The Pursuit of Peace: Letting Go of Anxiety, Worry, and Fear

By Mary Ann Echols PhD

There are so many sources of stress in today’s world. Sickness and disease, inadequate medical care, the rising cost of living, broken relationships, social conflict, violence, and grief from a pandemic that took so many lives. These problems continue to present major challenges to peace of mind. We try to find peace in any ways, but often, our best efforts just don’t seem to be good enough. This book provides helpful strategies to overcome anxiety, worry and fear and find peace of mind. The author advocates a change in perspective that shifts the focus from the external world with its trouble and unrealistic expectations to the internal world of self- awareness and spiritual truth. The internal perspective embraces faith in the power of God to change the unchangeable, control the uncontrollable and to promote spiritual healing, mental and emotional renewal and strength. Practical, biblically- based suggestions and strategies are provided to help the reader apply spiritual principles to problems and difficult circumstances. The reader is taught how to rise above circumstances, release anxiety, worry, and fear and experience true and lasting peace.

• Language: English
• Publisher: WestBow Press
• Release date: May 18, 2023
• ISBN: 9781664290365

Mary Ann Echols PhD

Mary Ann Echols, PhD is a Licensed psychologist holding a doctoral degree in Counseling Psychology. Her clinical experience is extensive and broad based, including individual, group, and relationship counseling. She has certifications in specialized treatments for post-traumatic stress disorder, trauma processing, anxiety, and depression. Dr. Echols has over 25 years of clinical practice in hospital settings and private practice including serving as the lead psychologist and clinical staff liaison for outpatient mental health services. She was employed as Adjunct Faculty, teaching graduate level courses in cultural awareness, multicultural counseling, and diversity. Dr. Echols also served as a University Administrator for Student Affairs and Associate Director of the University Counseling Center. She has been a featured speaker for seminars, workshops and panel discussions on mental health issues.

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Copyright © 2023 Mary Ann Echols, PhD.

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Scripture taken from the King James Version of the Bible.

Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, a Division of Tyndale House Ministries, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

ISBN: 978-1-6642-9037-2 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-6642-9038-9 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-6642-9036-5 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2023901352

WestBow Press rev. date: 05/09/2023

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

As I I reflect on how this book developed, I am filled with gratitude and thanksgiving. I think of all those who supported me, fed into my spirit, taught me, and gave me wise counsel over the years. Their love and support have meant more than words can express. I am reminded that none of us ever go it completely alone. If we are open to it, God sends us help through his servants. In addition, God is always with us. Holy Spirit guides us, and the Lord Jesus Christ walks with us every step of the way. I am grateful to God for those who have journeyed with me. It gave me lessons of faith that have been both the foundation and motivation for writing this book.

I am thankful for my parents, especially my mother, Mable Ross Snipes. She taught me and my siblings about Jesus Christ at an early age. She made sure that we developed a disciplined faith by reading God’s word, praying and attending church regularly. Her expectations were high, when it came to serving the Lord, but she always set the example and showed love in her discipline and teaching. She is the reason I chose to give my life to Jesus Christ. I thank God for giving us such a wonderful mother. She was truly a gift of love and a beautiful example of devoted service to the Lord.

I am thankful and grateful for other family members and friends and for their support and words of encouragement. On many occasions I have shared my writings with them. Their positive comments, acknowledgements, and testimonies of faith encouraged me and strengthened my resolve to write and share the messages of hope God has placed in my heart.

I am especially thankful and grateful to my former pastor, the late, great, Pastor Lock P. Beachum Jr., who taught, counseled, and pastored our church family for so many years. Although he has gone on to be with the Lord now, I have been forever changed by his love, compassion, leadership, and the uncompromising truth with which he preached the word of God. Pastor Lock is greatly missed, but his life goes on within me and within so many others who were encouraged by his dedicated service to the Lord. I also want to thank and acknowledge my current pastor, Michael Anderson, who continues to lead with love, wisdom, power, and truth.

In addition, I want to acknowledge two of my closest friends, The Reverend Annie Lois Hines, a childhood friend and a powerful woman of God, who has stood with me through most of my life challenges. Her spiritual guidance has given me confidence and determination to speak and write what God puts on my heart. I also want to thank my friend of over thirty years, Regina Hall-Barbour, a gifted minister, counselor, and teacher. She has shared spiritual truth and life lessons that have been crucial to my walk with Christ. Her friendship and support have been constant and life changing.

