
The 3 AM Spiral We All Know
Can I be honest with you? Last Tuesday, I found myself wide awake at 3 AM, scrolling through news headlines with that familiar knot in my stomach. You know the feeling—that cocktail of worry about everything from family finances to global conflicts, mixed with the peculiar anxiety that only comes from too much screen time and too little sleep.
Maybe you’ve been there too. Between endless news cycles, rising costs, and the general uncertainty that seems to color our days, anxiety has become our unwelcome companion. However, I’ve discovered that sometimes the oldest remedies are exactly what our modern hearts need.
A couple of years ago, I was experiencing some pain in my right eye. That’s the eye that has been my blind eye since birth. We couldn’t figure out what the pain was. I tried acupuncture on my head, drops with my ophthalmologist, and pain medicine with my primary care doctor. Nothing worked. We thought it might be trigeminal neuralgia, but that wasn’t it. Finally, my ophthalmologist said what I didn’t want to hear: “When you have a blind, painful eye that can’t be solved, you have to remove it.” Remove my eye? Get a fake one? My anxiety went through the roof. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing, let alone what was to come. I was scared, really, really scared.
Rediscovering an Ancient Anchor
The Nicene Creed—you might remember it from childhood church services, or maybe you’ve never heard of it. This ancient statement of faith, crafted by early Christians in 325 AD, is experiencing a quiet renaissance. Searches for “Nicene Creed” have increased significantly as people seek grounding in uncertain times.
Why are we turning to words written seventeen centuries ago? Because they offer something our anxious hearts desperately need: an unshakeable truth about who God is and who we are in God’s story.
“We believe in one God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, of all things visible and invisible…”
These aren’t just theological statements—they’re lifelines. When everything feels out of control, they remind us that Someone bigger is still in charge.
When Peter Took His Eyes Off Jesus
Remember Peter walking on water? He was doing fine until he focused on the storm instead of the Savior (Matthew 14:30). Sound familiar? We’re surrounded by storms:
- Political division that seems to grow deeper
- Economic uncertainty that keeps us up at night
- Global conflicts that feel overwhelming
- Personal struggles that no one else sees
But here’s what I’ve learned: the Creed doesn’t minimize our storms. Instead, it reminds us who’s walking through them with us.
Three Ways to Let Ancient Truth Calm Modern Anxiety
1. Start Your Day with Grounding Truth
Before you check your phone or read the news, spend sixty seconds reading the Nicene Creed aloud. I like to do this while my tea brews—it’s become my morning ritual of remembering what’s true before I face what feels overwhelming.
2. Share the Burden
When anxiety hits, don’t suffer alone. Text a trusted friend: “I’m spiraling a bit—can you remind me that God’s still in control today?” There’s something powerful about hearing the truth from someone who loves you.
3. Reframe the Headlines
When you see troubling news, practice whispering: “But my Father is the Maker of heaven and earth.” It’s not denial—it’s perspective. The same God who created galaxies is present in your situation.
Why This Matters in 2025
The Nicene Creed isn’t a relic—it’s a remedy for our tendency to forget who God is when life gets hard. It pulls our focus from the chaos around us to the Christ within us.
Jesus promised us trouble in this world (John 16:33), but He also promised something better: His presence, His peace, and His ultimate victory over everything that threatens to undo us.
An Invitation to Breathe
Friend, if you’re feeling overwhelmed today, you’re not alone. Anxiety doesn’t disqualify you from faith—it qualifies you for the comfort only God can give.
The next time panic knocks on your door, try meeting it with this ancient truth. The Creed has survived wars, plagues, and countless personal storms. It can handle whatever you’re facing today.
Because faith isn’t the absence of fear—it’s the decision to trust our unchanging God in our ever-changing circumstances.
What helps you find peace when anxiety feels overwhelming? I’d love to hear from you in the comments below.