By Dianna Hobbs // Encouragement // EEW Magazine Online

Photo Credit: Getty/Izusek—Illustration: EEW Magazine Online

Dear Over-thinker:

You’ve been anxious lately. You feel overwhelmed by your thoughts. You try to analyze, rationalize, plan, forecast, and understand everything. But that’s impossible to do.

Still, your mind won’t turn off. It’s constantly going, trying to figure things out, identify solutions, and predict your next steps. You mentally rehash the past and think about what you should have, could have, or would have done better. You look back and wonder, did I make the wrong decision? Was that failure my fault? You also self-criticize, asking questions like, why did I ever do that in the first place?

Then your over-thinking shifts between the present and future, as you obsesses over what you don’t understand. Your anxious mind asks, why is this happening? What will occur down the road? You need answers, details, and certainty—and right now!

The thing about over-thinking trigged by anxiety is that it just makes you more anxious. There will never be enough answers to appease that overactive brain of yours. It’s a vicious cycle that cannot be stopped unless you choose to believe God.

“Faith is anxiety’s kryptonite. ”

— Dianna Hobbs

Believing God strips power away from worry, fear, and stress. In order to overcome overthinking and calm the anxious mind, you must be okay with not knowing all the details. This requires placing total confidence in the all-knowing God you serve who promises to faithfully take care of you.

Once you start believing that—really believing it—your stress levels will reduce, and your worries will vanish. It’s time to obey the Word of the Lord which says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths” (Proverbs 3:5-6 NKJV).

When you trust God, He always shows up for you.

I’m sure you know this already, but trusting is not always easy. I get it. Life has taught you that if you want to get something done, you have to do it yourself. Nobody is going to hand you anything. If you wait around, you’ll fall behind. The clock is ticking, and you don’t want to miss your moment. If you don’t figure it out, things will fall apart.

With anxiety churning out thoughts and ideas like this, it’s no wonder you feel stressed out, burnt out, and worn out. Your mind is tired. Your soul is weary. Your emotions are frazzled. Your faith is struggling. Your strength is lessening. That’s why you must change your thinking. The alternative is that the overwhelming mental anguish will drive you over the edge and make it impossible for you to function.

Rather than feed into the lie that you’ve got to get it all done yourself, which you cannot, confess this truth: “It is the Lord who goes before you; He will be with you. He will not fail you or abandon you. Do not fear or be dismayed” (Deuteronomy 31:8 Amplified).

Knowing that the Lord is with you and working for you will ease your troubled mind—but only if you believe it.

Dear over-thinking friend, overhaul your thoughts. No more concentrating on what worries you. Start meditating on what comforts you—the promises of God.

“Now may the God of peace be with you all. Amen” (Romans 15:33).

Dianna Hobbs is founder of EEW Magazine Online and CEO of Empowering Everyday Women Ministries — a 501c3 nonprofit organization that shares the gospel and provides humanitarian aid to the hurting. She is also the writer of Your Daily Cup of Inspiration and host of the companion podcast. Follow Dianna on social media: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube. Sign up for her free ministry newsletter here.