Panic and fear can strike like a lightning bolt when a person or situation triggers you. In their most acute form, the feelings are paralyzing. There are many ways to cope and process these feelings, however, when their onset overwhelms you, the best way to deal with them on short notice, is to pray. Not just any prayer, but a prayer of supplication. Simply put, a prayer of one word, “Help!”
A prayer of supplication is asking, begging or pleading for something humbly. It’s the kind you see people make in movies when the plane is going down. In our moments of panic and fear, it can literally feel like we are on a plane that’s going to crash.
The purpose of a pleading prayer is to prevent panic and fear from further paralyzing us.
When panic and fear strikes, my go-to is a pleading prayer to God (Allah, Holy Spirit, Shiva, Guardian Angels, spirits of deceased ancestors, or whatever your belief is). My prayers are short and quite literally, cries for help. “Please help me God. Please protect me loving spirits of grandma and grandpa.” (Anyone whom you love who’s passed (or living) is fair game). “I’m overwhelmed with fear surrounding my present circumstance. Please rescue me. Please protect me. Help, help, help!”
Taking a literal and figurative posture of pleading and begging for help is acknowledging that things (perhaps your own feelings) are out of your control and need rescuing.
Jumping into prayer is a form of self-rescue.
Pleading your case, begging for what you need or are struggling with, may seem strange because we’re used to being self-sufficient. But doing this simple act, an act of humility, as often as you need to, alleviates our panic and fear and moves us back towards peace.
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Overcome Anxiety With Faith
The beginning of anxiety is the end of faith, and the beginning of true faith is the end of anxiety.–George E Mueller