Episode 154 - When Anxiety and Hope Meet

Life is full on concepts that don't seem to be connected.  Perhaps they even appear to be opposites.  I am presenting a series of concpets that are like that.  They seem the opposite of hope.  Perhaps they even look to destroy hope.  But I want to show how sometimes they are connected.

In this episode I look at how anxiety and hope are related, even entertwined.

Transcript

Hello friends.  I’m your host Dr. Dave Laton and thank you for joining me in Our Journey to Hope.  It is my desire through this podcast to bring you information about how to discover, sustain, or perhaps regain hope.

This podcast is about our journey to hope.  It gives voice to the struggles, quiet victories, and the small steps that lead us forward.  Here we talk about faith, fear, healing, and trust.

 It is not a place where we have it all figured out.  But it is a place where we walk together as we share our experiences and insights.

 So, wherever you are listening from, take a deep breath, open your heart, and join us on the journey, our journey to hope.

 Remember, no one walks alone.

 In today’s episode I’m looking at when anxiety meets hope.

 Have you ever noticed how anxiety and hope often show up at the same time?  We usually think of them as opposites—anxiety pulling us down…hope lifting us up.

 Anxiety is that tight feeling in our chest.  It’s those times of racing thoughts.  Our thoughts race through the “what if’s” of situations and refuse to be still.

A Bible verse that often comes to mind is Psalm 46:10.  It states, “Be still and know that I am God.”  A great quote and a wonderful concept.  But it is not easy to do when the anxieties are dropping in on us.

Later, in the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 6 Jesus tells us to not be anxious.  But again, that’s not easy.

Being still is hard.  Not being anxious is challenging, even for believers.

Here’s something surprising that we might not have thought about.

Anxiety shows up in our minds because something matters.  We seldom feel anxious about things we don’t care about.  Anxiety is a way our min is telling us, “This is important.”

Here’s something else to remember…right there, in that very place—hope is already present.

Hope isn’t the absence of anxiety.  Hope stands next to anxiety and whispers, “This is not the end.”

When anxiety says, “I don’t know what will happen.”  Hope replies, “But I believe something good is still possible.”

When anxiety says, “I feel out of control”  Hope says, “I can take the next step.”

Think of anxiety like a storm cloud.  It’s troubling, dark, lous, and often overwhelming.

Hope isn’t pretending the storm isn’t there.  Hope is believing that sky is bigger than the storm.

Sometimes hope is loud and confident.  But often hope is quiet.

It sounds like:  “Just breath.”  “You’ve made it though hard things before.”  “You’re not alone.”

Here’s something else to think about.  Hope is there within anxiety, not after it disappears.

Every time we choose to keep going, even while afraid, that’s hope showing up.

Every time we ask for help, that’s hope stepping in.

Every time we believe tomorrow can be different, that’s hope offering promise.

So, when we are feeling anxious, it doesn’t mean we’re weak.  It means we care deeply.  And where there is deep care, there is always room for hope.

Not perfect hope, Not fearless hope, but steady, brave hope.

The kind that walks with us on our journey to hope, one step at a time.  And hope is walking with us right now.

 Again, I’m Dr. Dave Laton, and thank you for walking with me on this journey. Until next time, keep moving forward on our journey to hope.

 I invite you to contact me if you have questions or comments, or if you wish to share with me something you’ve experienced in your journey to hope.  My email is info@ourjourneytohope.com.   

 And please, share this podcast with someone whose hope is being challenged.

I look forward to sharing more with you soon.  And until our next episode, remember, we give all glory to God our Father.