Beating Anxiety and Stress;
Insights for Spiritual People and People of Faith
By: Michael Bauman
Introduction
My name is Mike. I am not a bible scholar. I am not the world’s greatest salesman or the most successful guy to ever grace the earth. I don’t have an advanced degree, or any degree for that matter. I’m a family guy with kids, a mortgage, a spouse who mostly likes me, and all the stresses, headaches, and joys that go along with all those things.
I like many others who might be reading this, have had some terribly tough times in my life, most of which I brought on myself. What follows is how I, with God’s help, was able to turn my life around. Being a Christian who rediscovered his faith when he hit bottom, I have grounded the practices presented in this article on biblical concepts.
If you are a fellow Christian, I am certain what follows will be of great interest to you. If you are not a Christian, or are just not sure, I would encourage you to read on. Some of what you see here will, no doubt, ring true whatever your beliefs, and who knows… Maybe you will discover more than just useful personal improvement techniques. At the very least, you will be shown some ancient wisdom that has survived millennia.
This "booklet" is designed to be a quick, "get to the point and press on,” read. It is what helps me. How I got out of some serious messes in my life. Your experience may be completely different. I believe I have been called to write what appears on these pages by that nagging little whisper that seems to be God guiding us to his path and purpose. This booklet was written to be shared, although I have no idea if anyone else will ever read these words.
Foundation
Before we begin talking about what God has said about us and our success and our worries, it is necessary to examine who God is. It’s funny, but I think we sometimes need to be reminded about God’s credibility. (If you’re not a Christian, just indulge me for a minute.)
There are three basic principles that I think we need to agree upon. These are as follows:
God is Consistent.
God is always working in our best interests.
Now we let’s dig into these.
God is honest.
The bible says:
God is not a man that he should lie, nor a son of man that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill? (Numbers 23:19)
God is not subject to the character flaws of men. He is always completely truthful. Never in the bible will you find the passage, “and God lied.” In fact, flaws are contrary to the very nature of God. It would be like saying red is blue or day is night. What he says is always the complete truth.
What it means: If God says it, it’s the absolute, unwavering truth.
In addition, God isn’t wishy-washy. Apparently, he never decides to “take it back.” He never, “gets more facts” and makes a new decision based on those facts. Once he says it, you can count on the fact that that’s still how he feels.
What that means: What God said thousands of years ago, is still true to this very second.
With God, saying leads to doing. Have you heard the saying, “Love is an action?” Everything is an action with God. What he says he does. His very words are actions.
What that means: The words of God are not ink on a page. They are the universe in motion.
Finally, whatever God promises, happens. If God says he’s gonna turn you into a pillar of salt, you’d better get the popcorn! If he says he’s gonna bless you financially, you had better get a bigger wallet.
What that means: If you look at God’s word and he says he’s going to do something, you’d better believe it’s already happening.
God is Consistent
He is the Rock and his works are perfect, and all his ways are just. A Faithful God who does no wrong, upright and just is he. Deuteronomy 32:4
Rock- Solid, strong, unchanging, reliable, steadfast, to be counted upon.
God is rock solid. Always there, always ready to be relied upon, always trustworthy. When you need him, you can count on him. He doesn’t have off days. He never wavers. He is unerringly steadfast.
What it means: You can count on him to be the same, available, and there for you yesterday, today, and tomorrow.
God is always working in our best interest.
Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever. Psalm 107:1
God loves you, forever. If he says he loves you (we already established that he is always honest), it follows that he wants what is best for you. That doesn’t always mean that what he knows would be best is the same as what you think would be best. The fact is, God sees our lives in a context we can’t understand. He has the ultimate “big picture” perspective.
The Lord will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail. Isaiah 58:11
Remember, God always delivers on his promises. He will care for your needs. He will make you strong. You will prosper and overflow. All you have to do is follow him.
Name it, Claim it
There have been numerous books and movies on the topic of “intentions.” If you have ever read a self-help book, you are likely familiar with this principle. Effectively, what this principle states is that if you want something, you should tell yourself you already have it and your subconscious will make it happen. Some have even said that you can put an “intention” in your mind and the “universe” will align to make it happen… A lot of people say this is a bunch of bunk.
