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Happy new year. welcome back to the St. Lorenz, Stephen Ministry, Caring For You Podcast. This is a podcast all about you. And we aim to bring you Christ's healing love during the hard, the crises. The grief, the difficult life challenges you may be facing. We are kicking off the new year. With the topic of anxiety. We will dive into that in a moment. But first of all if Stephen Ministry is a new to you. We are all about caring for you when you need it. Most. We are a confidential, safe space for you to talk through the areas of your life that you are struggling with. We want to be Jesus' hands and feet for you. As we walk alongside you. My name is Lisa Stasik, and I am your host. I am also a Stephen Minister. Additionally, I author a blog called Hope Persevered and I've spoken to women's groups, Bible studies, various church groups. And I am so excited to be here with you today as we kick off 2024. And tackle this topic of anxiety together. First off a question for you to ponder. Do you ever feel anxious? Please be honest with yourself. As you're listening, anxiety is common. But it is not wrong in and of itself. But it can just as easily be pushed aside. Brushed off. Like it doesn't exist as we wait for it to go away. We all experience anxiety at some point. And maybe you are right now during a difficult situation you're facing. Maybe it's anxiety over your health. Anxiety facing a relationship, your marriage or a difficult situation in your family? Maybe you are continuously anxious. As you face a decision, you have to make. We will uncover some of these scenarios in a bit. But regardless of what you are facing. Is there a common thread when it comes to feeling anxious that is independent of your specific situation?. Is there a common thread when it comes to feeling anxious that is independent of your specific situation?. And there is a wise friend, explained anxiety to me this way. At the root of all, anxiety is a negative prediction about a certain outcome. And below that root is this misperception of the weight of the negative outcome and not trusting that God will bear the weight and give us what we need. Anxiety is driven by this negative prediction about something. Or put another way at the root of anxiety is this fear that something will go wrong with whatever it is you're facing. That leaves you feeling anxious. And there's this misperception of the weight of how the outcome will turn out. And we don't trust that God will bear that weight and give us what we need. Let's take a closer look at some of those examples. We touched on a moment ago. And I don't want to minimize or diminish any situation you are facing. The goal of this episode is to focus solely on the anxiety piece that can come alongside the difficult situations and life circumstances. You face. Maybe you're facing anxiety over your health or health of a loved one. Are you surrounded in worry and fear of what's to come. Fear over a decision you have to make. Does that fear leave you feeling anxious? And maybe without even realizing it at first that there's no way out, no possible outcome. Other than the one you dread. Maybe you're facing anxiety in a relationship or in your marriage or in your family. And there's this fear that it will never change. And there is no hope. Or the example of your career or a decision you need to make. Are you afraid you'll make the wrong decision. Maybe not get that job. You're hoping for. And you are left. Fighting these anxious waves as you wait. Each example, underlies a fear that something will go wrong. That negative prediction about that outcome. And you will find yourself stuck feeling anxious. It's important to look at the root of anxiety what's underneath, because when we look at that root, Causing these anxious emotions. We can then build upon them with some biblical truths that will help us sort out these anxious feelings we face. So, what are some of these biblical truths? Anxiety is even found in Scripture. And I love that. Jesus has walked it first. There is nothing you and I can face that He is not equipped to help and carry you through. So of course anxiety would be covered in Scripture. Let's look at first Peter five verse seven. We are told this cast all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. In Philippians four, verses six through seven, we are told this do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with Thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. And lastly, Psalm 94 19. It says this when anxiety was great within me. Your constellation brought me joy. these three verses I love to put together. It makes me think of a roadmap, like a Biblical roadmap of how to approach anxiety. So let's use this roadmap example. I go there with me for a minute and picture you have a map in front of you. And the starting point, the starting point is you feel anxious. From start, you will go to stop one, stop one on your roadmap. We'll answer the what question? What should I do? If I am anxious? From there, stop. One will lead you to stop two which will answer the, how. You will have the, what should I do if I'm anxious at stop one and stop two answer the question. How do I do that? Lastly, your final stop three on your roadmap is the destination that final outcome. The what happens when we have followed stop some one and two. All right, let's bring this roadmap altogether. So you are anxious. You're anxious about something in your life. Something difficult you are facing. And your stop number