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b'It seemed like every time Lauren got over one worry, another one quickly came to rest on her shoulders. She felt weighed down with fear. Some nights, she could hardly sleep because of it. And, some mornings, she didn\\u2019t want to get up to face them.\\nIt was a constant struggle, but Lauren knew what it was: anxiety. She was a Christian and she knew she could trust God, but as much a she told herself that, it wasn\\u2019t always an instant fix.\\n\\xe2\\u20ac\\u0153You just need to give your worries to God,\\xe2\\u20ac\\x9d her friends would tell her.\\n\\xe2\\u20ac\\u0153You shouldn\\u2019t be so down. You\\u2019re a Christian.\\xe2\\u20ac\\x9d\\n\\xe2\\u20ac\\u0153God tells us not to be anxious about anything.\\xe2\\u20ac\\x9d\\nLauren knew all of this, but it was a daily struggle. So, she and her parents made an appointment for her with a Christian counselor.\\nOn the day of her first appointment, a friend tried to brush Lauren\\u2019s anxiety off as not relying on God.\\nLauren talked about it with her counselor. \\xe2\\u20ac\\u0153I trust God. I love God. But every day I still feel anxiety. Every day I look to God for strength to get through it. Every day I have to learn to trust Him all over again. Does that mean I\\u2019m not a Christian?\\xe2\\u20ac\\x9d\\n\\xe2\\u20ac\\u0153It doesn\\u2019t mean you\\u2019re not a Christian,\\xe2\\u20ac\\x9d her counselor said. \\xe2\\u20ac\\u0153You trust Jesus as your Lord and Savior, and He has you. Anxiety doesn\\u2019t change that.\\xe2\\u20ac\\x9d\\nHer counselor continued. \\xe2\\u20ac\\u0153We live in a broken world, and one way that shows up is through clinical anxiety, which is different from willfully worrying. Some people deal with clinical anxiety their whole lives. It\\u2019s a mental health issue. In the meantime, remember Jesus is always with you. When you\\u2019re feeling anxious, you can always come to Him, and you can always reach out for help from the people He has placed in your life.\\xe2\\u20ac\\x9d\\nLauren nodded. She really appreciated the support she received from her counselor, as well as her parents and her pastor.\\n\\xe2\\u20ac\\u0153One last thing,\\xe2\\u20ac\\x9d her counselor said. \\xe2\\u20ac\\u0153Your anxiety isn\\u2019t the end of the story. As Christians, we look forward to the day when Jesus makes all things new. Clinical anxiety won\\u2019t be a part of that picture. Until then, know Jesus is with you every second of the day. Rest in who He is and what He has done and is doing in you. He loves you and empowers you by His Holy Spirit.\\xe2\\u20ac\\x9d\\nLauren nodded. She would continue to rely on God\\u2014and the people He had placed in her life\\u2014for strength and peace, knowing she was never alone. \\u2022 Bethany Acker\\n\\u2022 Do you struggle with anxiety? What helps you rest in God\\u2019s strength? \\n\\u2022 Anxiety is a complicated and often lifelong issue that sometimes requires counseling, medication, or other treatment. If you\\u2019re struggling with anxiety, who are people in your life you can reach out to? \\n\\u2022 Read Matthew 28:20, Romans 15:13, 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24, and Revelation 21:1-5. As Christians, what promises from these verses can we rest in? \\n\\u2022 If you need someone to talk to, you can set up an appointment for a one-time complimentary phone consultation with a Christian counselor through the Focus on the Family Counseling Service. In the United States, call 1-855-771-HELP (4357) weekdays 6:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. (Mountain Time) to set up an appointment. In Canada, book your appointment by calling 1-800-661-9800 between 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. (Pacific Time) and ask to speak with the care associate.\\nMy flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart, my portion forever. Psalm 73:26 (CSB)\\n\\xa0\\nRead Verses:\\nPhilippians 4:6-7'