We are to Overcome The World

Christ said we are to be like him. In John 16:33, he said, "I have overcome the world."

What does that mean, to overcome the world? I don't know all the interpretations of that scripture, but to me, it means to not be "overcome" by hopelessness, grief, exhaustion, anxiety, depression, or anything else the world throws at us.

I've been trying to overcome these things lately and not be "overcome" by them -- more specifically with Christ's help, as opposed to all the other tools that don't acknowledge him. Other tools are still needed and useful, but they are not complete!

For instance, I'm trying to overcome anxiety. Lots of things I've tried are useful. Like talking about my feelings, prioritizing, saying no, taking herbal remedies, getting adequate sleep, meditating, exercising, watching my diet, eliminating toxic relationships, and being mindful. Seriously, all of that is great!

But I'm still anxious. Sometimes even overcome by anxiety. So I've taken a new direction. I've begun praying to be ABLE to GIVE my anxiety to Christ. And I've also been asking what I might be HOLDING on to that is preventing him from taking my anxiety. Some interesting answers have surfaced in the process.

I've found that I overschedule myself, and I can work on fixing that (letting it go). I also see that I don't ask for help from my family when I should. This is because I want to be immune from accusations of being "needy" or "not strong enough".... all remnants from past trauma and relationships that no longer serve me. This needs to go too.

I also multi-task (a.k.a. "zig-zag organization"). I might be fixing the internet while planning dinner while sending texts while tidying the back porch while making a mental note to get more exercise in before bed. This nearly drives me bonkers. I've been noticing I get near panic levels of anxiety when I have a million different plates I'm juggling.

So I'm watching to do one thing at a time, mindfully. It is helping. I'm trying to load less on my plate. And I'm asking my family to help with several things after dinner in the evenings, which frees me up a little. And I'm checking in with God in prayer all along the way, continuing to ask for his help to overcome the way Christ did - to let the anxiety go, and to learn to feel calm the way he did.

The other skills and life hacks help. But they can only take me so far. I need Christ to carry me the rest of the way, to soothe me and comfort me, and to tell me what I uniquely need to fix. We are all different, but we all need his power to heal whatever is broken in us.