Encouragement Through Anxiety
Text: “Anxiety in a person’s heart weighs them down, but an encouraging word brings them joy.” Proverbs 12:25
This morning I had an email conversation with my instructor of guided meditation this month. He revealed that just this week, after investigating a limp their daughter had developed, they received the diagnosis of leukemia. There is a path to full recovery but it will take months of chemo. His daughter is 3 years old. There’s an opportunity for anxiety right there. I could not help but think, Why? Why now?
Why did he share such information? He mentioned that community is important. Once we knew, of course there would be many thoughts of healing mercy for his daughter and light and love for his family. Although generally a really positive guy, he knew that encouragement would come and be welcomed, perhaps even needed. Encouragement is important in times of uncertainty. And there’s a joy that comes, not only from being encouraged along the journey, but also from being the one to give an encouraging word or two.
He ended our conversation with this: “My sister-in-law called me yesterday she had brain cancer and it was so interesting because she just shifted into a completely positive mindset. Even in the moment I got the diagnosis from the pediatrician and my wife was a mess, my sister-in-law called her and was giving her a positive pep Talk.
I am filling up the tank with positivity and we’re gonna use that energy the whole way through”
He has an amazing sister-in-law.
An encouraging word is positive energy. An encouraging word can bring joy to those with anxiety. We live in times of anxiety that ask of us to give an encouraging word. If we have anxiety, a good way to combat that emotion is to connect. You need not be silent. Your friends care for you and want to give you encouragement.
Prayer: God of Healing and Light, Thank you for all those in our lives that encourage us, that heal our anxiety with a good word, that fill our tanks with positivity and give us the energy to get through these days. Let us be the light for those who are struggling. Encourage us this day to reach out. Help us find the words to say. Help us to be present. Amen
Focus: Do you know someone anxious? Can you find some encouraging words for them? Are you anxious right now? Send me an email, let’s talk.
Nancy Sauve, Bookkeeper