Stop, Drop, and Roll

At times, I’ve felt that talking about a current struggle with anxiety, somehow lessens the breakthroughs and overcoming that I’ve had. So, I’ve preferred to stick to past times after I have come through.

The problem is that I still have those times, though they have lessened significantly in frequency and intensity, and duration. I have learned ways of coping in and through them, as well as getting healing from the roots of where the anxiety came.

Recently, I have been fighting it again. For about the last six months, I have been working through some things that have often lead to times of being anxious. As I’m working through things that bring those familiar feelings, I have to go back and remind myself of the coping skills that I have learned.

One of the most difficult side products of anxiety for me has been the paralysis of forward motion in daily life. When anxiety stops us from getting done what needs to get done, it compounds the problem. Then, the problem can grow, and the anxiety with it, creating a nasty cycle.

Some time ago, as I was struggling with this cycle in prayer, I heard, “Stop, drop, and roll”.

I asked, “What? Did I hear that right?”

Stop. When anxiety starts, stop the circular thinking. Cut off those thoughts that can go around in your head and repeat. Evaluate. What is going on? Where does this come from? Why am I thinking this? What validity does it have? What is the truth, and what is the lie? The enemy has a narrative that he wants to get our thoughts sucked into. The Lord has a truth that we need to know.

Drop. After inventory has been done, drop to your knees in prayer. Take time to refocus. What does God say about this? What does he want you to know and believe? What is the truth? What does the bible say? Find it. Pray it. Slow down and speak his word slowly over the situation, so it soaks into the soil of your heart.

Roll. Get busy. Get back to doing whatever you need to do, or what you know to do. It’s often been hard for me to know what to do. Like many, I have had a tendency to become overwhelmed when there are too many things on my plate and I am stressed.

For many years I lived under much criticism, so that whatever I did was often seen as not good enough. Getting that out of my head has been a challenge. Various choices would often result in a verbal take down. What would elicit one response on a given day, another day would not take notice. It was confusing and hard to know what to do.

God has been patient in letting me know that he is not like that. He is consistent. He is not fault finding. He expects us to do what is right, not what the world says is right, but what he says is right. What he says is right doesn’t change.

We may not know what to do in a given situation. In that time we give it to him, do our best, and trust. We can’t do any better than our best. Sometimes, many times, a wait may be involved.

A couple things to remember: He loves us. His love is perfect, and his love is perfectly comforting.

There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. (1John 4:18)

Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.” (Dt. 31:6)

To help me remember, I made this simple sign to jar my memory. When I begin to feel myself getting stuck in an anxious state, this reminder can jar my memory. Sometimes it takes a little while to work through, or even to get going. If I slow down, and let God take me through it, He has proved to be faithful. (Just starting another round now.)