What Hope Does Scripture Offer for Anxious Overthinking?
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Most, if not all, of us have found ourselves getting stuck in our heads. We’ve probably read Scripture telling us to take our thoughts captive but either don’t know how to live this out or feel we lack the inner grit to apply this truth. But what if our ability – or lack thereof – to fix our minds on truth isn’t purely about will power? What if, in fact, there are practical, biblical steps we can take to train our brains to facilitate the life we crave?
Mental health professionals suggest this is possible as we learn to recognize thought patterns that hinder our goals, utilizing “grounding” techniques when anxiety seizes our brains, and expressing our emotions in prayer. As we reflect on God’s goodness, we’re better able to analyze the validity of our thoughts and replace them with truth.
Recognizing Unhelpful Thought Patterns
Sometimes we’re immediately aware of those instances where our minds plunge into anxious or panicked and irrational spirals. We might even sense the Holy Spirit’s gentle nudge to focus on truth. But our more entrenched thoughts can be harder to detect as we’ve trained our brains to see them as true and reasonable.
In fact, we might have learned our most habitual and self-defeating patterns from caregivers during our developing years. Perhaps our parents modeled a negative perspective that taught us to notice problems and concerns while remaining oblivious to positive encounters. Or, we may experience intense fear due to having learned to expect crises without considering the Lord’s power, provision, and protection.
Making the Unconscious More Conscious
It's challenging to change something of which we’re not cognizant. I’ve found that simply deciding to increase my awareness naturally heightens my self-awareness. Reflecting and prayerfully journaling on occasions in which I felt emotionally triggered helps as well.
For example, years ago I experienced conflict with a few ministry team members. While my initial reaction demonstrated frustration, my response actually came from fear. As I sought God’s wisdom, the Holy Spirit helped me see how my brain had connected my adult disagreement with wounds experienced in my childhood. As I continued to journal on this, the Lord revealed the faulty beliefs, formed as a kid, that played unchallenged in my head and negatively impacted that ministry-related conversation.
Understand, this is rarely a quick process. But the more we engage in “mindful self-noticing,” the easier this becomes and the more Christ reveals as He leads us to increased peace.
Biblical Examples
I’m intrigued by the contrast Scripture paints between Saul and David, ancient Israel’s first and second kings, respectively. Both men received their divine call while engaged in mundane activities. Saul encountered Samuel, the prophet who anointed him as the nation’s ruler, while searching for his father’s donkey. Upon learning that the Lord chose him to occupy the throne, he replied:
“But I’m only from the tribe of Benjamin, the smallest tribe in Israel, and my family is the least important of all the families of that tribe. Why are you talking like this to me?” (1 Sam. 9:21).
However, while he indeed was a Benjamite, a tribe Saul’s fellow Israelites probably looked down upon based on their behavior during the time of Judges, Saul’s family was far from insignificant.
This is how Scripture describes them:
“There was a Benjamite, a man of standing, whose name was Kish son of Abiel, the son of Zeror, the son of Bekorath, the son of Aphiah of Benjamin. Kish had a son named Saul, as handsome a young man as could be found anywhere in Israel, and he was a head taller than anyone else” (1 Sam. 9:1-2, emphasis added).
From a human perspective, Saul seemed a logical choice. But while he wasn’t the only person in Scripture to focus on his perceived faults, this unchallenged self-assessment led to a lifetime of insecurity that led to decades of conflict, inner turmoil, and ultimately death. Despite his status as the most powerful man in ancient Israel, he behaved like a terrified and helpless victim to the whims of the people. Did his irrational reactions stem from an inner critic that reiterated the essence of his statement in verse 21: I’m insignificant and unworthy for God to use me in this way?
David, in contrast, routinely centered his thoughts on God’s invincibility and unchanging character. Upon facing a highly-skilled and heavily armed Philistine warrior terrorizing the Lord’s people, David declared, we don’t see him entertaining self-defeated, fearful thinking. Instead, he told King Saul:
“The Lord who rescued me from the claws of the lion and the bear will rescue me from this Philistine” (1 Sam. 17:37).
To Goliath, the tyrant, he said,
“You come to me with sword, spear, and javelin, but I come to you in the name of the Lord of Heaven’s armies — the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defiled. Today the Lord will conquer you, and I will kill you and cut of your head. … And everyone assembled here will know that the Lord rescues his people, but not with sword and spear. This is the Lord’s battle, and he will give you to us” (1 Sam. 17:45-48).
In other words, “God is with me. He’s greater than you and any threat I face, and He will secure our victory.”
Based on his prayers in Psalms, he regularly cultivated healthy and holy thought patterns that enabled him to maintain faith in life-threatening situations.
Reengaging Your Thinking Brain
You may have heard the phrase, “He flipped his lid,” used to describe someone who acted irrationally, often due to anger or fear. I suspect most, if not all, of us have experienced this personally. We might assume this stems from lack of control, pride, or lack of love. However, neuroscience offers an alternative perspective.
