Psalm 55:22 Cast your burden on the Lord, and He shall sustain you;  He shall never permit the righteous to be moved.

Have you ever experienced an anxiety attack? The dictionary defines anxiety as “a feeling of worry, nervousness, or unease about something with an uncertain outcome” or a “strong desire or concern to do something or for something to happen”. For eleven months, I suffered from severe panic attacks. They started off mild and progressively grew worse. Having never experienced one before, I didn’t think anxiety was the case. Since I’m over forty, I figured it was just a phase that will soon pass.

The attacks manifested themselves in the form of strong feelings of uneasiness coupled with emotional breakdowns. They would come unexpectedly causing me to lose focus of what I was doing in the moment. Those seasons of my life were filled with despair and helplessness. I would constantly pray and ask God for deliverance. Last year, I went through a major trial which contributed to my anxiety as well as other factors, heartache and distress. I allowed my situation to get the best of me. Instead of focusing on the Lord, my eyes were set on my circumstances. Even though it was difficult, I prayed and asked the Lord to help me reshift my mind back towards Him, let go, and entrust the situation to Him. It was a burden to heavy for me to carry, but Jesus could and He wanted me to lay it down at His feet.

I kept the details of my trial from my family and close friends. After a period of nine months, I couldn’t bear the emotional turmoil I was in, so I finally reached out and shared what was going on with family and my sisters in Christ. They all encouraged me in the Lord, and kept me in prayer as well as the situation. My cousin affirmed to me that the Lord knew all about the issue I was facing – He sees and hears everything. He saw the agony I was in, and He wanted me to release it into His loving hands and trust Him for the outcome. My cousin also told me that God is in control and my trial will turn out for my good and for His glory. She encouraged me to start praising Him for the victory. By no means was this easy, but as I began to praise and thank Him, the burden of anxiety started to lift and those chains of bondage that once held me down began to fall off. I continued to praise God while giving Him all the glory for what He was going to accomplish through my storm. Some days were harder than others. Depending solely on the Lord, He gave me His strength to persevere and endure through my time of testing. PRAISE JESUS!!! I have been completely healed and set free from all my anxiety. We serve a Faithful God who is our Healer, Great Physician, and much more. His mercies are new every morning and His compassions fail not.

Lamentation 3:22-23 Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness.

If you are experiencing anxiety or facing a major trial, run to the Lord, pray and talk to God first about your situation, lay it down at His feet, trust Him, praise Him, and depend on Him to bring you through it. He is faithful and He will never leave you nor forsake you. Talking to a trusted friend or family member who will earnestly pray for you and encourage you in the Lord is helpful too. But please do not lean on that person or allow the individual to take the place of God. Although God has blessed us with family and friends, we need to lean and depend on Him. He alone is our strength and our very present help in the time of need. Jesus is our Rock!

Matthew 11:28-30 Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.

Psalm 31:3 For You are my rock and my fortress; therefore, for Your name’s sake, lead me and guide me.

Psalm 34:15 The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and His ears are open to their cry.

Psalm 40:1-3 I waited patiently for the Lord; and He inclined to me, and heard my cry. He also brought me up out of a horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my steps. He has put a new song in my mouth-Praise to our God; many will see it and fear, and will trust in the Lord.

Hebrews 4:16 Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.