Uncover Emotional Triggers by Excavating Your Past

SHOW NOTES:

EPISODE SUMMARY: In this episode, I share an excerpt from Step Two of my new book, Living Perfectly Loved. One way that our pasts creep into our present is through emotional triggers. Something we are experiencing in the present reminds us of something else painful we’ve experienced in the past—causing us to overreact in a big way! As you become aware of your emotional triggers, and when and why they exist, you will be able to begin forming boundary lines around the distinct situations that are triggering your anxiety and fear. Your problems will finally start making sense to you! 

Using the Emotional Triggers Log located in the appendices of my book (or by downloading the pdf from my website under my book tab, or here), as a tool to track the times, places, people, thoughts, and feelings surrounding your experiences with anxiety and fear, you will gain a better understanding of the root cause of their problem. As you commit to the process of excavating your past, the Lord will begin exposing the dark lies and the hidden places that have kept you bound in fear. Jesus will meet you at your place of wounding, and He will show you that He was there the whole time and it was His perfect love that carried you through. 

CONNECT WITH KELLY: I’m your host, Kelly Ann Snyder, a Christian writer, speaker, and teacher. Grateful to God for rescuing me from the grip of anxiety and fear, I created this podcast, started a blog, launched a small group for women at my church, and wrote my first book titled, Living Perfectly Loved, to encourage, equip, and inspire Christian women to live free from fear and full of joy, secure in God’s perfect love. I enjoy fresh flowers, nature walks, decorating my home, sipping tea, and studying God's Word. Visit my website at kellyannsnyder.com to learn more about me and Living Perfectly Loved Ministries, including information that can help you take the next step forward in your faith journey.

You can also purchase my new book on Amazon today: Living Perfectly Loved: A Christian’s 12-Step Journey to Freedom from the Grip of Anxiety and Fear

Find me on my Facebook Page @kellyannsnyderauthor and on my Facebook profile @kellyannsnyderofficial, as well as on my Instagram account @kellyannsnyderofficial. I look forward to connecting with you soon!

EPISODE RESOURCES: Emotional Triggers Log (FREE PDF Download)

DISCLAIMER: The content of this podcast is for informational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any condition or disease. This podcast is not a substitute for consultation with a licensed practitioner. Please consult with your physician or healthcare specialist regarding the suggestions and recommendations made in this podcast. The podcast host makes no guarantees concerning the level of success you may experience by following the advice and strategies she has offered, and you accept the risk that results will differ for each individual. The use of this podcast implies your acceptance of this disclaimer.

For additional help or resources, I recommend you consider reaching out to a professional Christian counselor or a pastor at a church for guidance in your next steps. 

Episode Transcript

Kelly Ann Snyder (00:02):
I'm Kelly Ann Snyder.
Welcome to Living PerfectlyLoved, the podcast created to
encourage, equip, and inspireyou to live free from fear and
full of joy, secure in God'sperfect love.
If you're longing to stand firmin Christ amidst the storms of
life with a faith deeply rootedin God's perfect love, stop

(00:24):
anxiety and fear from stealingyour joy and controlling your
life, shine brightly and lovefearlessly, confident in who God
uniquely created and called youto be, then this faith-inspiring
podcast, full of practical helpand spiritual tools, is for you.
You're listening to Season One,Episode Three: Uncover Emotional

(00:46):
Triggers by Excavating YourPast, brought to you by Living
Perfectly Loved Ministries andmy new book, Living Perfectly

Loved (00:55):
A Christian's 12-Step Journey to Freedom from the Grip
of Anxiety and Fear.
For all recommended resources,products, and freebies discussed
in this episode, please see thenotes for this episode.
I'm happy to announce that ineach episode this season, I will
be sharing an excerpt from mybook containing each of the 12

(01:18):
steps the Lord used to deliverme from the grip of anxiety and
fear.
In this way, you'll be getting asneak peek into my book, Living
Perfectly Loved.
I'm so glad you've decided tojoin me.
Subscribe to my email list [e-mail] and you will
be kept in the loop with allbook and ministry-related

(01:38):
announcements I make, and beeligible to receive all free
resources I create and sharewith my subscribers.
Visit my website atkellyandsnyder.com to learn more
about Living Perfectly LovedMinistries, including direct
links to purchase my book andinformation that can help you
take the next step forward inyour faith journey.

