Battling Emotions, Anxiety and Fear

Okay, so surgery is in 2 days!  I do not care who you are or how strong you think you may be.  It is so natural to go through all kinds of emotions and fears when you face a serious surgery.  I was talking with my neighbor this morning before heading off to work.  She said, "Norene I do not know how you deal with the anticipation of cancer surgery".  She herself faced cancer, but she never knew until she woke up from anesthetic and surgery had happened. 

It is not easy.  It is a thought that never leaves you.  You wake up in the middle of the night, you think about it.  You wake up in the morning, you think about it.  You drive to work, you think about it.  When you have been through cancer surgery before, that trust me was a nightmare that I would like to forget, your anxiety level escalates.  All I can think about is how the doctor described the procedure, ugh!  My anxiety kicks into high gear.  I like to call that, "The what if's".  Well I have to remember that God does work on the "what ifs".  He tells me to "Go forward in Faith".  He got me through the first time, He can do it again!

I remember a plaque that was given to me years ago by a very good friend.  I faced gall bladder surgery right after the birth of my second child.  It read, "Fear knocked on the door, Faith answered, No one was there!"
Fear can paralyze you, and grip you like a vice.  But we have to remember that God does not give us a spirit of fear, but of love and a sound mind.  We all have a choice.  Yes, emotions are there and they are up and down continually.  It is how we handle them that matters.

I read a devotional the other morning by Joyce Meyer that hit right on the money.  She said, "I have discovered that no matter how doubtful I feel, I can decide to go forward in faith.  My feelings are not me.  I am greater than my feelings and so are you.  Going against your feelings is not always easy because feelings  are frequently very strong, but stand against them until you enjoy freedom is much better than continuing to let them run your life and hold you in bondage."

I know without a shadow of doubt that God allowed this tumor to be seen incidentally once again.  I know that He is with me.  So, when the feelings are strong, I must and will choose to "Go forward in faith"!  It is not easy at all.  But I must put my trust in God.  He is my protector, provider and healer!

What do you face today?  Are you being led by your feelings?  Remember, it is how you handle them that matters.  You feel every emotion that can bring you down, but you do have a choice. Stand strong and choose to "Go Forward in Faith" with me.