Oddly enough, if it’s not true then Jesus is a liar (Not possible if he is “God the Son” and what we established earlier is true). Have a look:
Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall say unto this mountain, be thou taken up and cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that what he saith cometh to pass, he shall have it. Mark 11:23
Hooray!!!! All your troubles are over! Well, actually, based on my experiences, there are a couple of things you should know.
First, God isn’t too good with deadlines, at least not deadlines that we impose. Pretty much God works at his pace. A pace, incidentally that almost always is best for us, in retrospect.
Second, the result we get may not look exactly like we had originally envisioned it. Sometimes that new house we have been driving by and praying about will not become ours. Instead, we wind up in a house that is better suited for us and our needs.
It’s funny, but have you ever thought about what things would be like if you had actually gotten everything you had ever asked for? Ever run into an old girlfriend or boyfriend who you used to think you just “couldn’t live without” and say a silent prayer of thanks that things didn’t work out? I would bet God’s toughest job is protecting us from ourselves!
Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart. Psalms
37:4
Take great joy in your relationship with God. Bask in it. Revel in it. Eat it, drink it, enjoy it! As you do, you will find your desires will begin to align with his plans for you. You will get what you want because it’s what he wanted you to have all along.
Six Steps to Creating Joy and Ending Worry
Here’s what I have found to work.
1. Ask God for what you need.
2. Ask him for it so it can glorify him.
3. Have complete faith that he will provide what’s best for you.
4. Listen to what he tells you to do.
5. Relax and receive his blessings.
6. Be thankful and never forget where it all comes from.
Ask God for what you need.
The biggest thing here is, don’t be greedy. There’s nothing wrong with asking for great gifts. There’s nothing wrong with shooting for the stars. But, you need to have a plan to help more than just you with that gift. You have to be ready to turn that into blessings for the greater good.
Ask him for it so it can glorify him.
Don’t ask so you can brag at your next high school reunion. Everything we do should be with the intention of glorifying God. That doesn’t mean being pushy about your faith. It doesn’t mean “Bible thumping” or any such thing. (If that’s your calling, great, but that’s not what I mean by glorifying God.) The greatest testimony you can give to bring others to Christ, is your life. Nothing is more powerful than having someone look at your life and think, “I want a life like that.” If you don’t hide your faith and live your life in a way that glorifies God, you will lead others to him without even knowing it.
Have complete faith that he will provide what’s best for you.
Once you ask, know it’s gonna happen in the way, and at the time, that’s best for you. Relax. You can pray about it more than once, more to remind you than to remind God, but be at peace about it. Believe in your heart that through the Holy Spirit (others have called it the universe, the ether, whatever) things are falling into place to meet your needs. Be patient. God isn’t good with timelines, but he is always good and working in your best interest. Re-read the passages outlined here. Believe in your heart. Get rid of any thoughts that don’t support your belief. Just tell those thoughts, “Thanks for coming, good-bye.”
Listen to what he tells you to do.
Here’s where we will depart from some of the “intentions/universe” crowd. After you ask, your job’s not always over. God may require some action from you to achieve your objective. In my experience, God whispers. You have to be listening. You have to keep your eyes open. You have to be willing to act boldly, but only when and how he guides you. If you have any doubts, go find the Christian whose judgment you most trust and ask him to pray with you about it. Also, try reading Proverbs. There’s a lot of practical wisdom in that book.
You have likely heard of athletes being “in the zone.” That phrase describes a state of heightened awareness that comes from being highly focused and completely settled simultaneously. This is probably the most productive state we can be in as humans. In the zone, we are calm, focused, unerring and on-task. This state is only possible when you are mentally relaxed. Allow your faith to put you into this state when you are working towards your objectives. God’s watching out for you. Relax and do what he says.
Relax and receive his blessings.
Be patient. Keep your eyes open for the blessings God will put in your life. It may not be the big goal, just yet. It may only be a tiny step in the direction of the goal. It may be new information on what the goal entails. It may just be a beautiful sunset at the end of a tough day. Whatever it is, notice how God gets things done for you. Notice how he is meeting your true needs, all the time.
Be thankful and never forget where it all comes from.
As you notice those blessings, whether big ones or little ones, remember who it is that is putting those things in your life. Then praise and thank him for them. If your wife passes you the salt at the dinner table, you automatically thank her. (If you don’t, quit being a jerk and appreciate that woman.) Remember to thank God as he aligns the very universe to get you closer to your goals.