(02:00):
If you haven't yet listened tomy podcast trailer, I'd like to
invite you to do so afterlistening to this episode.
All right, let's get started!The following is an excerpt from
Step Two of my book, LivingPerfectly Loved, titled: Uncover
Emotional Triggers by ExcavatingYour Past.

(02:22):
I had a light bulb moment at thebeginning of my quest for the
root cause of my struggle withanxiety and fear.
"Would anyone like to close thisin prayer?" Every week my small
group Bible study leader askedthis question, and every week I
dreaded it.
Her requests always made me feelso uncomfortable, as if I was on

(02:43):
the spot.
All of us in the group squirmedin our seats, wondering who
would be the one to volunteer onour behalf.
One week, I remember sitting insilence, waiting for someone
else to agree to pray, when Iheard a gentle voice within me
say, speak up and pray foreveryone.
Say you'll do it.
It was the Holy Spirit urging meto volunteer to pray.

(03:07):
Suddenly my heart began racing,my palms got all sweaty, and I
could feel my cheeks burning.
Not only did I feel my normalinsecurity about praying
publicly, but now conviction wasburdening my heart too.
Still, I didn't open my mouth.
I sat there stubbornly holdingmy breath, deliberately trying

(03:28):
to avoid direct eye contact withanyone in the room.
What if I fumbled over my words,or worse, forgot to pray over
someone's personal prayerrequest?
After a long minute, a voiceacross for me interrupted my
stream of thought.
"I'll pray." Whew, I was off thehook! Or so I thought.

(03:50):
The wave of temporary relief Ifelt quickly came crashing down
into a sea of deep conviction.
The uncomfortable silence hadpassed.
True.
But I had failed to obey God'svoice.
I had missed an opportunity toallow God to speak through me
and to bless my group, allbecause of my fear.

(04:11):
If you've ever participated in achurch small group before,
chances are you're familiar withthis above scenario.
Just to be clear, the conflict Ifelt was not because my leader
was putting us on the spot topray.
The issue was my struggle withfear.
All I needed was to stop beingso concerned about what others

(04:32):
thought of my ability to pray,quiet my soul, and simply speak
to God.
Instead I gave into fear.
I stayed silent.
This was exactly what the enemywanted.
This scenario repeated itselfalmost weekly.
Every time my small group met,it felt like too much.
And my fear of publicly prayingwas just one of many fears that

(04:56):
I dealt with regularly.
I realized it was time to stopthe fear cycle and get to the
bottom of what was triggeringall my anxiety and fear.
Identifying small group prayersas an anxiety trigger was a
jumping off point.
One of the first times Irealized fear was controlling my
life.
It was also distinct, making itone of the easier triggers to

(05:18):
begin unpacking.
In excavating your past, it willtake time to dig down deep and
find the source of your pain.
You will have to find a place tostart digging, like I did,
commit to the process of gainingwisdom, and make an investment
of time and energy.
If you're like me.
You will sometimes feel theprocess is taking longer than it

(05:41):
should.
You may dig down deep into yourpast, as far as you think you
can possibly go, only to senseGod saying, keep digging.
You're not there yet.
The truth is, God has been withyou during every moment of your
life and He knows whatexperiences are still causing
hurt in your heart.

(06:02):
As children and adults, we oftenbury our pain, whether
intentionally orunintentionally, vowing never to
let it see the light of day.
It may have happened so long agothat you have completely
forgotten what you hid in thefirst place.
Maybe you don't know what is nowcausing such emotional distress.