one. That is first Peter five verse seven. Which will answer the, what. What should I do? If I'm anxious? First Peter five, seven, again tells us, cast all your anxieties on him because he cares for you. What do you do? You cast all your anxieties on him. That is Christ because he cares for you. So you follow your roadmap onto step two, which is Philippians four, verse six. Philippians four, six will answer the, how. All right. How do I cast them on him on God? Philippians 4 verse six says this do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with Thanksgiving, let your request be made known to God. How do you cast all your anxiety on him? You bow your head and you go to him in prayer. So you're on your roadmap and your first stop told you to cast. All your anxieties on him because he cares for you. And you follow to your second stop on your roadmap, which told you. How you go to him in prayer. And finally that brings you to your outcome. Your last stop, where do you end up? Your last stop is Philippians four, verse seven and Psalm 94 verse 19. Both of those verses will give you the outcome. The, where will you end up when you follow the advice of Scripture? We're told in Philippians four verse seven and the peace of God. Which surpasses all understanding. Will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ. Jesus. And the peace of God will guard your heart. And your minds. In Psalm 94, 19, your final stop. That outcome. When anxiety was great upon me. Your consolation brought me joy. Your consolation. That's the Lords, his consoling, his comfort brings you joy. Let's look closer at Psalm 94 19. When anxiety was great upon me. Your consolation brought me joy. When anxiety was great upon me. Notice scripture. It doesn't say when anxiety was gone or when I was no longer anxious. No. The Psalmist says when anxiety was great upon me. Anxiety was still there. yet. the Psalmist found comfort in the Lord. And joy abounded. So, this is not as we dive in. I want you to know. This is not an episode that will talk you through all the reasons you should just stop feeling anxious. No, what the truth is Philippians four verse six. It doesn't leave you at, don't be anxious. No, it doesn't say don't be anxious and end.. All right. It says don't be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer. Let your request be made known to God. So don't be like amid, you know, Philippians 4-to-6er one of those people cutting off the rest of the verse with don't be anxious. Period. Because it don't be anxious. Period. It says. I'm anxious and I shouldn't be. But don't be anxious, but by prayer and supplication says. I am anxious Lord, please help me. And what a difference. So who, you know, what we do with it, what we do when we find ourselves feeling anxious. What roadmap we follow will make or break our outcome. When we are. Anxious. We can find ourselves so badly wanting it to just go away. Anxiety can make people bury and ignore painful hurts in situations in order to try and hide from it. Anxiety can make people freeze in a trap of fear. Unable to see a way out. And they give up, not even wanting to try. Anxiety can make people do things they would never do in order to numb it. You might think. I'm feeling anxious. I just need that glass of wine tonight or that drink. Or maybe you turned to that cigarette or I just need a night out. Right. All of our quick solutions that they may feel good in the short term, but they don't last. Let's go back to the example of first Peter five verse seven. Cast all your anxieties on him because he cares for you. In our roadmap example, this is the, what. What should I do when I feel anxious? And I don't want to gloss over this part. Because you might still feel anxious. The Psalmist, he still felt anxious. Yet he had found joy. So, is there like a disconnect somehow? No, absolutely not. But I thought I cast my anxieties on him. They'd be gone. That's why I don't want to gloss over this part. Like a flippant, just cast them on Christ and move on. Right. No, I'll share a quick personal story with you. That verse, it would often be in the back of my mind. This probing cast all your anxieties on him because he cares for you. But I would question and, and even pray. How, how do I do that? I would picture myself casting or throwing if you will. My heap of anxiety at the Lord's feet and feel like. Lord, you're not taking it. Why do I still feel. Anxious. You see our heavenly father, he certainly could have answered that prayer immediately. He could have taken away in a blink if he chose to. But he didn't. You see it's often when we find ourselves in the questioning. And the waiting. Wrestling with God, even that he will start to unveil aspects of his character. Of his grace, his mercy. Because had, he just lifted that anxiety immediately off that first time I asked. I don't think I would know him. Like I do. I certainly would not have experienced the joy in the midst of it. Just like the Psalmist that only comes from the comfort the Lord provides. Or the peace that surpasses all understanding when my circumstances surrounding me should be anything but peace. As he unveils aspects of his character to you, His grace and His mercy, those powerful Biblical truths will start to permeate other areas of your life. And they will touch other struggles you are facing. And it may very well be that God wants to show you where your fears are. Misplaced. This fear that does not belong. That is leaving you feeling anxious. And maybe where we are just not trusting Him. We're not