Two months ago, after the murder of Renee Nicole Good in the streets of Minneapolis, Minnesota I wrote a blog titled ‘Keeping Hope Alive in a Time of Despair.’ I lamented on the state of the world both at home and abroad and gave advice on how to keep hopeful in times that quite frankly feel hopeless. Two months on and things only seem to be getting worse, and rapidly so! The US is at war with the Middle East, and we are already hearing reports of such human loss with Trump almost promising that there will be ‘likely be more’ deaths of US soldiers let alone those innocent civilians caught in the crossfire or those soldiers fighting on the other side. This is all while the genocide in Gaza and conflicts in Ukraine and Sudan and elsewhere continue as well as rising far-right rhetoric in the UK, across Europe and America, worsening natural disasters and people in our own communities are struggling to get through the day and being are being forced to make agonising choices to put food on the table as costs continue to rise. This is only a few of the issues we are facing today. I’m sure you would agree that there is plenty to be worried about right now, whether you suffer from anxiety, like I do, or not.
One thing I've found that churches like to use to relieve this indescribable sense of fear is Philippians 4:6 'Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.' While I do appreciate the sentiment especially when someone is genuinely trying to support you and try their best to say the right thing to relieve your anxieties and fears I find this deeply unhelpful and sometimes even hurtful!
This verse, to me anyway, make it seem like being anxious is a bad thing, dare I say even sinful, and therefore by feeling it you are in the wrong. It puts the onus and blame on you for experiencing the anxiety (with a direct “do not”) rather than focusing on causes or reasons behind it and seeking to deal with those instead. I must state that I think that it is good for people of faith to give situations over to God for guidance, help or even just peace of mind but that does not mean that we aren’t allowed to be anxious about them or impacted by them still, if anything I would say that is in fact perfectly normal and perfectly human! Especially for folk who long for social justice, anxiety over the state of the world can push us to act to (even in our own small way) try to make things better.
It is worth remembering the context of this verse and indeed the book of Phillippians as a whole. Paul wrote these words while incarcerated in a Roman prison unsure about what he fate would be. It is fair to say that given this and the wider Biblical narrative, his life was not without hardship. With that in mind, maybe he is not saying ‘it is wrong to be anxious even if things are rubbish, so you better not do it or else! Pray it away instead!’ but instead it is him directing his own fear and uncertainty to God as a way of seeking support to make himself feel less scared and alone. Maybe his intention was not for his words to be used 2000 odd years later to make people in a state of vulnerability feel inadequate and wrong for feeling overwhelmed with anxiety demanding that they pray harder rather than offering them support, reassurance, a listening ear and a shoulder to cry on.
So, what should we do when we are faced with anxiety? I have pondered that question for many years! I do not claim by any means to have all the answers but one thing I have learnt over the years is that we can learn so much from one another so I will share some of my thoughts on the matter with you now.
First and foremost, I would say the most important thing to do is to acknowledge the way that you are feeling. It can be so easy for our emotions to be all consuming but by taking a moment to recognise the way we are feeling prevents us from being lost in them and validates our experience. We are not anxiety but instead we are experiencing it. From there it becomes easier to start to understand and unpack what may be causing us to feel this way (if anything) and help us to see where we can get help from and take vital steps to work towards regaining a sense of calm.
Next, I think it is essential to have a good support system around you. When things get tough it can feel far easier to deal with it alone and disconnect yourself from those around you so that you do not burden them with what you are going through. From my experience that can’t be further from the truth! There are people who love you and deeply care about you and they would rather you confide in them for support and comfort than hide away stewing and agonising alone. I have found that there is some degree of truth in the saying a problem shared is a problem halved and while other people can’t magically make your anxiety disappear it can be such a relief that you aren’t in the trenches alone and they may be able to offer a new perspective that may be just what you need to hear.
On top of that, it is also important to look after yourself physically and make sure you aren’t neglecting self-care. When you’re in a state of anxiety even the simplest day-to-day tasks can feel like a struggle whether that’s eating good meals, washing your hair, getting dressed every day or brushing your teeth. But despite the struggle I find that sometimes taking time to make yourself feel more human can help (even just a small bit) to regain a sense of calm and normality.
Finally, do not be afraid to seek professional help if you need it. Sometimes we can’t handle things on our own and we need to access support from elsewhere. I want to tell you that this is completely normal, and you should feel no shame in this, if anything you should be proud of yourself for taking such a bold step to make a positive change. Though this doesn’t mean that seeking help isn't scary but if you have a strong support network you can always ask someone to come with you, again this is completely normal. A good place to start to seek help may be your local GP who can signpost you to services in your community or discuss medication if they feel appropriate. Your university may also have a Support Service you can book an appointment with, or you can access various support lines, a list of some options can be found here.