Written by Bill Gaultiere, a contemporary psychologist and spiritual mentor and founder of the Soul Shepherding ministry.
Anxiety is not something to be ashamed of. We all need God’s grace and safe people to talk with when we have anxious feelings. When we’re anxious, we tend to think it’s because of external stressors. We have too much to do. We’re overloaded with information. We’re dealing with relational conflict. It’s true these factors affect us, but anxiety is more about internal attitudes. When we get anxious, we’re probably trying to control things under the surface: how we feel, what people think of us, or the outcomes of situations in our lives. Some years ago, when I was serving as a spiritual formation pastor in a megachurch, I experienced a big disappointment. I had set my heart on a ministry project and was told it wasn’t needed. I felt hurt and frustrated. All the work I had put into it went to waste. I became anxious as angry conversations played in my head. Rather than ruminate over the situation or become resentful, I talked to God (and my wife) about how I felt. Then I stopped trying to control my situation and abandoned the outcomes to God. A simple prayer came to me: “Lord, your will, your way, your time.” I prayed this again and again over the situation and my emotions. Simultaneously, I breathed slowly and deeply and brought my body to a state of calm. Training with Jesus through this short Breath Prayer taught me how to offer my emotions to God and rest in him. It helped me remember that Jesus was the Leader of the ministry and the Shepherd of my soul. This is the path to peace — becoming the kind of person who can rely on care from God and others and submit to him in all things.
You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you. [Isaiah 26:3]
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