The Secret Tip When You’re Stuck in a Rut
Inside: When you’re dealing with anxiety, it’s easy to be stuck in a rut. Your vision becomes centered on your discomfort. When you expand your vision to others, your discomfort lessens.
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When I struggle with anxiety, the church is the last place I want to be. Lots of people and close encounters overwhelm me. Heaven-forbid my bodily symptoms become noticeable. What if I need to quickly leave?
I didn’t go for months. I had tunnel vision, and the tunnel began and ended with me. So in So in reality, I was stuck on myself with anxiety.
Can I share a Bible story about the secret to healing with anxiety? Walk with me till the end and find the wisdom of truth from God’s Word.
Stuck in a Rut
The sun was beating down. The parched land left the skin gritty from the dust. Jesus was teaching, and it was busy. He was standing inside the small thatched roof house. People were over-spilling out of the doors and windows onto the area in order to hear.
Jesus’ teachings were exciting– they tugged at the heart and changed lives. He gave hope.
A group of friends showed up late because they had to get their friend ready. The paralyzed friend was laying on a mat. He was totally dependent on others. As the men carried their friend, they also carried their own burdens. They each struggled with inner problems, but their friend on the mat was in need of greater healing.
The delayed men could find no open space in the home and yet, the paralyzed man had to see Jesus. They knew Jesus could heal those He saw.
The roof was the only possible entry to Jesus. They lowered the man down, and Jesus healed the man. It was inner soul healing mixed with physical healing. Jesus told them, “Your faith has healed you.”
True Healing
Jesus healed more than the paralyzed man because the friends were also healed. Burdens displaced and souls made on fire for Jesus. Faith in Jesus had healed every one.
These men didn’t leave the same way they had come.
So how do we weave this story into the topic of anxiety?
These men could have overlooked the man on the mat because they were focused on the issues surrounding themselves. Without the paralyzed man, they would have gotten to Jesus quicker and left the roof intact.
They formed a community, gathered together in Jesus’ name, and received healing.
Healing comes when we focus on other people. This is intentional action. We choose where we place our focus. Share on X
Get Your Mind on Others
When my mind is on someone else, I get a break from myself.
God promises to be with us when we are with others gathered in His name.
The church is the best place to be when we are struggling with anxiety.
Studies have shown helping others decreases stress responses in the brain. Those who help the most have the greatest stress reduction happening in the brain. Anxiety is stress in the brain and on the body.
Isn’t this is the secret to healing?
What does God say?
35 And I have been a constant example of how you can help those in need by working hard. You should remember the words of the Lord Jesus: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive’ (Acts 20:35, NLT).
4 Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too (Philippians 2:4, NLT).
If I am stuck on myself, I need to focus on the tip from the Bible; join together with another and do something to help someone out.
Need more resources to help with your anxiety? See our “20 Journal Prompts for Anxiety”
Original images from pixabay.com
You speak such truth here, but I can’t help but wonder (from my own experience) why it has to feel so hard. In those places where we are weary and anxious and want to retreat, those are the exact places where we are called to step out in faith. But something even more beautiful here — when we can’t step out on our own, having people that will carry us to the feet of Jesus. That is love.
Becky- God calls us to fellowship because we need each other. No one can breath life back into us better than a Christian friend>
Thanks for stopping!
Julie
So true! I think Jesus’ command to “love one another” was for our own good just as much as the “other” person’s well-being. Thanks for sharing this well known Biblical account and making it fresh with much to ponder! Stopping by from #FreshMarketFriday 🙂
Laura- God knows the importance of Christian friends. We need to gather often for God’s great benefits!
Have a great weekend!
Julie
God is so good that when we love others, that He meets our needs, too. Your post reminded me of this verse, “He who waters others will himself be refreshed.”
Kelly- love the verse!
Have a great weekend!
Julie
I’ve learned it’s impossible to be happy when I’m focused on myself. So thankful God made us for community to help me get my mind off me and enjoy the people around me. Great post! Thanks for joining Faith ‘n Friends Blog Hop, Julie!
Deb- I don’t know why I didn’t notice your blog hop before! So excited to join and be a part of such a great place!
Julie
So much wisdom here! To help ourselves, we must help others! Blessings!
Liz- thank you!
Happy Sunday!
Julie
I had never thought of that story in that way! Thanks for shedding new light…♥ I had a little epiphany of sorts last week in my quiet time along the same lines… I usually pray silently in my head but decided instead to make it audible and it really felt more like a conversation with God rather than just myself… So I wholeheartedly agree with the getting outside yourself and involved in serving someone else can help a great deal in lots of situations.
Heather- thank you for the kind words! Did the audible conversation help you? Sometimes we don’t want to pray out loud because we might feel silly. We don’t want to be that person who is always talking to themselves 🙂
I have to remember that my kids can witness my audible prayers and carry that with them. I have heard that Susanna Wesley threw her apron over her head and prayed out loud in front of her kids. She could meet with the Lord anytime and anyplace, she was intentional about the “meeting.”
Trying to be intentional here!
Julie
I have always loved this story from the Bible but I have never thought of it through the eyes of the paralyzed man’s friends. Yes! They must have been profoundly changed through that experience! You’re right. When we take the focus off ourselves and put it on others, beautiful things happen. Thank you for linking with Grace and Truth last week. I would love to feature this post tomorrow.
Dawn- thank you for the kind words! Wow, I’m humbled. Beautiful things do happen when we invest in others!
So glad you stopped and excited for the opportunity to be featured!
Julie
Thanks Lori! So glad I can share at #MomentsofHope!
Julie