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The song goes, “Through it all, through it all, my eyes are on you, and it is well, with me.” It is hard to say, “It is well with me” when it feels like your world is coming to an end, when all you can see in your future is darkness, sorrow, pain and death. Sometimes that's what it felt like for me when I was in the middle of a panic attack. My mind would go dark so to speak, my body would shake uncontrollably, and my stomach would tie itself into knots. But THANK YOU GOD, it has been one year since I've experienced anything like that!
Stress, anxiety, worry, fear and hormones were the big contributors to my attacks. They started around the time Lily turned a year old and continued for four years. What has helped me most: 1-Not being ashamed or afraid to admit what I was going through. Accepting that this was a part of my life was a big deal. 2-Having an amazing support system. My mom has also experienced anxiety attacks so she knew how I felt, and had the words to say to help me and that was so amazing. Ken didn't know what it was like, but he supported me and prayed for me. 3-Finding what worked for me. And by that, I mean medicine, songs, and Scripture.
These three Scriptures have been my anchors:
- Phil. 4:6-7 “Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank Him for all He has done. Then you will experience God's peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.”
- John 14:27 “PEACE I leave with you; my PEACE I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.”
- 2 Tim. 1:7 “For God has not given us a spirit of fear but of POWER and of LOVE and of a SOUND MIND.”
And I had songs: “It Is Well”, “Lord I Need You” and “We Believe”—particularly the line— “And the gates of hell will not prevail for the Power of God has torn the veil!” I also had medication I could take that would calm the physical attributes of my panic attacks and St. John's Wort helped fend them off in the first place.
It is still hard to admit “It is well”, but another Scripture that gave me hope is one my mom shared with me about her experience, 2 Corinthians 1:4 “He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us.” So, maybe I've gone through my trial in order to be a help and comfort to someone else and that helps me to say, “It well with me.”
I encourage you, if you are going through something similar, find what works for you. There are so many encouraging Scriptures to stand on. Find your anthem that lifts you up and say, “It is well,” because just maybe what you are going through will help you to help someone else one day.
~Shared by Jenny Graves
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