ARE YOU STRUGGLING WITH ANXIETY AND/OR RESTLESSNESS?

BIBLE PASSAGE:
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” 
(Matthew 11:28)

MEDITATION:
Many people experience anxiety and restlessness at some point in their lives. 
These conditions can be very normal responses to stressful life events 
like moving, changing jobs, having financial troubles, fears, etc.
For most it is temporary, but for others it can become a life long condition.

When someone is experiencing anxiety or restlessness, they often describe 
it as a feeling of being “on edge”, or having an “uncomfortable urge to move.” 
Anxiety and restlessness can be debilitating and cause people to 
struggle interacting socially with others, which can drive people away.

There are some common symptoms of anxiety and restlessness, such as: 

EXCESSIVE WORRYING
One common symptom of an anxiety and restlessness is excessive worrying.
The worrying can become severe and intrusive, 
making it difficult to concentrate and accomplish daily tasks.

When preoccupied with worry, 
a person can have difficulty interacting socially with others.
Instead of having healthy conversations, 
they can become rude to the point of ignoring others.

FEELING AGITATED
Anxiety and restlessness can create an agitated state in a person.
Due to their agitated state, they can often become angry 
to the point of  screaming and yelling  at others.

It is a childish response which can cause a loss of friendships and relationships, 
because others would prefer not to be around the source of these outbursts.
The majority of the time, these flare-ups are unfairly directed toward others, 
which of course drives them away.

FATIGUE
Fatigue can be a symptom of anxiety and restlessness. 
It can cause the person to easily fall asleep in the midst of others,
and sometimes, even if another person is trying to converse with them.

DIFFICULTY CONCENTRATING
Many people with anxiety and restlessness say they have difficulty concentrating. 
This lack of concentration increases with the severity of anxiety or restlessness.
Some studies show that anxiety can interrupt working memory, 
which is a type of memory responsible for holding short-term information. 
This may help explain the dramatic decrease in performance 
of people who experience periods of high anxiety or restlessness. 
It can also affect them socially because they cannot exercise self-control 
in order to have good conversations and enjoyable interactions with others.

IRRITABILITY
Another indication of anxiety and restlessness is excessive irritability.
These feelings of irritability can increase 
when anxiety or restlessness reaches its peak.
It is an unhealthy irritability that causes a person to accuse others whenever 
anything goes wrong, or things aren’t going the way they want them to go.
As this irritability remains unchecked or increases, 
they can develop a hateful attitude that pushes others away.

Too often they have imaginary expectations similar to what they see 
in movies and other shows which are full of drama and do not depict
the lives of normal healthy people who have good relationships with others. 
A restless or anxious person can struggle with accepting what is normal 
because it conflicts with their misconception of how relationships should be.
It is a type of immature thinking that often stems from 
their refusal to accept reality, or their attempts to escape it.

TENSION
People with anxiety and restlessness can have trouble 
relaxing and enjoying life because they are always ‘on edge’. 
If you were to ask them why they are tense, 
chances are they wouldn’t have an answer.
To them it may be a vague and unidentifiable condition that prevents them 
from relaxing and enjoying good and healthy relationships with others.

TROUBLE FALLING ASLEEP OR STAYING ASLEEP
Sleep disturbances are strongly associated with anxiety and restlessness. 
Waking up in the middle of the night and having trouble falling asleep 
are the two most commonly reported problems.
These unhealthy sleeping issues can result in irrational behavior,
such as arising in the wee hours of the morning to read a book,
watch television, spend time on social media, or go to their job.

PANIC ATTACKS
One result of anxiety or restlessness can be recurring panic attacks.
Panic attacks produce an intense and overwhelming 
sensation of fear that can be debilitating.

People who have experienced panic attacks describe them as 
feeling they are about to have a heart attack, 
but for some reason, they don’t want to tell anyone.
Panic attacks can happen in isolation, but if they occur frequently 
and unexpectedly, they may be a sign of a panic disorder.

AVOIDING SOCIAL SITUATIONS
You may be exhibiting signs of social anxiety disorder if you find yourself:
     Feeling anxious or fearful about upcoming social situations.
     Worried that you may be judged or scrutinized by others.
     Fearful of being embarrassed or humiliated in front of others.
     Avoiding certain social events because of these fears.

People with social anxiety may appear extremely quiet or withdrawn in groups.
Instead of interacting with others, they may isolate themselves and become 
engrossed in something on television, or spending time on their phone, iPad, etc.  
As a result they can be rude and completely ignore others, 
even if when the other person is speaking directly to them.