Finally, I am thankful for the many clients I have been privileged to serve over the years. I am grateful for their trust and their perseverance in the pursuit of peace. Working with them helped sharpen my clinical skills, but I gained so much more than that. I learned to see the Spirit of God at work beyond the struggle. I learned to see their heart’s desire over their troubling thoughts and emotions. I learned to encourage hope when hope was weakened or lost. With the help of God, I also learned to inspire faith in times of deep sorrow. Every client I have had an opportunity to serve is part of lessons learned and the process of seeking and finding peace described in this book. I am thankful to have been a part of their journey. I am also thankful for all those who will be blessed by the words written here and the insights gained by reading this book. All glory to God. God is good.

CONTENTS

Introduction: Overcoming Anxiety, Worry, and Fear

PART I: BEGINNING YOUR SEARCH FOR PEACE

Chapter 1 My Personal Journey to Find Peace

Chapter 2 The Wrong Pursuit of Peace

Chapter 3 Barriers to Peace

Chapter 4 Anxiety, Worry, and Fear: Enemies of the Soul

Chapter 5 Identity and the Search for Peace

Chapter 6 The Deception of Worry

Chapter 7 Thoughts and Perceptions: The Fuel of Anxiety, Worry, and Fear

Chapter 8 God’s Promises of Help, Strength, And Restoration

Chapter 9 Take Responsibility and Commit to Change

Chapter 10 Seek the Presence of God

PART II: DEVELOP A MINDSET OF PEACE

Chapter 11 Guard Your Heart

Chapter 12 Change the Way You Think and Speak

Chapter 13 Sing the Lord’s Song Anyway

Chapter 14 Find the Secret Place

Chapter 15 Learn to Rest in the Lord

Chapter 16 Surrender the Hurt

Chapter 17 The Call to Forgive

Chapter 18 Brokenness: The Road to Healing

Chapter 19 Trust God

Chapter 20 Find Peace in the Midst of Pain

PART III: EMBRACE YOUR KINGDOM PURPOSE

Chapter 21 Stop Seeking Comfort and Start Seeking God

Chapter 22 Unlock the Door to Peace: Surrender, Obey, and Submit to the Will of God

Chapter 23 Let Go of Your Idols

Chapter 24 Leave It All at the Cross

Chapter 25 Seek Wisdom

Chapter 26 Follow God’s Lead

Chapter 27 A Call to Prayer

PART IV: GOD’S PLAN FOR YOUR DELIVERANCE

Chapter 28 The Waiting Game: God Has a Plan

Chapter 29 Get Your Mind Right

Chapter 30 You Can Thrive Even in Tough Times

Chapter 31 Action Plan to Overcome Fear

Chapter 32 Live and Walk in Freedom

Chapter 33 Epilogue: Peace Is a Choice

THE PURSUIT OF PEACE: LETTING GO OF ANXIETY, WORRY AND FEAR

INTRODUCTION

Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee; because he trusteth in thee. Trust ye in the Lord forever; for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength.

—Isaiah 26: 3-4

Anxiety, worry, and fear affects us all at various times in our lives and blocks our efforts to find freedom from stress and worry and find peace. The Holy Bible instructs us to seek peace and pursue it (Psalm 34:14). Yet the search for peace is often a lifelong, complicated, and frustrating process for individuals as well as society at large. Whether it is seeking peace from personal distress or on a broader scale for our communities, nation, or the world, our hearts long for freedom from conflict and fear.

The purpose of this book is to guide and support the reader in the journey to find peace. This is accomplished from a biblical perspective. A biblical perspective is used because the way to true peace and freedom is spelled out in the Bible. The Christian perspective teaches us that the Holy Bible is the inspired, immutable, and eternal word of God and the most powerful resource for effective living and finding peace.

The road to peace is ultimately a search for the God of peace as revealed in his Son Jesus Christ. That search must be directed at establishing and maintaining a relationship with Jesus Christ, who points the way to a life of freedom from anxiety, worry, and fear. Through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, we were raised to a life of peace and freed from the traps of earthly bondage. When we are truly free in our minds and heart, we can more effectively and successfully seek and find the way to the God of peace.

