Compassion Over Criticism: Viewing Your Anxiety Through a New Lensናሙና

This would mean that instead of you viewing yourself as bad or wrong, you might say this instead: els that way.

We mentioned on day one that we partnered with Chrissie Steyn, a licensed mental health professional, who had this to say about her approach to anxiety:

We use a framework called Internal Family Systems (IFS). If you’ve ever seen the movie Inside Out, you might recognize this way of thinking. IFS identifies and addresses multiple sub-personalities or parts within each person's mental system. It’s evidence-based, and it allows us to talk about things like anxiety in a much more gentle, and even Holy Spirit-driven way.

Chrissie says that through this framework and the added lens of her faith, anxiety isn’t something to be ashamed of. It’s not sinful. Anxiety is a signal. It can show up as racing thoughts, a pounding heart, or foggy disconnection. Each of these expressions may come from different parts of you—each with its own way of trying to help.

Too often, we approach anxiety through a negative lens – Why am I feeling this way? What’s wrong with me? Why can’t I get out of this loop? But what if we could actually stop the cycle by investigating our anxiety through the lens of curiosity? Imagine if we asked, What might my nervous system be telling me through anxiety signals today?

Remember the story of Elijah? After facing grave dangers and eventually experiencing burnout, he collapses under a broom tree and eel right inside me today. I’m going to explore what that might be and ask what does this part want for me? What is it afraid would happen if it didn’t do its job?

When we embrace anxiety with compassion instead of judgment, healing becomes possible—but not in the traditional “mind over matter” sense. You can’t fight your way out of anxiety. Instead, healing happens in the context of relationships—when your spirit, joined with God’s Spirit, begins to gently connect with the anxious parts inside you. In that space of curious, loving presence, fear begins to soften. Anxiety doesn’t need to be conquered; it needs to be able to tell its story in the presence of love.

Remember the story of Elijah? After facing grave dangers and eventually experiencing burn out, he collapses under a broom tree and prays for death. Can you imagine? And yet, God doesn’t rebuke him. God doesn’t take his life. No, God meets Elijah’s basic needs: he gives him food, water, and rest. Only later does God speak. The Bible says it wasn’t in fire or wind but rather a gentle whisper (1 Kings 19:12–13), which is just like our Father. Healing doesn’t begin with striving, or trying harder, or willing yourself to be rid of anxiety. Just like God modeled, healing comes with stillness and gentleness. With understanding. With care.

Remember: the Bible says the Holy Spirit is within you. God created you in His perfect image. That means God created the nervous system to be good. In other words, your body experiencing anxiety isn’t bad. Drawing courage from the Holy Spirit, we can turn toward our bodies’ signals with compassion—welcoming them as messengers and praising the God who designed them for our protection.

Reflection: Today, reflect on a recent moment of anxiety. Were there any parts of you that felt especially worried or concerned?

Now, consider: what might those parts have been trying to protect you from?

Can you thank that part for caring about you enough to try to help, even if it felt negative or disruptive?

Finally, if it feels safe to do so, can you imagine introducing that part to your present-day self? Or even to the loving presence of God? What might you notice when you do?

Take a moment to reflect on this exercise, and maybe even jot down some of what stood out.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for creating me. Every part of me. I acknowledge that I’m not bad, that my nervous system isn’t wrong, that I’m not broken. You see the anxious parts, the protective parts, the ones that worry, and You do not shame them. God, would You help me to regulate? Would You give me the strength to recognize every time I’m feeling anxious that this is my body’s way of telling me something? Would You help me to slow down and notice each part of me with compassion? Would You give me the grace to thank my nervous system for keeping me safe, and give me the courage to gently introduce them to Your loving presence? I trust that You are healing me from the inside out. Thank You for being kind, loving, and steady always. It’s in Your name I pray. Amen.