“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
John 16:33

In a recent study, researchers found that personal stress, worry, fear, and anxiety are at an all-time high. What is worse is that the number is steadily rising, especially over the past few years. The level of fear and worry is even higher than its previous peaks during World War II and the Cold War. People who live with worry, fear, and anxiety often feel fatigued, exhausted, overwhelmed, and depressed. Along with that, there is a loss of a person's sense of joy, peace, purpose, and rest. These things can often spiral into other negative effects. The mind of a person struggling in this area becomes frazzled and frustrated, so much so that you may lash out at those closest to they out of frustration. They may even resent those around them who are joyful when everything seems to be going fine for them.

This may describe your situation in some way. The real question in all of this is how do you live a life without worry, fear, or anxiety in a world full of bad news? Because that is what this world is.  Jesus even told us that our world would be a place of trouble and continual bad news. We were never promised a trouble-free existence in this life, but the bible does tell us how we can have a stress-free guarantee of peace, even in a world of stress and trouble.

Over the course of this Care + track, we will show you five ways in which worry, fear, and anxiety are not God's will for your life, and also five ways that these debilitating feelings and mindsets can be defeated.

If you do this, you will experience God’s peace, which is far more wonderful than the human mind can understand. His peace will keep your thoughts and your hearts quiet and at rest as you trust in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:7 (LB)

What is the “this” that Philippians is referencing? We know that God reminds us to be in the Word, to communicate with Him through prayer, to worship etc. All of these instructions by God are beneficial as we give our focus back to Jesus and His promises over us and halt our inward focus. God has given us tools to fight anxiety and worry, what a blessing! Take some time this week to pray and be still in the presence of God and see how He speaks to you in that time with Him. There is victory ahead, so let's get started!

We want to encourage you this week as you take time to commune with God, to listen to the playlist below by Elevation Worship. We believe that worship is a powerful weapon to wage war against our anxious thoughts!