This aloofness can make people with anxiety and restlessness appear snobby or 
standoffish, but the disorder is associated with a type of low self-esteem, 
high self-criticism, and depression.
Some set unrealistic expectations for themselves and when they fall short, 
they are quick to find someone else to blame for any failures. 
It is almost impossible for them to “own” their own mistakes, 
which can cause a loss of good friends and create marital problems.
Since they constantly evaluate themselves for any flaws or faults, 
they frequently evaluate others and fail to enjoy their friendships.

For some, this line of thinking can be a result of high expectations 
from their parents when they were children, and/or observing 
parents who were quick to blame others for mistakes or failures.
When a child sees parents yelling and screaming in fits of anger, they 
develop the idea that this is acceptable behavior and often do the same 
thing in their efforts to find relief from their own anxieties and restlessness.

Social anxieties tend to develop early in life.
In fact, about 50% of those who have it are diagnosed by age 11, 
while 80% are diagnosed by age 20.

The world has suggestions for reducing anxiety and restlessness 
which include:
EATING A HEALTHY DIET (diets rich in vegetables, fruits, high-quality meats,
fish, nuts and whole grains)

CONSUMING PROBIOTICS AND FERMENTED FOODS

LIMITING CAFFEINE
(excessive caffeine intake may worsen feelings of anxiety and restlessness) 

ABSTAINING FROM ALCOHOL, ENERGY DRINKS AND SMOKING
(alcohol, energy drinks and smoking can increase anxiety and restlessness)

EXERCISING 
(regular exercise can sometimes lower the risk of anxiety and restlessness).

MEDITATION AND YOGA
(some claim that meditation or Yoga can reduce anxiety 
and restlessness by increasing a person’s ability to exercise self-control)

But what does the Bible offer as a solution to treating anxiety and restlessness?
We are told to depend on the Lord to break the chain of anxiety and restlessness.
That land will belong to the remnant of the people of Judah; there they will 
find pasture. In the evening they will lie down in the houses of Ashkelon. 
The Lord their God will care for them; he will restore their fortunes. 
(Zephaniah 2:7)

Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle 
and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 
(Matthew 11:29)

The scriptures also give us an indication of the cause of anxiety and restlessness.
Anyone with an impure spirit will have difficulty finding rest.
“When an impure spirit comes out of a person, it goes through 
arid places seeking rest and does not find it. (Matthew 12:43)

God’s Word also warns us that we should continually be on guard 
against impure spirits, because they look for opportunities to return to us 
whenever we think we have successfully eliminated them from our lives.
“When an impure spirit comes out of a person, 
it goes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it. 
Then it says, ‘I will return to the house I left.’ 
(Luke 11:24)

Of course an impure spirit is an indication of sin in our lives.
It could be an addiction such as alcohol, drugs, gambling, pornography, 
or any other sin striving to control our lives and distract us from 
growing closer to the Lord.

ACTION:
If we have not humbled ourselves, confessed our sins, 
and surrendered our lives to the Lord, then we could live 
a life of struggling to overcome anxiety and restlessness.
If we have no relationship with the Lord,
we cannot expect to call on the Him to give us rest. 

If you are having anxieties and restlessness that is causing you 
to feel more isolated and alone, then turn to the Lord for help 
and focus on developing an intimate relationship with Him.
The scriptures tell us that He will help you!

The following entry from the book “Jesus Calling” 
describes some traits of people who do not have a relationship with 
the Lord, and reminds us of how His presence can enhance our lives.

Man’s tendency is to hide from his sin, seeking refuge in the darkness. 
There he indulges in self-pity, denial, self-righteousness, blaming, and 
hatred. But I am the Light of the world, and My illumination decimates the 
darkness. Come close to Me and let My Light envelop you, driving out the 
darkness and permeating you with Peace. 

When your sins weigh heavily upon you, come to Me. Confess your wrongdoing, 
which I know about before you say a word. Stay in the Light of My Presence, 
receiving forgiveness, cleansing, and healing. Remember that I have clothed 
you in My righteousness, so nothing can separate you from Me. Whenever you 
stumble or fall, I am there to pick you up.

Pray,
“Heavenly Father, I now realize that I cannot overcome any feelings 
of anxiety or restlessness in my own strength. I believe Your promises 
of helping those who belong to You to find rest. I am tired of having
problems with my relationships with other people. My lack of 
self-control and refusal to accept ownership for my own failures has 
caused me to lose friends and isolate myself in social circles. Father 
I call on You to eliminate any impure spirits that have found a home 
in me. I pray that You would break the chains of any addictions in 
my life. Forgive me of my sins and bless me with Your salvation.”

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