In addition, when things are going right, we tend to give ourselves a big old pat on the back, saying, “Great job, old boy.” Even our co-workers and boss sometimes get in on the act and give us a pat or two. When this happens, each and every time, I want you to mentally say, “Thank you, God. I know I couldn’t have done anything without your help.” Then say something like, “Yeah, I’m excited it’s working out. What a blessing!” Give credit where credit’s due.
Put Away Your Fear
I suspect nothing holds more people back from realizing their true potential than fear. Fear is the root of almost everything negative. Anger is usually based on the fear of losing something important to us. Jealousy is being afraid you won’t get your share. Hate is often the fear of that which is different. We could continue the list, but you get the idea. You can trace almost all the bad stuff in life back to fear.
Let me put it this way. All the bad decisions I have made in my life have been based on fear. I’ll explain: I got into an abusive marriage because I feared losing a person who I thought I loved. I decided to get a divorce because I was afraid things could never get better. I agreed to allow my kids to move 2000 miles away from me because I was afraid my ex-wife would ruin my life if she lived closer. I can’t tell you how many ideas I never tried because I was afraid someone would laugh at me. And don’t even get me started on how many times I have failed to make sales calls or follow-ups with potential and existing clients because I was afraid they would reject me.
Here’s the problem. Fear prevents us from carrying out God’s instructions. We rationalize and re-prioritize, but the real reason we are not following orders is almost always that we are afraid. Oh, how fear holds us back! If we could just get through a day without fear, how much could we accomplish? The worst part is, almost all of our fears are irrational and over-blown.
Let’s take a look at a few of the common fears for people who work for themselves or are on commission:
Call Reluctance: defined as finding anything to do so long as we don’t have to get on the phone or face to face with someone. Typical Basis: Fear of being rejected or fear that the “hot prospect” you have been dreaming about, might wind up on the “do not call list.”
Fear of Success: Fear you might get more than you deserve and then lose it.
Fear of Failure: Again, really fear of being rejected and/or labeled.
Fear or Competing: Very competitive people often fear taking part in contests or competitions because they think there’s a chance they might not win.
Fear paralyzes. It cripples. It makes men into moles and molehills into mountains.
So what does God say about fear and how we should deal with it? Psalms sums it up pretty well.
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. Psalms 23:4
The Lord is my light and my salvation- whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life- of whom shall I be afraid? Psalms 27:1
When I am afraid, I will trust in you. In God, whose word I praise, in God, I trust, I will not be afraid. What can mortal man do to me? Psalms56:3-4
It makes sense when you think about it. If things are square with God, there’s not much else to worry about. Believe in the principal of plenty. Since God made everything, he has no problem getting you enough to get by. Know God will meet your needs. Don’t waste time on fear. When it slows you down, press on, secure in the knowledge that whatever happens is ok because you are moving forward with God.
What You Deserve
God created man in his image. Genesis 1:27
Have you ever thought how important those six words are? Here is what we can learn from them:
1. God created you.
2. You were created in God’s image.
Now earlier we established that “He is the rock and his works are perfect.” That means if he created you, and he is to be trusted, you were created to be perfect. In fact, you are the most perfect you in the entire universe. He also created you with a will to make your own decisions (that’s why you’re human and not “God’s very own life-like wind-up toy…”). So we get to screw up God’s perfect creation. Interestingly, I can’t find anything that says we actually have to screw it up. We just get to.
It’s awesome to know we are a perfect creation. However, it’s even better to realize we were actually created in the image of the perfect creator. I mean, really, a slug is also a perfect creation, in its own way. But this “God’s image” stuff is what really sets us apart. He made us to be like him. What an awesome thing to consider the next time you decide to light up, suck down another fat burger, or fail to work towards your goals. You are God’s perfect creation, made to be like him… You know, that guy who created the whole universe in seven days… We aren’t God, of course, but still, we ought to be able to get a few things done, especially since he loves us and is always on our side.
You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus… Galations 3:26
Did you catch that? We are “sons” of God. (I think that was meant to be pretty gender neutral, just my opinion.) Let me ask you a question:
If you were the child of the richest, wisest, most powerful person on earth, do you think you could accomplish just about whatever goal you set out to accomplish?
