For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. – 2 Timothy 1:7 (NKJV)

Abbey and Emma announced, “Evan’s awake!” as they twirled into the nursery. My four-month-old son flashed the cheeser grin that I liked to call Mr. Wonderful. As we cooed back, his happy face faded. Evan’s eyes glazed over, shifted to the side, and rolled backward. His limbs drew in tightly as his tiny body began jerking in convulsions.

“Hurry, get my phone,” I said to Abbey. A steady male voice met me on the other end of the line. “911 emergency response, what’s your emergency?”

“My son is having a seizure! His face is turning blue!” I fought to keep control when I wanted to scream in terror. Evan’s clenched fists finally released as his body began to relax. I grabbed my baby and clutched him to my chest as we watched the ambulance arrive from the nursery window.

I wish I could say that was the worst day of my life, but that one day stretched into thirty. Evan continued to seize when waking from sleep. In one month, Evan had more than seventy seizures. I felt like I might lose my mind and possibly my marriage. It wasn’t long that the gentle words of God resonated within me. Your son is going to be fine. I gripped onto that promise like a life preserver. When fear fractured my thoughts, I declared to myself, No, my son is going to be fine. I pulled truth from Scripture and prayed it over my family. The healing of my traumatized mind came in stages. Daily practices of choosing worship over worry, praise over powerlessness, and promises over lies kept me moving forward. Faith developed within as God demonstrated his faithfulness.

That tiny baby is now an active kid. He drives me crazy asking one million questions. Evan has been seizure-free for many years. God’s presence and promises still hold me firm on days when my thoughts are unsettled.

3 Simple Steps to Eradicate Anxiety

Many Bible heroes seemed to have wrestled with anxiety, including Timothy. The Apostle Paul encouraged his spiritual son, “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” (2 Timothy 1:7 NKJV) Today, this verse is quickly quoted as a blanket declaration against anxiety, which I often do over myself. However, I believe it holds three key actions to emerge from the floodwaters of fear.

Remember Power

The Lord parted water for His people to walk across dry land five times in the Old Testament. Stormy waves later became solid ground beneath Peter’s feet. The miraculous power of God that accomplished those acts was described in New Testament Greek as dunamis, which later became the root of the English word, dynamite. Dunamis power was the explosive, death-defying, supernatural ability of God. The Apostle Paul urged the Ephesians to meditate on this miraculous strength: “the eyes of your understanding [deep thought] being enlightened; that you may know what is…the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe…” (Ephesians 1:18–19 NKJV) Then Paul later declared that “The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you.” (Romans 8:11 NLT) The same indescribable, immeasurable, and inconceivable power that parted water and brought the dead to life dwells within you today. What would God not do for you, His son or daughter?

Receive Love

A parent’s love is a miracle, as it cannot be based on performance or personality. Affection for our kids ignites the moment we lay eyes on them. However, our best efforts to express devotion are merely a muddy reflection ofd the Lord’s infinite love for His children. The pages of Scripture are painted with God’s love, but we often have trouble receiving it.

Anxiety dissipates when we receive the Father’s affection. 1 John 4 explains, “…Perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced his perfect love.” (v18 NLT) God’s love is outside of time, without boundary, and beyond definition. Such love can never be earned; it can only be received. If you’re having trouble accepting the Father’s affection today, I encourage you to ask for His help. Though you may not understand or feel worthy, surrender to the One who defines your worth. He designed you, died for you, and delivers you daily.

Realign with a Sound Mind

Overwhelming anxiety can feel like being trapped beneath waves of worry. Disorientation, panic, and fatigue can seem like we’re not going to make it. In actuality, the Word of God is a firm foundation beneath our feet. The truth of Scripture brings clarity when our thoughts are cloudy.

When I feel that familiar tightening in my chest, it helps me to ask the Holy Spirit, Why am I feeling this way? Once I acknowledge the thoughts driving the anxiety, I can replace them with truth from Scripture. When my mind drifts negatively, I purpose myself to think, no, the truth is _____ and bring it back to the validity of God’s Word. In doing so, I am dissociating from the falsities of fear and aligning with the promises of God. The Apostle Paul gave similar instructions when he said, “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything…Fix your thoughts on what is true…Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me…Then the God of peace will be with you.” (Philippians 4:6, 8-9 NLT)

When anxiety comes calling, I encourage you to lift up words of worship to God. Consider declaring truth from Scripture out loud over your situation. Not sure where to find a verse? Just google it. Listen for the Lord’s gentle encouragement. His peace confronts the chaos. Anxiety is not God’s answer for you. Faith is rising today.