At times, anxiety can be overwhelming and if we are not careful if may consume us. This is why Solomon said, “keep thy heart with all diligence for out of it are the issues of life” (Prov. 4:23). Consider a few suggestions for developing the mental strength necessary to ensure we stay focused.
Trust God. The key to being mentally strong is to realize that our strength does not come from within us, it comes from God. “The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer, my God, my strength in whom I will trust…” (Ps. 18:2). No matter what happens, put your faith in God and trust that He will take care of you.
Win Over Worry. We do ourselves a great disservice whenever we worry about things that either do not matter, or are beyond our control, or both. Paul wrote, “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God” (Phil. 4:6). We are to cast all of our care upon God because He cares for us (1 Pet. 5:7). Do not worry about tomorrow (Matt. 6:34). Trust God, live faithfully, and let Him do the rest.
Be Self-Motivated. We should never fall into the trap of waiting around on everyone else to do what they are going to do, so that we can do whatever it is that we need to do. Paul mentioned His self-motivation in Philippians 3:14 when he said, “I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” People will let you down and not everyone will be on board with doing what is right. While that breaks our heart, it cannot discourage us from doing what we know needs to be done.
Develop Self-Control. The fact is that we cannot control anyone other than ourselves—our thoughts, behavior, words, etc. God wants self-control to be a part of our Christian arsenal (2 Pet. 1:6). He does not want us to lash out in anger or give ourselves over to the desires of the flesh (Eph. 2:3). His will for us is that we bring ourselves under His control, and we do not allow our weaknesses to get the best of us during difficult times.