Finding Level Ground: Stepping Out of the Shadows of Social Anxiety
Social Anxiety Disorder can often feel like being trapped in a “far country” even when you are standing in the middle of a crowded room. You might be intimately familiar with the symptoms that try to dominate your life: the racing heart when someone looks your way, the “disturbed and troubled” mind that replays every interaction with harsh criticism, or the intense physical desire to retreat and hide. Like a young man being “thrown into the fire or water” by a spirit of destruction, anxiety can damage your quality of life, making you feel powerless against the internal storm.
But there is a “level spot” waiting for you. There is a place of peace where the volume of your fear is silenced by the quiet authority of grace.
The Standing Offer of Wholeness
We see throughout the records of the New Testament that when people came to the Master, they didn’t just come to listen; they came to be cured of their “divers diseases.” This included those who were mentally troubled and those whose spirits were vexed. The most remarkable part of these accounts is the consistency: He laid His hands on every one of them and healed them.
There was no “waiting on God” for a special season or a change in the stars. The power was “all the while going forth.” If you feel you are waiting for a zap of lightning to change your personality, understand that the gift is already offered. You are not waiting on God; He is standing on the level spot, inviting you to touch the hem of His promise.
The Privilege of Unlimited Partnership
The story of the “elder brother” reminds us that it is possible to be “at home” and yet never enjoy the privileges of the house. You may be a “new creature,” born again and made right, yet still living as though you are a slave to your nerves.
Righteousness—being right with the Creator—is simply believing God and acting accordingly. It is acting as if the promise is true before you feel the “butterflies” in your stomach disappear. You have the privilege of unceasing fellowship and unlimited partnership. You don’t have to navigate social settings in your own strength; you have a Representative at the right hand of power who is your Advocate and Lawyer. He will not cheat you out of your inheritance of peace.
“For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” (2 Timothy 1:7)
Faith Like a Mustard Seed
You might think, “My faith is too small to overcome this mountain of anxiety.” But the promise is that faith the size of a tiny mustard seed is enough to tell that mountain to move. You don’t need a “mountain of faith” to move a “mountain of fear.” You only need a seed of belief that God’s Word is more real than your physical sensations.
When you feel the “pining and whimpering” of anxiety within, do not harden your heart by waiting for a better day. “Now is the accepted time.” Today is the day to commit your social fears into the hands of the One who is able to keep what is committed to Him. The moment you make that committal, the matter passes out of your hands and into His.
“The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want [I lack nothing].” (Psalm 23:1)
If the Lord is your Shepherd, you do not lack the confidence to speak. You do not lack the peace to stand in a crowd. You do not lack the “sound mind” that refuses to be tormented by the judgment of others.
Walking in Your Prophetic Destiny
Healing for social anxiety isn’t just about feeling better; it’s about being released into your destiny. You were put here to do a work, to share a word, and to bless others. The “dumb spirit” of anxiety tries to keep you quiet so that your testimony isn’t heard, but the One who “makes the deaf to hear and the dumb to speak” is working in you right now.
Expect your healing to be a process of “grace to walk.” Grace is the fuel that allows you to step into the room even when your knees feel weak. As you walk, the “shadow of the Almighty” covers you, providing a protective barrier against the fiery darts of social pressure. You are “the Israel of God,” a new creation, and “peace be upon you” is a legal decree, not just a wishful thought.
“Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” (John 14:27)
Resting in the Finished Work
Do not be “mealy-mouthed” about your freedom. Speak to your anxiety like you mean business. When you say, “I have the mind of Christ,” believe it. When you say, “I am strong in the power of His might,” act like it. The results are not manifested until after we believe our request is heard.
You are no longer the “prodigal” wandering in fear. You are the child at the table, eating the “children’s bread” of wholeness. Take your stand on the level spot today. The power is going forth, and it is more than enough to save you from the calamity of isolation and the illness of fear.
Receive Your Gift: You are ready to stop waiting and to start receiving the peace that belongs to you.
For more information on the symptoms, causes, and clinical management of Social Anxiety Disorder, you can visit the Mayo Clinic’s Social Anxiety Guide.
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About the Authors:
Tony and Lorna Egar are Christians based in Brisbane, Australia.
Lorna moves in a gift of healing.
She has seen God’s power, heal many people.
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