anxiety and doubt

[seekingGod97]

Hello

I'd like to ask for advice on anxiety and doubt, as a christian aren't these things a sin, but I dont know how to stop doing them?

Edited June 26, 2018 by seekingGod97

[HikerMom]

Good morning, @seekingGod97

I just noticed this thread and wanted to respond....  I will just give you my thoughts.  I don't think anxiety is a sin.  Fear is simply part of our existence but God wants to grow us and help us conquer fear.  Perfect love casts out fear.  That is what He has done in my life in the past and what He is doing again at my life at a different level now.  Henry Cloud has a quote that really helped me.... "It's funny how we try to control anxiety when giving up control is what cures anxiety."  I believe it is counterproductive to try to control anxiety...I think it makes it worse.

As for doubt.  I have often heard doubt being described as the opposite of faith.  Actually that was in a lesson at our church just yesterday.  But I do not believe this is true.  Doubt is part of any faith journey.  We need to feed our faith of course and starve the doubt with God's truth and by trusting in His promises.  If we feed the doubt then eventually we may give up our faith.  But questions are normal.  Look at the Psalms.  The Psalmists frequently question God but usually end with remembering His promises and His love, and by making decisions to continue to put heir hope in Him.  The character of God makes this possible for us.  He is SO trustworthy.

I once heard a speaker say that the opposite of faith is not doubt, it's actually having all the answers.  I SO believe this to be true.  When we walk by faith, we don't have all the answers...we are forced to make a choice to to trust Him and step out on the waters trusting He will not let us sink.  We keep our eyes on Him and not the storm surrounding us as Peter did.  When Peter looked at the waves, he started to sink.  So we keep our eyes fixed on Jesus.  We trust that whatever happens, God will use it for our good...(Romans 8:28!!)

This is what I believe SeekingGod97, but I share it knowing I still have more to learn...

Edited July 2, 2018 by HikerMom

[seekingGod97]

2 hours ago, HikerMom said:

Good morning, @seekingGod97

I just noticed this thread and wanted to respond....  I will just give you my thoughts.  I don't think anxiety is a sin.  Fear is simply part of our existence but God wants to grow us and help us conquer fear.  Perfect love casts out fear.  That is what He has done in my life in the past and what He is doing again at my life at a different level now.  Henry Cloud has a quote that really helped me.... "It's funny how we try to control anxiety when giving up control is what cures anxiety."  I believe it is counterproductive to try to control anxiety...I think it makes it worse.

As for doubt.  I have often heard doubt being described as the opposite of faith.  Actually that was in a lesson at our church just yesterday.  But I do not believe this is true.  Doubt is part of any faith journey.  We need to feed our faith of course and starve the doubt with God's truth and by trusting in His promises.  If we feed the doubt then eventually we may give up our faith.  But questions are normal.  Look at the Psalms.  The Psalmists frequently question God but usually end with remembering His promises and His love, and by making decisions to continue to put heir hope in Him.  The character of God makes this possible for us.  He is SO trustworthy.

I once heard a speaker say that the opposite of faith is not doubt, it's actually having all the answers.  I SO believe this to be true.  When we walk by faith, we don't have all the answers...we are forced to make a choice to to trust Him and step out on the waters trusting He will not let us sink.  We keep our eyes on Him and not the storm surrounding us as Peter did.  When Peter looked at the waves, he started to sink.  So we keep our eyes fixed on Jesus.  We trust that whatever happens, God will use it for our good...(Romans 8:28!!)

This is what I believe SeekingGod97, but I share it knowing I still have more to learn...

Thank you for these words, its always nice when people present things to me I hadn't really considered, someone else said something similar to me about doubt so I guess its something that not a lot of christians see as so bad, I mean its not great to doubt God himself but I feel less condemned about it. I too have a lot to learn but thank you for helping to grow more in my understanding

[Willa]

 Mar 9:23  Jesus said to him, “If you can believe, all things arepossible to him who believes.”

