome you with open arms, and he said ok and you think God isnt going to do that for you. If you love me that much to take me back in no questions asked and we cant even fathom the love God has for us. He will be overjoyed to have us back.

[NeverQuit]

That's really sweet pj. I like that a lot, your son is very wise!

[brookflower]

John, Do a search on Father's Love Letter and print out the text. I find it very comforting and reassuring. God is always waiting for you with open arms.

[rae75]

Thanks so much for this posting. I am new to the forum but have been suffering from anxiety for years but I was doing well until I had my first panic attack in Feb. of this year. I hadn’t had one in years and had a major set back. I have been trying to get closer to God and sometimes I get so discouraged with all the bottom symptoms. I pray but it seems when I am doing well and praying I new symptoms. Thanks for your postings once again….I am looking up all the verses.

[PrayingForMyBabyGirl]

Also always reflect on the Footprints prayer. "Remember when you only see one set of footprints in the sand it was then that he carried you"...