God’s Defense Against Anxiety
Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Philippians 4:8, [NIV]
When I was in my twenties, my biggest talent was overthinking. I would overanalyze situations and imagine worst-case scenarios to shield myself from feeling scared and out of control. It wasn’t until I went to the hospital because of constant chest pains that I discovered I had anxiety.
I didn’t realize how anxious my thoughts were until I started scenario sessions. One day, I came home from a session and began analyzing my thoughts. I was feeling very worried, anxious, sad, and fearful. I sat and cried hysterically about things that hadn’t even happened. My hands started to shake, and I began experiencing regular migraines. When I took a moment to pause, I saw how my thoughts were impacting my body. I realized I wasn’t just preparing for the worst; I was actually living it.
Living with anxiety was difficult. I missed out on fun moments and couldn’t be fully present at events or gatherings. I didn't know how to quiet the noise in my mind.
When I decided to go to therapy, my therapist said something that completely changed my perspective. She told me I needed to stop thinking flesh-minded and start thinking righteous-minded. She pointed me to Philippians 4:8, “Finally, believers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable and worthy of respect, whatever is right and confirmed by God’s word, whatever is pure and wholesome, whatever is lovely and brings peace, whatever is admirable and of good repute; if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think continually on these things.”
My therapist explained that these were the kinds of thoughts God wanted me to have. She encouraged me to use Philippians 4:8 to filter my thoughts. When a thought entered my mind, I would pause and ask myself, “Are you a pure, right, lovely, and peaceful thought? If the answer was no, then I allowed myself to dismiss the thought.
Jesus was intentional about His thoughts as well. When Jesus was in the Garden of Gethsemane, nearing His crucifixion, He said, “My soul is deeply grieved, so that I am almost dying of sorrow” (Matt 26:38; AMP). Jesus first prayed to His Father and then focused His mind on the truth. He modeled thinking pure, right, and holy thoughts so that He could endure death and bring us freedom and eternal salvation.
I would be lying to you today if I said I no longer experience anxious thoughts. I've had many since my therapy sessions. However, over time, my anxious thoughts have started to fade and occur less frequently. I know God doesn’t want me to have these kinds of thoughts, and I believe He desires the same for you.
If you struggle with anxiety or anxious thoughts, I encourage you to start taking your thoughts captive. Hold your thoughts up to Philippians 4:8 and see if they are pure, right, and holy. God desires for each of us to walk in the victory and freedom that Jesus died to give us. As we intentionally and consistently examine our thoughts, we will begin to experience a freer life, one filled with love, joy, and peace.