 Mar 9:24  Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!”

Early on I learned to praise God in all circumstances, especially during fear and doubt.  It reminds me that God is still in control.  

[JTC]

Anxiety and doubt aren't sins. Doubting God is a sin, we aren't even supposed to look at the newspaper horoscope. In the old days that was a super sin.

Do you mean that you know God can solve your problem, you just don't know if He will? That's common and it's not a sin. Anxiety can be (not always) an evil spirit. It's usually a weak one. Try rebuking it. First call it, say You spirit of anxiety I bind and rebuke you in the name of Jesus, leave me, get out of here. If it comes back rebuke it again.

Anxiety can also be a medical issue. I need meds but finding a doc is hard.

[Sharky and George]

Quote

Thank you for these words, its always nice when people present things to me I hadn't really considered, someone else said something similar to me about doubt so I guess its something that not a lot of christians see as so bad, I mean its not great to doubt God himself but I feel less condemned about it. I too have a lot to learn but thank you for helping to grow more in my understanding

 

Good answers folks, for an important question and you should realise that you are never condemned, you are a child of God:

Quote

Romans 8:1 (ESV) There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

God might convict you sometimes if He wants you to think about something but He will never condemn you, that stuff is from the enemy - learn to recognise the difference between conviction and condemnation:

• Conviction helps you to think about what you have done wrong and then builds you up.
• Condemnation always pushes you down.

 

 

 

 

I get a lot of assurance issues (doubt) and I find that the best remedy for it is serving God:

Quote

 

1 John 3:18-22

¹⁸ Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.

¹⁹ By this we shall know that we are of the truth and reassure our heart before him; ²⁰ for whenever our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and he knows everything. ²¹ Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence before God; ²² and whatever we ask we receive from him, because we keep his commandments and do what pleases him.

 

 

 

 

 

Try just doing something easy (and fun) like baking cookies for your neighbours - lol it works though.

If things are tough then just do one good thing a day and you will see what I mean ?

 

Edited July 5, 2018 by Sharky and George

[seekingGod97]

On 7/5/2018 at 9:40 AM, Sharky and George said:

 

Good answers folks, for an important question and you should realise that you are never condemned, you are a child of God:

God might convict you sometimes if He wants you to think about something but He will never condemn you, that stuff is from the enemy - learn to recognise the difference between conviction and condemnation:

• Conviction helps you to think about what you have done wrong and then builds you up.
• Condemnation always pushes you down.

 

 

 

 

I get a lot of assurance issues (doubt) and I find that the best remedy for it is serving God:

 

 

 

 

Try just doing something easy (and fun) like baking cookies for your neighbours - lol it works though.

If things are tough then just do one good thing a day and you will see what I mean ?

 

yes it took me a while to learn the difference, I think when I was convicted about something, I panicked and allowed fear to consume me, I began to condemn myself but as I have grown closer to God I dont feel condemned, but rather a prodding or feeling in my heart to do something or go in a certain direction. I think anxiety and doubt have always been my go to defence mechanisms to things I am unsure of. Thank you

[Sharky and George]

Quote

I think anxiety and doubt have always been my go to defence mechanisms to things I am unsure of.

It was on UCB 1 (United Christian Broadcasters channel 1) the other day that we can turn fear into excitement e.g. with a bit of faith for an adventure (BE WISE TOO THOUGH) and a decision in your mind, then a scary situation can be turned around for good.

Do you believe you could make that your way?

 

 

 

I just said on a different forum thread that I had been where the person posting had been but I don't care - I used to call what you just said a condemnation attack (when the fear consumes me), only just got over that and I am glad they have gone.

 

 

 

Stop saying thankyou lol.

Note: for some reason I am worried that this post looks dodge - I have no idea how old you are that is why I am solely here to give helpful advice to a Sister in Christ.

Bless you!