Spiritual Interventions for Anxiety
By Chaplain, Ken Davila, M.Div, BA
Drug Rehabilitation:
The dictionary defines anxiety as a state of
uneasiness or tension caused by apprehension of
possible future misfortune, danger, etc; worry.
Anxiety is a normal part of addiction and drug rehabilitation
and often feeds our addictions in a number of ways.
For many of us we have never been taught how to
cope with the events in life and the unknowns we
face. Our addiction usually tells us we need a pill or
a drink for the cure but you have found that this is a
deceptive fallacy.
Spiritual interventions can help us to learn to
cope with anxiety and this reading may give you
some examples that might help you cope in a
healthy way during drug rehabilitation. Another definition of anxiety states it
arises from a fear of not being able to cope with a
future event. Many of our anxieties are of this
nature and so I will address some ways to put the
unknowns in our life in order.
The practice of spiritual disciplines may be new to some
but their simplicity may make it easier for us to adopt some
practices that work. Step three tells us that we need to
come to a decision to turn our lives and will over to the care
of God as we have come to understand Him. The surrender
of step three is not just for us but we can also turn our fears,
worries and anxieties over to God as well. Here are some
ways that work for me.
Use of the God Box
The God box is one way of turning over those things we
are worried about, those things we have no power over, to
God. For some who have never used this, it may seem
strange and pointless to put a slip of paper into a box. But
consider what might happen if we practice some willingness
in this process of drug rehabilitation. The idea of the God Box is that you take
your worry to God and place it into a box and leave it there
with God to deal with and we step away from it with some
faith that God could help. In surrendering this to God we
ask Him for His intervention and help. In doing so we give
Him an opportunity to work in our lives and the results
may surprise you. As He begins to intervene in your life,
you may realize you are not alone and have someone
working for you in more powerful ways than you imagined.
Done on a daily basis you may find a peace in knowing that
and the things you were once anxious over may seem easier
to handle.
Letter writing to God
If you have ever written a journal you may have found
that it is a great way to vent and express feelings you may
have bottled up during the day. Writing letters to God may
be similar but potentially more powerful. In writing letters
to God, take the opportunity to relate to God how your day
went. Tell Him what happened that is puzzling you. Tell
Him how you might have done something wrong and ask for
forgiveness. Tell Him what has been happening in your life
and the struggles with drug rehabilitation you have had that might still be plaguing
you today. But rather than just a complaint letter, ask Him
for help in those areas of your life you struggle with. Letter
writing helps us get those things out of our heads and
surrendered to God. It turns those things over for His help
and intervention. It may also improve our prayer lives and
personal devotion to God. When my son left for the Army, I would write him letters every day and as I wrote, I felt as
if I was talking to him directly and didn’t feel the pain of
missing him so much. Perhaps the same can happen to you
as you spend those moments with God.
I take the example of Adam and Eve in the Garden when
God asked them where they were, as they were hiding.
When they responded that they were naked and afraid, the
dialogue continued. I like to think Adam was given the
opportunity to tell his story to God and find some healing
afterward. It helps us to get it out of our heads and to turn
that “thing” over to God. It gets Him involved in our lives
in more direct ways and when that happens we just might
get some peace from it as we see God moving in our lives as
never before.
Taking a mental vacation
At times during the day you might want to take a mental
vacation. Have you ever visited a place where it was just
beautiful and you never wanted to leave? Maybe it was a
vacation spot the family went to and the memories easily
flood the mind with peace and good feelings. You may want
to visit that place with your minds eye and re-experience
those moments. Remember the smells, sounds, the colors
and views. The laughter and joy that accompanied those
moments may bring back those feelings once again. For me
thinking of my heavenly home that is promised to me is a
nice escape as I imagine the home I get to build as well as
the mansion God is preparing for me. I’ve gone over those
plans many times in my head and the peace I get from that
no one can take away.
God moment journal
Often we go through life completely unaware of the way
God has been working in our lives and we miss the
opportunity to build our faith. Most of us can look back at
our lives and remember those times we were spared a
tragedy or a need was met unexplainably. We may have
even said, “thank you God!!”, but soon dismissed it
afterwards. Maybe it was a possible wreck we recovered
from. Maybe it was a bill that someone paid for us because
they felt impressed to help. Maybe it was drug rehabilitation or an illness
that should have done us in. It could be a number
of different things. It would be a good practice to begin
writing those things down and reviewing those things once
in a while. God moments give us the opportunity to see
that our God is an intimate God who is concerned with our
lives. One that can intervene, helps, transcends time and
space and becomes involved in personal ways to help us.
Often we face times when our faith is tried and it is easy to
forget those moments so a small note book with those
moments written down and kept by our sides can be a tool
to remind us that we are not alone. Fortified with those
memories and experiences they can help us find the peace in
the midst of the storms that come upon us.
Step Three prayer every morning
Finally. our prayer life of surrender to God, practiced
daily is the most powerful way to find peace. It is an
acknowledgment, an invitation to God that He can be a
part of your life just for today. Tomorrow you can do the
same, but for today invite Him into your day. Give your
problems over to Him daily. Take your petitions to your
God and as you do you will see just how easy life becomes
because you have the creator of the universe in your corner.
The serenity prayer challenges us to
accept the things we cannot change.
In that acceptance we acknowledge
that God has to change those things
and so we surrender those things to
Him. The more we do that the less
complicated our lives can become
and we find peace.
These are just a few things you
can begin doing. You will develop a
lifestyle of peace and serenity. Let me challenge you to
practice these things even when the times are
good. Establish principles daily so
that when the anxious moments
come you are prepared and fortified.
Let’s stop doing the 911 prayers
and develop that healthy relationship
of trust and hope that our
Higher Power is with us. My prayer
is that you might find that peace
from God that no one can take from
you because it is God sent.
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