What to do with an Anxious Heart

Guest Post by Darla Czeropski

Is anxiety my normal? This is the question I felt was presented to me by God. Surely, I’m not satisfied with this constant feeling in the pit of my stomach; the constant thoughts whirling around in my brain that critical thinking was unable to fix.  Or, maybe I am. Maybe I am so accustomed to this pattern of living inside my head, I wouldn’t recognize myself if worry wasn’t present.

Growing up I was blessed to have an average childhood; my family wasn’t steeped in trauma. My mom was a stay-at-home mother until I entered middle school. We never missed going to church three services a week unless we were sick. In my early twenties, I was very active working on staff at the church I attended. Sounds religious, right? 

But there was a problem. My life was filled with overwhelming anxiousness. I had married a man that I had dated since ninth grade when I was only eighteen. Our marriage was far from the life I had known with my parents. There was constant trauma stemming from disagreements about finances, faith, goals and eventually how we would raise our children. 

My mind became a battlefield of pain leaving me disappointed, insecure, and feeling hopeless. Without even recognizing how I was changing for the worse, pride slipped in and I found myself flat on my face in a pile of filthy rags called shame. I began to make unwise choices which led me to confide in a close male friend that led us both into the pit of infidelity. 

The life I had always known was gone. I lost my marriage, my friends, and my church. I felt I had lost everything. 

Why do I share this story with you? I have learned there is more needed to be mentally healthy than just being a good Christian girl. God wants more than my idea of saying all the right words and doing a lot of the right things.

God never intended for our relationship with Him to be about doing religion. He created us for relationship. He longs to give us peace and joy in this world ‘as it is in heaven’.

Unfortunately, this world has a different goal in mind. The world wants to squeeze every minute of our energy from us and wants to keep our thoughts bombarded with everything and anything to distract us from God.

These distractions become so powerful we have little time to think about God, much less be a in relationship with Him. Our brains become overwhelmed to the point our critical thinking doesn’t function how God designed it to.

When your brain is overloaded with stress, you become a prisoner of the mess.

I know you would like to hear there is a quick fix for this dilemma, right? Unfortunately, there isn’t. 

But God gives us the exact remedy so we can overcome. 

In Philippians 4:6 we read, “Don’t worry about anything;….” Wow! Is that even possible? Even asking this question, my cheeks feel red with pride. Of course, it is possible. God never gives us a command without it being possible to fulfill. Unfortunately, we often think we know better.

My life was radically changed when I recognized the problem started with me. No matter what circumstances we have experienced in life, God gives us a way to be transformed by Him. When we “choose” to stop being in control and begin to follow the path to “die to self”, God begins to work miracles. 

Where can you begin to accomplish this?

1. Get out of your head. Stop thinking about how to fix and allow God to work His will in your life. 

2. Stop practicing the old way of thinking “……instead, pray about EVERYTHING. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.” (Vs. 6)

3. Start recognizing the moment you feel worried. “Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.” (1 Peter 5:8). 

God always keeps His promises. Always. If you want to have peace and enjoy life to its fullest; trust God to do the work in and through you. Begin taking small steps toward God and He will begin to pour out blessings up you. “Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6-7 NLT).

When I said “yes” to God’s plan to restore my mind, He did that and more. I know He will also do the same for you.

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Darla Czeropski is a wife and mom of six: 2 bio, 2 step and 2 adopted children. She reaches to Christian women and unbelievers who are searching for what’s missing in their lives. She longs to introduce them to the One relationship that changes everything.

Her passion is writing. She currently mentors women in trauma and leads a neighborhood weekly women’s small group. She is a leader with her church Sisterhood Groups and is a vocalist on the church worship team. 

Recently she was published in Chicken Soup for the Soul, June 2021. 

You can follow Darla on 

Instagram.com/darlaczeropski

Facebook.com/darlaczeropski