6  Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. – Philippians 4:6-7 (ESV)

The feeling is akin to being jolted from sleep by a cattle prod.  That’s the best way I know to describe being awakened by a panic attack.  Unfortunately I was reminded of the feeling about 4:15 this morning.

Not fun.

The problem is the irrationality of it all.  Panic is an irrational reaction to the situation I face.  This attack was brought on by an abundance of anxiety – also irrational.  And, the hangover of the panic attack – that jittery nervousness that causes your muscles to ache and your mind to reel – only serves to fuel to irrational fears and worries.

When anxiety begins to spin, it’s like a runaway carousel.  It goes ’round and ’round and ’round.  Follows the same path.

Revisits the same places.

Spins in a circle, going nowhere.

And that’s the only place it goes. Nowhere.

And it does so with such speed and force that it digs a circular rut.  The more we entertain the anxious thoughts, the worries and doubts, the fear of what we face, the deeper the rut is dug.

If we stay on the carousel, the rut becomes a ditch.  Then a pit.

And increasingly difficult to get out of.

For me, this is a sign that I am not spending as much time with God as I should.  Just like a patient on pain medication, it is easier to stay ahead of the pain by taking your meds than to try to catch up with it.

Proactively stay ahead of worry and defeating thoughts and beliefs by sticking with God.  Spend time in prayer.  Dig into His Word.  This is far more fruitful than spinning out of control on the carousel of anxiety.

Anxiety is irrational.  As are the thoughts it produces.  Bear that in mind when you’re feeling dizzy and off-kilter from that carousel ride.  Trust the Lord with all of your life, all of your situations and circumstances.  Remember that we are to be anxious for nothing, but give everything to Him.

And find God’s peace filling and guarding your heart and mind.