Nervous Breakthrough: Finding Freedom From Fear and Anxiety in a World That Feeds It.Sample

I believe control is an illusion that leads you down a dead-end street. My dead-end started when my primary care physician looked at me and said, “Christy, you have severe panic and anxiety disorder.” Nothing stops you faster than a diagnosis that slows you down. With anxiety disorders on the rise, many are experiencing these slowdowns. Regularly, the world tells us to believe we can control our destiny, manifest success, create opportunities, and control our circumstances. Those big ideas contain some truth, along with some significant lies. The lies packed into these truths are poisonous, and even if the truths outweigh the lies, just a little bit of poison can still kill you.

I believe that the ultimate source of truth is the Word of God, the Bible. God’s Word is right, good, authentic, genuine, and true. John 8:32 declares that the Word is truth and that walking in the truth will set you free.

With the journey I have endured, I sincerely believe in the truth. We are not the heroes of our stories; Jesus is. He is the ultimate source of truth. I have lived the life of thinking I’m the hero. Plus, I tried the "there is no truth, live your truth" approach, and it got me nowhere but a nervous breakdown. The truth found in John 14:6 says, “[Jesus is] the way, the truth, and the life” (NLT).

Many self-help books, even those referred to as Christian, present lies as truths that contradict the Bible. For example, Proverbs 28:26 is crystal clear on self-help: “Those who trust in themselves are fools, but those who walk in wisdom are kept safe” (NIV). Let’s be honest: a “surrendered-life-to-Jesus-help” isn’t as popular as self-help. In fact, there isn’t even a sale category for it. The point is: self-help is no help at all.

There is a big difference between healthy planning and the disorder of manifesting control in your life. Planning is biblical. In fact, a popular verse that gets quoted regarding planning is, “In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps” (Prov. 16:9 NIV). There is nothing wrong with a good solid plan, but do you hold that plan loosely? Are you willing to lay that plan down if the Lord leads you in a new direction? The world so influences our lives that it is rare to study or practice living a life submitted to God. Making my own plans led to destructive and alarming results. I controlled my circumstances to help manage the deep fears and anxieties I had inside. Control is exhausting, and it comes with a high price.

Tomorrow we will dig deeper into understanding your controlling ways.