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Do You Have Test Anxiety?


Have you ever suffered from test anxiety?
There are all kinds of tests. Tests we had for each subject in school. Standardized tests. It is getting to be that time of year for school kids of all ages to take final exams.

There are Real Estate license tests. College entrance tests. Drivers tests. Medical tests. Breathalyzer tests. Etc. Test anxiety is a very real thing for many people. It’s all-consuming and immobilizing. For those who suffer from it, it sucks them down into a black hole of fear and despair.

Feeling turmoil and stress
This season of life on this planet can feel like that sometimes. It seems everything everywhere is in turmoil. Just living your daily life with people, can bring challenges and trials and can feel much like test anxiety. And in a sense, that is exactly what is happening. God gives us “opportunities” to trust Him. God tests us so WE can see how much more we need to grow, judged by our response to the testing. I am thinking of Job in the Bible. He questioned his “friends” and he even wished he had never been born, his testings were so difficult. But the wonderful example Job leaves us is that he never stopped TALKING to GOD. Even when he was confused and in horrible pain and suffering and betrayals from his friends.

It’s hard to concentrate

When we’re going through trials and testings, it can feel overwhelming. We may try to ignore it or we may try to talk ourself out of it. Sometimes we try to drown our sorrows in addictions and bad behavior. Often, we try avoidance by sleeping too much, or maybe we can’t sleep well or long enough each night, which can bring out the worst in us sometimes.

We often then neglect fellowship with God

And that is our biggest error. We become self-focused to the point that we neglect God-time. We neglect the very thing that will make the testing manageable and give us the victory.

It helps to remember this world is not our home

It’s easy to forget that this world is just a temporary residence, while we are in the midst of daily “testing. Yet, in spite of the fear or anxiety, we have a CHOICE to make. We can CHOOSE joy. We can CHOOSE to think before we speak.

We are not victims of our feelings. God has given us the “tools” to rise above the anxiety—to rise above that sense of overwhelm. He says ASK. He says SEEK Him. And then He promises when we seek Him, we WILL certainly find Him! He WANTS to be found by you and me.

CHOOSE this day to focus on God

Choose to be God-focused, rather than problem-focused. Run into the arms of God the Father. He has the answers you need. SEEK HIM in His Word—the Bible—and in prayer.

CHOOSE to TRUST your faithful God

SHOW yourself faithful in the midst of the testing. In the midst of anxiety, He even gives His beloved sleep and peace. He promises,

Ask and you will find Him expectantly waiting for you to come to Him, so He can express His love to you. So he can help you through the testing. The trial. The circumstance.

“I can do everything through Him who gives me strength.”

Philippians 4:13

“Call to Me and I will answer you and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know.”

Jeremiah 33:3

Until next time…

Maranatha. Come Lord Jesus.

Related Post: Needing God Desperately

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Christian Life Coach
Leading from Your Strengths Mentor
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Expectation Management

Perhaps Today

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Today is the seed for tomorrow.

When we decide that we have come to the end of ourselves, and we finally surrender to the Lordship of Christ, we come to Him as broken vessels in need of repair and restoration. ONLY GOD can do that. Some come with expectations that there will be an instantaneous change. Some expect that wealth and prosperity will follow. Some will sit back and have the mental attitude that they will merely wait for Christ’s return. Some will believe that all relationships will be restored, thinking they can bypass consequences of previous decisions and actions.

Giving and getting.

Some will believe they can pay the bills and have some fun, and whatever is left over, will go to God. The only problem with that is God asks for the First Fruits, not the left-overs. He has expectations, too. He expects to be FIRST in every aspect of our lives. He instructs us to GIVE. He promises that then, it will be given to us, good measure…running over…However, the GETTING is not to be our GOAL. The GIVING is to be joyful and off the top. The BEST. FIRST. THAT is GOD’s expectation before He grants ours. He wants our hearts. Not our leftovers.

Time management.

Some will daily meet with Jesus to get their marching orders for the day. And to surrender their will for His will. To submit to God so we have the strength to resist the devil, so that he will flee from us. It is a moment-by- moment conscious decision to follow after Jesus.  Managing our time to give First Fruits of time to developing a relationship with God is essential.

THY Kingdom come.

“When you pray, pray ‘Your Kingdom come’ and ask God to rule in your life until He returns to rule the world.“
{However}…”Before we can pray ‘Thy Kingdom come’, we must be willing to pray: MY kingdom GO!!!” –Alan Redpath

“Your Kingdom come…” Is our agreement and expectation of God’s right to rule!” –David Jeremiah

God’s Kingdom is within us. He is always in our midst! Are we living our lives with that expectation? That understanding? We must choose to manage our expectations from worldly expectations to Godly other-worldly expectations.This world is not our home. We are merely passing through. And then we enter eternity.

God’s will.

God’s will and God’s rule are the same. God’s will is always done in Heaven.
It is done on earth when we submit our will to Him—as Jesus did in the Garden of Gethsemane”
(See Luke 22:42 ) – David Jeremiah

What about you? What is an expectation, anyway?

Expectation: ”The feeling or belief that something will or should happen.”
— The Cambridge English Dictionary

Expectation: “A mental attitude. A prospect of future good or profit. The degree of probability that something will occur” — Dictionary.com

Synonyms: Expectancy, anticipation, hope, trust.

Verses about expectations

In the morning, O Lord, You will hear my voice;
In the morning I will order my prayer to You and eagerly watch.

Psalm 5:3

“And now, Lord, for what do I wait?
My hope is in You.

Psalm 39:7

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead

1 Peter 1:3

But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for He Himself is kind to ungrateful and evil men.

Luke 6:35

Hope deferred makes the heart sick,
But desire fulfilled is a tree of life.

Proverbs 13:12

What seeds are you planting, friend? What are your expectations? Do you have some re-planning and re-planting to do? Tomorrow may come sooner than you planned. What if TODAY is the day of His return? For over 30 years, I have had this quote (the graphic) on my kitchen counter. It is part of my expectation management. It helps keep me focused.

Perhaps Today

“Don’t get too comfortable here. This world is not your home.
It’s a transition place. He’s coming for me”

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Let's Connect!
Awaiting His shout,
pam_signature-c49a6c

Christian Life Coach
Leading from Your Strengths Mentor
www.loavesandfishescoaching.com