Tackling the ANTS

May 2026.

For this post, I'm sharing an excerpt from my upcoming book, Onstage: A Journey From Fear to Faith. (working title). This is from the chapter called Rule Your Mind. It starts while I’m having a panic attack during a Los Angeles Philharmonic concert, many years ago, while on tour in Salzburg, Austria. 

I’m counting the measures until the 2nd violin solo entrance. Two bars to go. My body feels like jelly. I know I won’t be able to do this. But I pretend, and lift the bow up toward the string to start the passage. Every cell in my body is screaming RUN!! My bow arm feels like a rubber prosthesis. I’m either going to throw up or have a heart attack. GAME OVER, my mind shrieks. I force my right hand and arm to start moving the bow on the string…and leap into the void. 

It wasn’t until I started reading the Bible that I realized this: the battle I had been losing against anxiety is fought in the mind. It’s a battle between truth and lies. We need to think about our thoughts! And ask ourselves, is this thought even true? Managing our minds is OUR responsibility. No one can do it for us. And it’s crucial in overcoming anxiety. Our ANTS can kill us! We can’t afford to be passive with them. I had to decide to do something about my thoughts…my stinkin’ thinkin’. And I discovered that it CAN be done!

First, we have to get aware of the ANTS…repetitive loops and endless ruminations that steal our peace. What are you dwelling on when your anxiety starts? Is what you’re thinking actually true? Test and challenge each thought.

Part of gaining awareness is realizing the effect ANTS have on us physically. When you feel anxious, where does it show up in your body? Tight jaw? Clenched shoulders? Stomach problems? Racing heart? Shallow breathing? 

Along with physical ‘tells’, we also get emotional symptoms of anxiety: apprehension, dread, fear, insecurity, intimidation, and more. Think back to what you were thinking about when those feelings started. 

If we can recognize how anxious thoughts affect us, we can get to the root of them, and do something about it. ANTS create a prison in our minds, but we can walk right out, if we decide to. And we can ask God to give us awareness of our ANTS.

We can’t assume that all our thoughts are true. Neuroscientists tell us that we think around 50,000 thoughts every day; and the majority of them aren’t true! The Bible teaches that there has been a war between truth and lies going on from the beginning. And that sin and evil first came into Creation through a lie from Satan. 

Jesus described Satan this way:

“He was a murderer from the beginning. He has always hated the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, it is consistent with his character; for he is a liar and the father of lies.” John 8:44

How can we know what thoughts are true, and which ones are anxiety-creating lies? We need an objective standard to examine our thoughts by. That’s why God gave us His Word, the Bible…so we can know the truth and be able to discern truth from lies. The best of human philosophy, reasoning, and even science is continually evolving. But God’s Word is unchanging. 

“All people are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall, but the Word of the Lord endures forever.” 1 Peter 1:25

“Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will never pass away.” -Jesus, in Matthew 24:25

We need to take every thought through the filter of the Word of God to see whether it’s the truth, or a lie. The more time we spend reading the Bible, meditating on truth, the easier it will be to rule our minds and take control of the ANTS.

If I could go back to that horrible concert in Saltzburg, when my ANTS were running roughshod through my mind, rendering me helpless and paralyzed,  I would tell myself the truth from the Bible: 

“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Philippians 4:13

“My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness.” 2 Corinthians 12:9

“In all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.” Romans 8:37

Journal Exercise:

Write out 2 recurring Automatic Negative Thoughts, and any feelings that accompany them. 

Look up or Google Scripture passages that speak to those feelings or thoughts, and write a couple of verses out. 

Revisit those verses when ANTS come back.

Prayer:

Father, help me take control of my thoughts. Show me when ANTS try to get into my thinking. Grow my awareness, so I can choose TRUTH that brings life and freedom, not anxiety! Thank You for helping me. In the name of Jesus I ask.  AMEN