A WORLDLY PERSPECTIVE ON PEACE

The world tends to look at peace as something that happens when you die. This type of thinking is a misconception of the nature of peace. When someone has died, you may have heard people say, At least they are no longer suffering or Rest in peace. Certainly, these words may be meant to bring comfort. It is hard to see someone grieve and not want to help them. We tend to say what others say to comfort others when they grieve, but that gives the impression that we have to die to have peace of mind. People who think or speak this way don’t understand that peace is a gift of God meant for the here and now. Before Jesus was to die on the cross, he told his disciples, Peace I leave with you. My peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid (John 14:27). This peace Jesus spoke about does not depend on your abilities; it is yours when you choose to follow Christ and obey his word.

A GODLY PERSPECTIVE ON PEACE

The pursuit of peace and ultimately attaining it is a process of spiritual growth. It is based upon an accurate understanding of the journey to find peace and the outcome. The journey is about learning to trust God and keeping your thoughts directed at who he is and what he is able to do in your life. The outcome is the peace that passes all understanding given by God himself (Philippians 4:7). God has promised that if our focus is on him, he will give us the peace we seek and the strength to get through hard times.

THE SEARCH FOR PEACE IN OUR TIMES

The search for peace is now even more critical than ever before. The Covid 19 Pandemic that rocked the world in 2020 and its aftermath has had catastrophic effects on society. Healthcare workers and first responders were ravaged by overwhelming stress, inadequate safety supplies, and daily trauma. Global economies were hit hard due to lower production of goods and services. The food supply chain and distribution led to hoarding and limitation of certain products. Households struggle to provide necessities for their families and businesses have closed at alarming rates. High unemployment rates, social conflict, and racial divide continue to threaten the very fabric of society and the entire global community. These circumstances have increased individual anxiety, worry and fear dramatically. This increase in mental health problems has occurred in addition to the already existing number of people treated in medical and mental healthcare facilities. Although progress has been made there may still be difficult times ahead.

Now is the time for fighting back. We cannot afford to allow emotions to govern our response to dire circumstances. While anxiety, fear, grief, anger and other distressing emotions are understandable reactions to severe circumstances, they must be managed in a way that motivate us to act responsibly and promote mental, emotional health.

To do this, it is important to understand the mental, emotional, and spiritual impact of these desperate times and act. The action must begin with each doing their part to bring about change. It must become personal. There is very little chance of effectively and efficiently responding to our collective life challenges without concurrently addressing individual anxiety, worry, and fear. We can all benefit from learning strategies and skills to conquer fear and inspire peace.

WHAT IS PEACE?

Webster’s Dictionary defines peace as a state of tranquility or quiet, freedom from disquieting or oppressive thoughts and emotions, and harmony in personal relationships. Vine’s Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words explains the phrase God of peace often used in the scriptures. Peace in that context corresponds to the Hebrew word Shalom, which signifies wholeness. You may consider this to be wholeness in mind, body, and spirit. This includes freedom from distressing thoughts and emotions, establishing and maintaining order in your life, and finding rest, contentment, and a sense of completeness within. It is not easy to find true peace.

True peace, as provided by God Almighty, is often sacrificed and dwarfed into a self-serving desperate attempt to stop our pain and suffering at any cost. This strategy does not lead to lasting peace. The peace given by God requires more than what we may already know or have learned from experience. It requires fundamental changes in the way we think and live. Don’t limit your understanding of the nature and scope of true peace. Doing so affects the ability to learn and grow through hardship. It does not take full advantage of God’s love. Neither does it recognize our innate dependence on God as our source of peace.

The need to understand how to conquer fear and find peace is what has motivated me to write this book. It includes my own experiences and personal search for peace, but the process is not unique to me. As it is with most people, it has been an emotional, mental, and spiritual journey. My personal search for peace taught me that peace is not a state of being, but a lifelong journey of discovery that can strengthen your faith and teach you to walk in your identity as a child of God.

Anxiety, fear, and worry don’t have to control you. They must bow to the authority and preeminence of God’s word and your inheritance of love, joy, and peace as a child of God. As you read, I pray that God will help you in your own search for peace, strengthen you, and give you a fresh revelation of the plans he has for you and your kingdom of God.

PART I

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CHAPTER 1

MY PERSONAL JOURNEY TO FIND PEACE

Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivereth him out of them all.

—Psalm 34:19

My personal journey to find peace has been full of missteps, misperceptions, and missed opportunities. Fear and doubt have been significant battlegrounds for me throughout my life. They have been constant companions in