Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life? Matthew 6:27
I often tell my clients that I have both good news and bad news for them regarding their anxiety. The bad news is that anxiety is not simply going to vanish away. Anxiety is a part of the human condition. Some people have a little, some people have a lot, everybody has some.
The good news is that, while anxiety will not simply vanish from their life, they can learn ways to manage it. They will have the tools, and therefore the control that is a necessary component of dealing with anxiety.
Having control is a crucial need for people who struggle with anxiety. Control is not a bad thing. We all want to control as much as we can around us. Control can give us comfort, predictability, and reassurance in times of uncertainty. Trying to control other people or situations, however, can be a bad thing, because we only have control over of our own feelings, attitudes, and behaviors.
So, anxiety will not simply vanish away. Clients can be disheartened to hear that statement until I tell them that the good news is, learning how to control anxiety is the key thing. It is not a matter of if anxiety will creep up, it is a matter of when it will. When it does appear, they can have the confidence that there is something that they can DO about it. Worry about upcoming worries means that we are always vigilant for those anxious moments. In other words, we can start to worry about worrying. Having what I call the “anxiety tool kit”, becomes a source of confidence, and yes, control. They are then not victims of anxiety, they can become masters of it in their life.
Prayer: Lord, help us to see that you have given us what we need to face life’s troubles, Amen
Reflections of a Counselor 