If I’m Anxious, Does That Make My Faith Weak? – Author Nikki Thompson

By: Laura Bennett

When you believe so strongly in the goodness of God and the peace that Jesus brings to our lives, what do you – when as a person of faith – you also experience deep, unrelenting anxiety that doesn’t seem to lift? 

Are you a “bad Christian”? Do you “not have enough faith”?

Author and teacher Nikki Thompson said in her new memoir, Fight, Flight and Faith, that “an anxiety disorder is not a faith disorder”.

“An anxiety disorder is not a faith disorder,” – author Nikki Thompson

Nikki was 19 years old when her brother Greg died in a car accident. The safe “Christian bubble” she’d been brought up in suddenly burst with the reality that bad things could happen – and they could happen to devoted Christ-followers.

Within weeks of Greg’s death, anxiety began to settle in Nikki’s life. She questioned the place of her faith in the midst of her unease and wondered whether she could still be the Christian she aspired to be, and have fear?

Nikki said, “For the ever-increasing number of people suffering the pain of anxiety, for the weary, for those who fear they have failed themselves, others, and God; for strung-out believers constantly stretching and straining for a piece of peace; this book is a reminder that wherever we stand, Jesus is ever near, beckoning us to come join him on the journey”.

Speaking to the UNDISTRACTED podcast, Nikki shared about the cyclical anxiety she still experiences, how she’s resolved her faith dilemmas and what we can do when fear seems to override our peace.

Fight, Flight, or Faith book cover by author Nikki Thompson

Source: nikkifthompson.com

If you struggle with anxiety and need support

BeyondBlue states “anxiety is the most common mental health condition in Australia. On average, one in four people – one in three women and one in five men – will experience anxiety at some stage in their life”.

Call 1300 22 4636 or you can chat online with the BeyondBlue team at beyondblue.org.au.

Article supplied with thanks to Hope Media.

About the Author: Laura is a media professional, broadcaster and writer from Sydney, Australia.

Feature image:  Author Nikki Thompson. Photo supplied.