What if you were the child of the richest, wisest, most powerful person in the universe? Could you get some things done then?
Bonus question (food for thought):
What would you want to accomplish?
You know what I’m going to say here, don’t you?... If what God says can be trusted, you are, indeed, the child of the richest, wisest, most powerful being in the universe. If you can’t accomplish some minor goals with that kind of a birthright, there’s something seriously wrong, and since God’s works are perfect, whatever’s wrong, is likely based on free will so you can change it!
Sowing and Reaping
Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Proverbs 9:6
The interesting thing about sowing (planting) is that if you plant apple seeds, you get apple trees. If you plant corn seeds, you get corn. Further, if you plant a lot of corn and take care of it, you get a lot of corn in your crop. I think this can carry over into so many aspects of our lives.
If I sow happiness and love generously, what do you think I will get back? If I sow anger and hatred, guess what’s coming my way…
The self-help books say the universe is a mirror. What you are projecting gets reflected back to you. I think this verse is the foundation of this message.
You can also “sow” income producing activities, cold calling or asking for referrals, for instance. If you sow generously, you will reap generously. This is a key biblical principle for those who are in the business of sales and self employment. The more you do, the more results you’ll get.
We’ve heard this, but here it is, God confirming it! Go to work on the things you know you need to do to reach your goals, whether business or personal. Once again, listen to God’s whispers. Work generously and receive generously.
It applies to other things too:
Treat your spouse with great love and respect, without worrying about staying even, and see if he/she doesn’t return the favor.
Be interested in your kids, and see if they aren’t interested in you right back.
Genuinely give your attention and affection to those important to you and take a look at how they respond.
Whatever it is you want, try doing more of that for others, and see what you wind up reaping.
Of course, as with all these things, if your motivation is just about you, your road’s going to be a whole lot rockier.
Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not grow weary. Galatians 6:9
Keep the faith. Keep up your good works. Don’t get discouraged. Push on through fatigue and hardships, and you will eventually get your reward.
Battles
Have you ever noticed how, just when things seem to be going right, the road is smooth, the course is clear, and you feel like you are finally headed in the direction God wants you to go, you hit major hardships in your life?
Welcome to the spiritual war. Your life is ground zero. When you get to a point where you are about to make a major break-through, you will often experience more headaches and hardship than you ever thought possible. Satan picks these times to make you his top priority. That’s because you making headway, makes you a more important target.
It’s kind of like playing “King of the Hill.” You don’t really have to worry about the guy who’s way down at the bottom of the hill. All you have to worry about is the guy who’s closest to the top. Knock him down, and you can focus on the next guy.
I suspect that’s how the devil sees you. If you are close to making it, he will focus on you for a little while to knock you back down. The trick is to keep climbing. Yeah, you might get pushed back a step or two; but, if you keep climbing, eventually he won’t be able to keep up with you.
Since starting to write this book I have had numerous “big” fights with my wife, my boss and I got into an angry “discussion,” my best agent cut his production by a third, and my ex-wife threatened to take my son away. All I can say is, “Get thee behind me, Satan!”
I am a son of God. I am created in his image. He is my rock and foundation. With him, I am bigger than any problem you can send at me. He is my ever-present help in time of need. With him, I don’t need to fear your interference and fury. I am moving in the direction God has set for me. I will persevere and nothing you can do will ever shake my faith or move me from my course.
The great thing is Satan is way out-matched by God and his power. We just have to remember to call on the Lord when we are confronted with challenges the evil one has placed in our path. We have to keep our eyes on the prize and press towards whatever goal God has placed on our hearts. Fearless, confident, determined.
Giving Back
God made everything. He spoke every bit of matter into the universe just by uttering his a few words. Those few words made one heck of a “big bang!” Since he created everything, it’s only fair to say that everything belongs to him. Whether it’s every atom in your shiny red sports car, or all that money in your 401K, at its foundation, it all belongs to God. Because he loves us, he lets us use his stuff. However, there is a catch. The Lord expects you to multiply his gifts. And he expects you to do this for him, not for you.
Remember the story about the servants and the silver? In case you never put it together, the rich master is God. Remember how happy he was with the servants who multiplied the silver? Remember how mad he was at the guy who buried what he was entrusted with? He wasn’t neutral, he called him evil! Then he took his stuff away from that guy and gave it to the ones who would make something of it.
