Of the many paths we take to calm ourselves in the face of worries, there is one path that we can take that will always provide relief. That path is through prayer and keeping God in focus as much as possible in daily life.
The negative thoughts that are the stuff anxiety and worry are made of can be diminished more easily once they are noticed. Prayer, and our love of God, give us a way to interrupt ourselves in thoughts that are not constructive, and redirect them to God.
In a most personal way, devotion to St. Jude heightens our ability to turn to God. We have our simple, powerful words: St. Jude, Pray for Us. We have a unique relationship with hope as a way of remembering that God cares for us and will take care of us and those we love, in His own way. Jesus showed us, at the most crucial, difficult moments of His life, what to do: get on our knees and pray. Ask simply for God’s help and mercy to take our burdens from our backs. Jesus entrusted everything to God, including his life, in the face of profound fear.
St. Paul gives us this inspiring message too, when he encourages us not to be anxious about anything, but “in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.” When we have cause for concern, and we often do, we need God’s help. To get it, according to St. Peter, the rock, we have to find ways to humble ourselves before God (remembering He’s in charge, not me) and cast our anxieties on Him. Right alongside reducing stress with exercise and lightheartedness, devotional prayer can be a part of a consistent mindset for healthy living.
A Christian who is consumed with worry and anxiety is missing an essential piece of the Christian faith life. Daily prayer keeps the God component to every worry in clear view, delivering us, in good time, from anxiety into blessed calm.