John 8:44
(Satan) was a murderer from the beginning. He has always hated the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, it is consistent with his character; for he is a liar and the father of lies.
Psalm 38:4
My guilt overwhelms me—it is a burden too heavy to bear.
Psalm 51:17
The sacrifice you desire is a broken spirit. You will not reject a broken and repentant heart, O God.
Because negative circumstances are guaranteed to come, all of us will experience anxiety and depression to some degree in our lifetime. And because each of the situations we face will be different, we need to take them to God every time.
It’s likely God wants to teach us something new through our circumstances to grow us up in our faith, to “dig our spiritual well deeper,” so we should always ask “Why do I feel this way” when dealing with anxiety. Oftentimes, God will reveal to us that we are being convinced of some lie from our culture, the media, a family member or friend, or even from Satan. We must reject these lies for God’s truth. Other times, we might be experiencing anxiety or depression because we are being convicted by truth, and we need to repent. Finally, it is possible we are being confronted by a difficult reality over which we have no control.
Like a good doctor, God wants us to come to him with our concerns so he can provide us with accurate instructions for how to address our anxieties. This is not an easy process, but it is the way to experience his peace that passes understanding.
Ask God to remind you to ask yourself the question “Why do I feel this way?” when anxieties come into your life. Ask him to give you ears to hear and a heart to respond to what he says.