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I’ve been in the trenches—literally, as a combat vet in Iraq, and spiritually, as a man fighting for my own purpose. I know what it’s like to sit in a church pew, smiling, while your mind is a warzone.
11/05/2025
Date published: 11/17/2025
I’ve been in the trenches—literally, as a combat vet in Iraq, and spiritually, as a man fighting for my own purpose. I know what it’s like to sit in a church pew, smiling, while your mind is a warzone.
You’re told to "just pray" about your anxiety. You’re told to "have more faith."
But what happens when you do pray, and the anxiety is still there? What happens when the panic over your finances, your career, or your family is so loud, it drowns out everything else?
It breeds a secret shame. You feel like a "bad Christian." You become a depleted Baptist, a burnout warrior, afraid to admit that "just praying" isn't working.
This isn't just a talk; it's a battle plan. I recently hosted a powerhouse panel on The Transform U! Live Show to tackle this exact problem, and the truth that came out was too good to keep to ourselves.
Here’s the raw truth: we’ve made our faith a new reason to feel ashamed. We’re suffering in silence, afraid to admit our struggles because we think they disqualify our faith.
We see people "talking faith," but as my guest Rev. Dr. AShellarien Addison said, they’re not "walking and speaking and living" in it. We've created a culture where it's not okay to not be okay.
And that is where we get stuck. We self-sabotage, we isolate, and our anxiety gets worse, all while we plaster on a Sunday morning smile.
This is the part of the conversation that hit me—and my audience—like a ton of bricks.
I asked my panel how believers should differ between "normal worry" and "clinical anxiety." Rev. Dr. AShellarien, who is both a U.S. Army Chaplain and a clinical practitioner, laid it out:
"One of the challenges we have in the faith community is giving ourselves spiritual permission to not be okay. One of the things that COVID taught us is that it is okay not to be okay. And God is big enough to handle our anxiety."
Let that sink in. Your struggle doesn't scare God. Your anxiety isn't a sign of His absence. It's simply a sign that you're human, and He's big enough to handle it.
Then, she dropped the line that I believe will set thousands free. She exposed the lie that prayer is the only tool God will use to heal you.
"There are times when you can have Jesus and you can have a therapist. You can have a prayer and you can have a pill. We just have to break down the stigma and say that we can't limit God on how God heals us."
That's it. That’s the tweet. Your faith is not a failure because you need professional help. Seeking a therapist or taking medication isn't a substitute for God; it's often a provision from God.
Once we have permission to be real, we can learn to fight. The biggest mistake we make is thinking peace is passive. We think it's something that just happens to us.
It's not. Peace is an active execution of your faith.
Dr. AShellarien explained that the key to unlocking peace is to "surrender our will to God's will... it activates our faith." She said, "If God said it, I've got to do my part and then let God do the rest. And you do that with authority."
You don't just wish for peace. You work for it by doing your part (the practical) and surrendering the outcome (the spiritual).
My guest Richard Ramos put this to the ultimate test. He shared a story of being defrauded out of a lot of money. Money he had saved for investments. Money that was just gone.
He was anxious. He was tested. But he said:
"The only thing I could do is what I've learned to do, and that is to turn to the Lord, to trust in Him... It was a test of faith for sure... But again, as a Christian and following the word, today I'm looking at you and saying I have peace."
That's the definition of "gritty faith." It's not the absence of a storm; it's finding peace in the middle of it.
Hack 1: Pause, Pray, Plan (The 60-Second Reset)
Dr. AShellarien, author of Living Unbothered on Purpose, shared this 3-step framework based on 2 Corinthians 10:5 (taking thoughts captive):
Pause: The second you feel that anxious thought, stop. Ask yourself: "What am I saying to myself right now?"
Pray: "God, help me in this moment. I can't do it by myself."
Plan: Create a "redirect" thought. "The next time this thought comes, I will say, 'Greater is the Spirit of God on the inside of me...'"
Hack 2: Catch, Change, Replace (The "I AM" Principle)
Richard Ramos shared his simple, powerful method. The Bible tells us to "renew your mind," but this is how:
Catch the thought.
Change the thought.
Replace it with a verbal affirmation: "I AM."
He said "I AM" are the two most powerful words. What follows them proclaims your reality. Stop saying, "I am anxious" or "I am broke." Start proclaiming, "I AM capable," "I AM provided for," "I AM an overcomer."
Hack 3: Humble & Cast (The Transfer of Trust)
Jen Brooks brought it home with 1 Peter 5:6-7: "Humble yourselves... cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you."
We love to "cast," but we forget to "humble." Humility is admitting you can't do it on your own. You cast your anxiety to Him like a fisherman, and then you leave it with Him, trusting that He cares for you.
If you're doing all this and still feel stuck, Jen Brooks identified 5 spiritual barriers that may be blocking you:
Sin: Unrepentant, willful disobedience will always steal your peace.
Spiritual Warfare: We have a real enemy who hates your peace.
Prayerlessness: Philippians 4 says the antidote to anxiety is prayer.
Lack of Trust: Choosing to trust yourself or your circumstances over Him.
Unbelief: Simply not believing God will do what He said He will do.
Here's the bottom line: Your anxiety does not disqualify you.
Your struggle is not a sign of your failure; it's the training ground for your authority. You're not a "bad Christian" for being anxious, and you're not a "heathen" for seeing a therapist.
You are a warrior being equipped.
It's time to stop being a victim of your thoughts and start being an executor of God's peace. Give yourself permission to be human, and then pick up your spiritual weapons and fight for your mind.
What if 1 simple shift could cut your spiritual exhaustion by 30%?
I've helped countless burnout warriors, depleted leaders, and urban hustlers find that exact breakthrough. We help you transform your trauma, your anxiety, and your story into your ultimate authority.
If you're tired of being "stuck" and ready to build a life of unshakeable peace, your first step is right here.
Click here to download my FREE "Un-Stuck" Authority Audit, a 5-minute, 12-question diagnostic to pinpoint exactly what's holding you back.