The amygdala, sometimes referred to as our brain’s emotional center, strives to keep us safe by quickly detecting threats. When we encounter something in the present that reminds our brains of past harm, our amygdala signals the alarm, simultaneously shutting down our prefrontal cortex, which is responsible for executive functioning, emotional regulation, and social cognition. We therefore lose the ability to prioritize and protect relationships in times of fear and crisis. We don’t have time to logically process when we’re about to get hit by an oncoming car or attacked by hornets.
The problem comes when our internal alarm gets triggered by a nonthreat. To gain the emotional distance to evaluate such instances logically, we must quiet our distress. Grounding techniques, such as deep breathing, counting, or engaging in movement, can help.
The Power of Prayer
I once saw a meme that equated worry to praying to oneself. Speaking to an impoverished and desperate crowd filled with people who had ample cause for distress, Jesus asked:
“Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to your life?” (Luke 12:25).
In the passage that follows, He discussed some of our core needs, adding that “[our] Father knows that [we] need them.” This applies to all of the issues that threaten to steal our peace and our sleep. God has promised to watch over our coming and going, remains alert to the deepest issues in our hearts, and promises to work all things for our good. We don’t have to fight for survival; we are, at each moment, well-cared for by our victorious, ever-present and always faithful Savior.
The One who holds all of history in His hands encourages us to give our concerns to Him. In 1 Peter 5:7, we read:
“Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.”
Philippians 4:6-7 reiterates this invitation while providing a helpful template:
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
First, this passage tells us to present all our requests to God. Nothing is too small or too big for our faithful and attentive Lord. Second, we’re instructed to maintain a grateful heart. That doesn’t mean Christ expects us to thank Him for our pain, but if we continue reading through verse 9, we see that, even on our worst days, we have ample reasons for praise:
“Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable — if anything is excellent or praiseworthy — think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me — put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you (Philippians 4:8-9).
When I’m really struggling, my prayers sound like this: Lord, You are true and noble. Everything You do is right and Your love for me is pure. You are lovely and admirable, a God of beauty and life. You are praiseworthy, Lord. Help me to fix my mind not on the problems before me or the anxiety within me, but instead on Your power, promises, and goodness.
Notice how, combined, this passage provides helpful steps that, when followed, help decrease our angst and increase our inner tranquility. First, we pray, expressing ourselves fully to the One who promises to hear our every word. Second, we entrust our concerns and ourselves to the One who formed our every cell and always keeps His loving gaze upon us. Then, we intentionally find reasons to give thanks, including praising God for all the ways He’s helped us in the past. And finally, we meditate on the character of our Lord. When we do our part, consistently and repeatedly, Christ does His — He fills our souls with His peace.
Following these biblical steps also helps to rewire our brains, steadily weakening our “fear ruts,” often formed over a lifetime of difficulties, while strengthening our faith channels. (To learn more about the science behind our most entrenched thoughts, catch my conversation with Dr. Alan Weissenbacher on the Faith Over Fear podcast.)
Analyze Your Thoughts’ Validity
Once we recognize our patterns, calmed any overwhelm that threatens to shut down our prefrontal cortex, express our emotions to Christ and place our concerns in His hands, and strengthen our souls by reflecting on His goodness, we’re better able to consider our thoughts rationally.
When discussing this article’s topic, my Faith Over Fear cohost Carol McCracken shared some helpful reflective questions she learned from speaker Jon Acuff during this years’ Global Leadership Summit. He instructs us to examine with what he terms “soundtracks” (aka, overthinking) by asking ourselves if the thought is:
True
Kind
Helpful
According to John, if we can’t answer yes to each of those questions, we need to retire the thought. Other authors suggest we consider whether or not we would say to someone else the things we say to ourselves. If not, then again, we probably need to stop thinking that thought and replace it with something true, admirable, lovely, and worthy of respect (Phil. 4:8-9). This takes practice and perseverance, partially because we probably have to dismantle some deep ruts formed in our brains. But the more we tend to our thought life, the easier this becomes and the greater our peace.
To summarize, we all fall into the trap of overthinking on occasion. Sometimes those thoughts are benign and easily discarded. Other times, we might find ourselves completely overwhelmed by all the numerous what-if scenarios playing on repeat in our minds. When that occurs, we can regain clarity and peace by:
- Recognizing our thought patterns
- Using grounding techniques to allow for clarity
- Expressing our unfiltered emotions to the Lord and finding comfort in His presence
- Casting our concerns onto Him and intentionally reflecting on God’s goodness
- Analyzing the validity of our thoughts
- Retiring those “soundtracks” that don’t lead to increased holiness and freedom, and lastly,
- Repeat, as often as necessary as we allow the Lord to pave the ruts and form new, healthier neural pathways in our brains.
Photo credit: ©Getty Images/Bulat Silvia
Jennifer Slattery is a writer and speaker who co-hosts the Faith Over Fear podcast and, along with a team of 6, the Your Daily Bible Verse podcast. She’s addressed women’s groups, Bible studies, and taught at writers conferences across the nation. She’s the author of Building a Family and numerous other titles and maintains a devotional blog at JenniferSlatteryLivesOutLou
She’s passionate about helping people experience Christ’s freedom in all areas of their lives. Visit her online to learn more about her speaking or to book her for your next women’s event, and sign up for her free quarterly newsletter HERE and make sure to connect with her on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and GodTube.