Digital Only: Young Adults
Feeling Alone, Insecure, or Anxious? Choose Christ over the Things of the World
If I really know who my Savior is, why do I rely on the world to comfort me?
When I feel alone, insecure, or anxious, I too often turn to the world and its solutions. I use TV, celebrities, social media, and much more to mute what I feel.
The world’s way doesn’t require very much effort of my part, but it offers me temporary relief to escape reality. The Lord can give me everlasting relief, but He does require that I change in the process. I have to feel my emotions and my hurt so I can learn to rely on Him to overcome them—and so I can become like Him.
Here are three situations where I’m working to rely on the Savior instead of the world. Maybe you can relate.
When I’m Feeling Alone
When I feel alone, I have a heart that is more than broken—it’s numb.
Music has a unique ability to make me feel heard and understood. Certain artists can capture what I feel in the lyrics of a song and amplify that emotion with music.
Musicians of the world offer lyrics that often help me feel understood. But Heavenly Father sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to provide not just understanding but also strength, comfort, direction, and salvation.
President Russell M. Nelson cautioned: “We might each ask ourselves, where is our faith? Is it in a team? Is it in a brand? Is it in a celebrity? Even the best teams can fail. Celebrities can fade. There is only One in whom your faith is always safe, and that is in the Lord Jesus Christ.”
Instead of always looking to worldly music to feel seen and heard, I can fix my gaze on the temple to hear the sweet song of God’s love. While good music can be helpful, I need to trust Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ more than I trust musicians to understand me.
Have faith in the Savior’s ability to save and love you, and your loneliness can settle like the waves of the sea that were calmed by His hand (see Mark 4:39).
When I’m Feeling Insecure
My insecurity comes from comparison and the void of imperfection. It comes from the little voice in my head saying, “I am not enough.”
As this echoes in my mind, I too often immerse myself in the lives of others—celebrities, mostly. I learn about their hobbies and lifestyles, all of which make me jealous. But I want the reality that others claim to have, so I continue to dive into their lives.
What I need to remember is that the Lord can offer me my divine identity, heavenly confidence, and eternal life.
Sister Elaine S. Dalton, former Young Women General President, phrased it perfectly when she said: “Look into the mirror of eternity. Remember who you are! See yourself as our Heavenly Father sees you. You are elect. You are of noble birth.”
I can let go of time I spend worshipping celebrities and instead dedicate time to worshipping the Savior of my soul by going to church and partaking of the sacrament. Instead of reading celebrity gossip to find the worth of others, I can read the scriptures to find the worth in myself.
When I’m Feeling Anxious
Sometimes I wish my brain would just stop thinking, stressing, and wondering. It is exhausting, trying to hide the chaos in my brain behind the composure of my face.
Scrolling on social media and watching TV quiets my brain. But when it doesn’t last—which it never does—my prayers often resemble these lyrics:
In Mark 4, the Savior is awoken by His disciples who fear the storm and chaos around them while at sea. The Savior arises and says unto the sea, “Peace, be still.” The scriptures say that “the wind ceased, and there was a great calm” (verse 39).
The world offers me temporary distractions, saying, “Look here and forget what you are feeling!” The Lord offers me lasting calm, saying, “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you” (John 14:27).
Instead of numbing my brain through things like TV or social media, I can kneel in prayer to find the Prince of Peace.
I find that my first responses to anxiety, loneliness, insecurity, or any other trial life has to offer is often to first seek the world’s guidance. That worldly guidance has us look for fulfillment or comfort in video games, food, TV, celebrities, musicians, social media influencers, and others.
There’s nothing wrong with relating to a song from your favorite artist or feeling peace in nature. We do not need to feel guilty for enjoying the world we live in. But if we really know who our Savior is, we know He is the only true source of peace. When the world’s responses disappoint, which they always will, He responds, “Peace. Be still.”