trusting Him with the outcome. where we're not trusting Him with the weight. Of how this outcome is going to turn out. Because, like we discussed in the beginning. At the root of all, anxiety is a fear or negative prediction that something will go wrong. And we may not always be able to immediately identify what that go wrong. May be. And maybe that's what we'll see. We've been doing that we try to control and every possible way we can this outcome facing our situation that we're convinced will turn out badly. We try to numb it. We try to ignore it. We try to cope in ways that will leave us more broken than when we began. But we have a savior waiting with open arms. Cast all your anxieties on me. He saying, trust me, I have got you. But what happens is this, this cycle of feeling anxious, something is going to go wrong and you will find yourself in a trap. It's like this trap of fear and anxiety you can't get out of. Fear and anxiety, they often go hand in hand. the cyclical trap. People can get stuck in. Is this when you're not fearful, you're anxious. If you're not anxious, you're fearful. And it might feel like your stomach is spinning. Your mind is constantly racing. You might feel nervous. Restless, constantly tense. And it can leave. You stuck. Anxious. Thoughts can slip in regarding that difficult situation you're facing. And before, you know it, you can find yourself in a constant worry and fear. And guilt is almost certainly to follow, which we won't go into today, but it's a slippery slope. We can find ourselves in. Let's take a look at some real life examples. That may leave you feeling anxious. You could be facing a big decision regarding your family or maybe your career. Or younger listeners in college or starting off in that new career anxiety over grades. Or will you perform well or maybe it's anxiety with friendships or meeting new friends. Those facing health issues or a health crisis of a loved one. How will this turn out? How will I cope? What if I'm not handling this right. Maybe you're a parent with young kids. Actually all parents can probably relate to this. For example, am I raising my kids? Right? Am I doing enough? Am I doing it right? This role as a parent? If you find yourself struggling with anxious, thoughts or anxiety with whatever you are facing. First of all know that you are not alone. cause it can feel that way. The enemy he wants you trapped in the lie and fear that what you're facing will turn out wrong. It will turn out negatively. It will turn out poorly. If you or a loved one have been struggling with anxiety. Facing something in your life. We have a team of Stephen Ministers equipped and ready to walk alongside you. We talked in our first episode on the stigma surrounding a healthy mind. And how those stigmas make us believe the lies that we have no one to talk to. Or if we talk to someone there's this shame that should come with it. And that could not be further from the truth. If you or a loved one are struggling with anxiety. It is more important than ever to talk through it. Talk through it with someone like a Stephen Minister. Stephen Minister will help you talk through and uncover those fears. Those fears that are ultimately leaving you, feeling anxious, even if you can't identify those right now. And that's okay. And a Stephen Minister it's confidential. It is, non-judgemental a safe space for you to share those deepest fears. So I hope to encourage you today. If anxiety is something you or a loved one is facing to consider talking. Through it. With someone like a Stephen Minister. Because it might be one of the best decisions you make. And the outcome. Our stop. Number three on our roadmap that we talked about. The outcome of joy and comfort when your anxiety is great. Can be yours too. Just like the Psalmist. All right. It's something you are facing right now. You can find encouragement. Hope and comfort by talking with a Stephen Minister. Talking through it with a compassionate. Trustworthy, Stephen Minister may be just what God has planned to help carry you through. And if you feel broken right now, Through the cross of Jesus. God can make you whole. and the heart of Stephen ministry is rooted in a biblical principle that Christ cares for people. Through people. In closing let's review first, Peter five verse seven one last time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. God, wouldn't tell you. to do something he wasn't willing to take. Cast all your anxieties on him because he cares for you. And as he cares for you, and it might be through a Stephen Minister, you will start to experience His peace, that surpasses all understanding. And His consoling. His comfort will leave you experiencing that joy. Even if your anxiety is great. Among you. if you missed our first two episodes, you can check them out. The first episode covers the stigma surrounding a healthy mind and the second one discusses grief and loss. And upcoming episodes, we will cover other topics such as insecurity. And our identity, the comparison trap, and comparing ourselves to others. Shame. Questioning God and our faith to name a few, we have a lot of great topics coming up. Make sure to subscribe. So you don't miss out on future topics. And if you like this one, go ahead and hit the share button to help encourage others with us. a quick note. This is not medical advice. If you need professional care or care from a physician that is beyond the scope of Stephen Ministry. Thank you so much for listening. I hope you're encouraged today. God's blessings to you.