5 Ways You Are Letting Anxiety Control Your Day

1. Avoidance

Avoidance is a common response to anxiety. When faced with situations or tasks that trigger anxiety, it’s tempting to steer clear of them. However, while this seems to be protective, avoidance only perpetuates your fears and prevents you from growing in faith. Every new day is a gift from God to you. When you wake up each morning, do you start your day with gratitude and excitement? If not, you may be letting anxiety control your day. You may feel like staying in bed until you absolutely have to get up and get moving. Maybe you have too much on your to-do list, and your stress about your busy schedule makes you anxious. Perhaps you have to be in a situation that makes you nervous – a situation that you want to try to avoid if you can. You may struggle with sadness or feel guilty or lonely as your world shrinks while you try to avoid situations or activities that trigger anxiety for you. In Isaiah 41:10, God urges: “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” You don’t need to give into fear that fuels avoidance. You can trust that God is with you, offering strength and support in challenging situations. Proverbs 3:5-6 encourages you to: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.” To overcome avoidance driven by anxiety, place your trust in God’s purposes for you, and face your fears with the assurance that God is with you. Look for God’s presence with you throughout your day, and when you discover the wonder of God’s work in your life, let that strengthen your trust in him. Ask God to help you gradually experience whatever you’ve been avoiding. Start by facing the least anxiety-provoking situation or task and gradually work your way up to others. While you’re developing the courage to face situations and activities that make you anxious, ask a caring and trustworthy friend or a professional therapist to support you through the healing process.

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2. Overthinking

Overthinking is like a mental quicksand, pulling you deeper into anxiety’s grip. Constantly worrying about past mistakes or fretting about the future robs you of peace and the joy of the present. Philippians 4:6-7 offers a powerful antidote to overthinking: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” God promises that if you pray about everything that concerns you and Jesus to help you, he will give you his peace, which surpasses human understanding, to guard your heart and mind from anxiety. Replacing overthinking with a habit of prayer and thanksgiving can help you break free from the cycle of anxiety. Develop a habit of turning your worries into prayers. Whenever you catch yourself worrying, choose not to worry about that concern in your mind, but to pray about it instead. Say a prayer right in that moment, asking God to help you with that concern. If you’re not able to pray out loud right then, pray silently, entrusting your concern to God. Another helpful way to overcome overthinking is to practice mindfulness meditation. When a concern that you’ve already entrusted to God in prayer pops up again in your mind, simply observe that concerning thought without judgment and let it pass, reminding yourself that God is already working on that situation for you. In Matthew 6:34, Jesus says: “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” Jesus encourages you to focus on the present and not overthink about the future, trusting that God will provide for all your needs.

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3. Control

Anxiety can convince you that you must be in control of every aspect of your life. The incessant need for control can lead to feelings of exhaustion, frustration, and disappointment. It’s important to embrace the reality that Proverbs 16:9 points out: “In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps.” Recognize that God is ultimately in control, and that trusting in his plan can alleviate the burden of trying to control situations in your life. Trusting in God's sovereignty and relinquishing the need for excessive control allows you to find freedom from anxiety. In fact, you can let God fight anxiety for you. As you trust God more, you’ll see God’s purposes for your life unfold, and that can help you let go of the constant need to micromanage every detail. Proverbs 19:21 points out: “Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the LORD’s purpose that prevails.” While you may make plans and seek control, it is ultimately God’s purpose that prevails. So rather than wasting time and energy anxiously trying to control situations, choose to trust in God’s sovereign will.

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4. Procrastination

Procrastination is another way anxiety can take hold of your day. When anxiety convinces you to delay important tasks or decisions, it often leads to added stress and missed opportunities. Procrastination can hinder you from fulfilling your God-given purpose. It can lead you to put off important tasks, decisions, or responsibilities, thinking that it will prevent you from failing or making a mistake. This can lead to missed deadlines and increased stress. However, Ecclesiastes 9:10 reminds you to seize the present moment, doing your tasks with all your might: “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might...”. This verse is a powerful reminder to manage your time well and not delay your responsibilities. By overcoming procrastination and being diligent and responsible, you can honor God, embracing opportunities to serve as he leads you to do so. If you are procrastinating on a task, break it down into smaller, more manageable steps. Set realistic deadlines for yourself and reward yourself for completing each step. It is also important to identify and challenge the negative thoughts that are leading you to procrastinate. Then pray about those thoughts, asking the Holy Spirit to renew your mind and motivate you to get started and keep working until you’ve completed your work on important tasks. Galatians 6:9 encourages you: “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” 

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5. Self-Criticism

Anxiety often fuels self-criticism. Negative self-talk, feelings of inadequacy, and self-doubt can plague your thoughts, hindering your spiritual growth and causing emotional distress. This can hold you back from achieving your goals. But Romans 8:1-2 reminds you that in Christ, you are free from condemnation and self-criticism: “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.” You can find peace in God’s unconditional love for you. Psalm 139:14 serves as a reminder of your true identity in God’s eyes.: “I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.” Embrace this truth, understanding that you are God’s masterpiece, created with purpose and love. Replace self-criticism with self-acceptance and confidence in God’s work in you. Challenge your negative thoughts, as well. Whenever you catch yourself thinking negatively about yourself, say a prayer asking God to let you feel his love for you and help you love yourself as God loves you. It is also important to practice self-compassion. This means being kind and understanding toward yourself, even when you make mistakes. Self-criticism fueled by anxiety can be a relentless force. It leads to a negative self-image and self-doubt, hindering your spiritual growth and causing you emotional distress. Remember that you are fearfully and wonderfully made by God’s design – and embrace God’s perspective of you as one of his beloved children.

In conclusion, anxiety can easily control your daily thoughts and actions if left unaddressed. However, God will help you every step of the way to overcome anxiety and regain control over your daily life. By confronting avoidance, overthinking, control, procrastination, and self-criticism with the wisdom in God’s Word, you can find peace and strength. You can break free from the grip of anxiety and embrace the abundant life that God wants you to live!

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