Has God given you some “silver”? Are you burying it to keep it safe, or are you putting it to work to multiply it?
So here’s the next lesson: Everything is God’s. If we multiply his stuff, we are just giving him more of his own stuff. In truth, stuff is pretty much useless to God. What God wants is for us to enrich each other… Helping those who have fallen on hard times, being kind, taking care of those in need, touching someone’s heart, exhibiting extraordinary love, making somebody’s day. This is how we can truly enrich those around us. Our job is to turn that stuff he gave us, along with our internal “God-given” abilities and talents, into something that enriches another person’s soul. If we do that, and don’t hide our faith, we glorify God.
So, yeah, go for it! Take your gifts and your talents, and get busy. Make the most of them. Multiply them like a crazy person. That’s your job, good and faithful servant. Then use the fruits of your labor to enrich someone’s life. That’s what it’s all about. A dollar bill is a useless piece of paper until we employ it to do something. Make the most of the currency God has given you. Don’t waste it. Don’t bury it. Don’t just protect it. Put it to work.
Listening
I believe God still actively talks to us.
Now hold on… Don’t call the men in the white coats just yet. I’m not saying I hear voices. I am saying if you listen closely, not with your ears, but with your heart, your soul, with that quiet deep place in your mind where your conscience lives, you really can hear him.
I believe we are all subconsciously plugged into him through the Holy Spirit. Honestly, I don’t know of a scripture to prove it, but I believe we have a subconscious and the only reason I can see for it existing is to plug us into the Lord (Universe, source, collective human consciousness…). Because of this, I firmly believe when you are in the right frame of mind, you can ask God questions and truly get answers.
Cynics would say it’s my imagination, but I invite you to try it. Next time you’re in a quiet, relaxed state, just close your eyes and ask God for instructions. “How should I deal with this or that?” “What’s my next step?” “Instructions?” Whatever you need to know, ask him. In my case, I usually get the answers in one or two words that seem to kind of appear in my mind.
The words will make sense in the context of my thoughts. “Peace” might become relax and stop worrying about it or it might mean drop your anger and apologize, depending on the context. “Push” might mean work harder or be more assertive.
When conducting this exercise, it’s very important to make sure the voice you heed is God’s not your preference masquerading as the voice of God.
In any event, the voice is there. God speaks. You just have to ask then listen for his answer.
Summary
As I said, I don’t have all the answers. I can only relate what has worked for me in my life and my interpretation of what those things mean.
However, if we believe God is who he says he is, if we believe he is always honest and always on our side, then the world looks like a very different place. Suddenly the things that caused us fear seem less relevant or daunting.
If we believe Jesus is God the son, we have to believe him to be honest, as well. If he is, every hope and every dream you have ever imagined is possible, if we just ask, have faith and the right reasons, and are willing to step-up and do our part, Jesus has guaranteed it will happen. (Just remember, it will happen on God’s time table, not necessarily ours.)
We also outlined six powerful steps to creating joy and ending worry in our lives.
We discussed the myth that we don’t truly, deeply, and completely deserve happiness. We are the blessed sons of God, made perfect by a perfect creator in his prefect image. That is our core. No matter how bad a paint job we have put on that core over the years, nothing can change that at the center, is God’s perfect creation.
God also guarantees that we will eventually reap if we do not grow weary. Keep trying. God’s promise is that your efforts will eventually pay off.
When we’re getting ahead, making progress in our lives and our spiritual growth we become higher priority targets for the devil. Know this and expect it. Do not, however, fear it. Remember the power that’s on our side is infinitely greater than the power that works against us. The key is to persist. Keep your head up and always focus on moving forward, to Him and the life he created you for.
Remember too that in giving back, both by your example and of your resources, you are fulfilling your obligation to God to glorify him with the “talents” with which he entrusted you.
Finally, God whispers, but if you listen, you really can hear him.
Author’s Note
I hope what is written here has enriched you in someway. I have invested a lot of time and effort attempting to make it something useful and have decided it should be free to anyone who would care to read it. Feel free to distribute this material. However, please do not edit or omit any portion of it.
If what I have written is well-received and helps people, I intend to re-visit these pages as life teaches me new lessons.
1) Email this webpage to your address book. You never know when something here might be needed by someone.
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