We all experience anxiety…that feeling that our world is not in our control, and scary things are happening or that scary things could happen.

Our minds are experts at knowing what we fear, and our thoughts can be our own worst enemies, as they collude against us.

There are wolves circling, these “wolves” are real and imagined events, persons, situations etc. that are determined to get us off track.

What is the answer?

There are real events, persons, situations, etc. that must be dealt with and not ignored. However, anxious thoughts are usually about perceived threats, imagined futures, or conversations that never occur.

When the wolves of anxious thoughts are howling, circling in our minds, we may feel so scattered, overwhelmed and anxious that we cannot concentrate during the day, and we are too distracted at night to sleep.

Is this where counting sheep comes in?

Well, it would be less stressful than counting wolves. Let’s try something different altogether. Instead of paying attention to the things that we cannot control, and giving into imagined fear, let’s focus our attention elsewhere.

Some people meditate and try to empty their minds completely. If this works for you, great. However, I usually do better when I have something to focus on, something I trust, something that has a proven track record in my own life. For me it is turning my eyes on Jesus, knowing that He is the Good Shepherd, who guards his sheep from the wolves.

Maybe you think you don’t need a good shepherd steering and guiding you. Maybe you had a bad one in the past, and now are wary of outside assistance. I understand. I’ve been there.

There are so many things to be afraid of in this world, but to put our fear of those things above our trust in God, is what gives power to those fears. The truth is that God is the one in power and He alone deserves that respect and attention. That is the great paradox of trusting in an Almighty. The fear of God (the belief that he is greater than anything else we fear and therefore can defeat it and save us) is the only thing that actually delivers us from anxiety.

My journey has brought me from a place of being fearful or dismissive of the idea, to a place of trusting the Good Shepherd. Well, more and more, not perfectly, not always, but enough to focus on the path ahead and to trust that I am not alone on the journey.

💗Wishing you Amazing Love & Peace!
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