If we let it, anxiety can rule our lives. It can determine how we make decisions and what paths we choose to take. It can mold our personality into someone we don’t even recognize. So, why would we let it? Well, it’s not that simple. Often, feelings of anxiety are rooted in fear and/or stem from trauma.This is poignantly illustrated in Disney Pixar’s most recent animated film, Inside Out 2. In it, Riley, the main protagonist, hits puberty and is suddenly affronted by a swarm of new emotions: Envy, Ennui, Embarrassment, and, you guessed it, Anxiety. Throughout the film, we watch the original crew of emotions (Joy, Anger, Fear, Disgust, and Sadness) struggle to maintain control over Riley’s mental state and protect her sense of self. We also see Anxiety take the helm from Joy, all in the name of protecting Riley. “We all have a job to do,” says Anxiety. “You make Riley happy, Sadness makes her sad, Fear protects her from the scary stuff she can see, and my job is to protect her from the scary stuff she can’t see,” she says. “I plan for the future.”As someone with an anxiety disorder, I can say for certain sometimes it feels easier to let the fear run wild. Because in a weird way, it almost feels, as Anxiety said, like it’s for my own protection.Now, to be clear, as with all emotions, there is some nuance here. Sometimes, anxiety is good. Sometimes, we are protecting ourselves. As my dear friend Natalie, who happens to be a resident in counseling, said about the film: “I think it’s a great representation of the complex emotions we have and how we can all feel those emotions at once. I like how the movie showed just how necessary all of them are.”“Necessary but managed” is my motto. Because while anxiety can be helpful at times, it can easily become overwhelming, as we see when Riley experiences her first panic attack during hockey camp.Putting the nuance aside, when anxiety is rooted in fear and trauma, it’s important to remember it is not from God. As the Bible says in 2 Timothy 1:7, “For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.”God loves you and wants you to feel protected and held by Him. He wouldn’t want you maneuvering through life in the constant state of fear and unrest that severe anxiety can cause.With all of this in mind, let’s explore five reasons anxiety has to take a backseat to God.Photo Credit: ©GettyImages/sdominick