(06:23):
You only see the precariousemotional reactions, anxiety or
other, that certaincircumstances now provoke.
Rest assured, your exaggerated,emotional reactions are not
crazy.
Your quote, unquote crazy has aplace of origin.
It's been trying to stay hidden.
It does not want to be foundout.

(06:44):
You see, the enemy of your soul,the devil, is doing all he can
to confuse, shame, and distractyou from seeing the truth.
He wants to keep you fromgetting to the root of your
pain, because he knows that onceuncovered, that suffocating weed
can be cut out of your life andit will be unable to continue

(07:04):
tormenting you.
God knows exactly where the rootof your fear is hiding out, even
if you don't yet.
As you draw near to God and askfor His wisdom, He will reveal
the hidden things to you.
See Matthew 10, verse 26.
Allowing you to walk in a levelof freedom and closeness with

(07:25):
Him you have only dreamed about.
The Bible tells us in Hebrews 4,verse 13,"Nothing in creation is
hidden from God's sight.
Everything is uncovered and laidbare before the eyes of him to
whom we must give account."Whether you're dealing with
anxiety, fear, depression,anger, shame, unforgiveness, or

(07:50):
any other deeply rooted issue,the Lord will point you in the
right direction and show youwhere to start digging.
"This is what the Lord says, hewho made the earth, the Lord who
formed it and establishedit--the Lord is his name:'Call
to me and I will answer you andtell you great and unsearchable

(08:11):
things you do not know" Jeremiah33, verses two through three.
King Solomon, the richest andwisest king who ever lived,
recognized that wisdom was worthfar more than riches.
One night, the Lord appeared toSolomon in a dream and said, Ask
for whatever you want me to giveyou," fFirst Kings three, verse

(08:34):
five.
Of all the things Solomon couldhave asked for, he asked the
Lord for a discerning heart.
We, too, can ask God for this.
In James one, verse five, theBible says,"If any of you lacks
wisdom, you should ask God, whogives generously to all without
finding fault, and it will begiven to you." The Lord gives

(08:57):
wisdom to all who ask Him forit, but this wisdom does not
always come easily.
Don't let this discourage you.
Instead, apply yourself to thetask ahead.
Pray for wisdom, be patient, butpersistent.
Seek the Lord and follow Hislead.
As the Bible says, we will haveto seek wisdom like one might

(09:19):
look for buried treasure.
Proverbs two, verses one throughfive says,"My son, if you accept
my words and store at mycommands within you, turning
your ear to wisdom and applyingyour heart to understandin--
indeed, if you call out forinsight and cry aloud for
understanding, and if you lookfor it as for silver and search

(09:42):
for it as for hidden treasure,then you will understand the
fear of the Lord and find theknowledge of God.
Maybe you're thinking, whydoesn't God just tell me what I
need to know.
Why do I have to hunt and searchfor the answers?
The thing is, God wants to drawyou closer to Himself.
If He just gave you all theanswers, you wouldn't need to

(10:04):
seek Him out.
When we learn to seek God first,above all else, the answers will
come, and the wisdom you gainedfrom going through this process
will be well worth the time andenergy it will cost you now.
The Lord tells us,"The beginningof wisdom is this: Get wisdom.
Though it costs all you have,get understanding," Proverbs

(10:28):
four, verse seven.
When Solomon so wisely asked Godfor a discerning heart with
which to serve the Lord ratherthan fame or fortune, God not
only granted his request, but Healso gave him what he did not
ask for--great wealth and honor.
In our pursuit for wisdom andhealing, may we not lose sight

(10:51):
of what's most important--ourrelationship with the Lord!
Often a situation unravels sofast in the heat of the moment
that we can't process it, and wedon't take time later to reflect
on what happened to cause theproblem in the first place.
We may be so busy reacting thatwe have scarcely stopped to ask

(11:11):
ourselves why we are reacting atall.
It's after the heat of themoment has passed that we need
to stop and find out the why--and that takes some digging.
So friend, take out your shovel,bucket, trowel, and brush, this
is the time to start excavatingyour past! As you get started

(11:32):
uncovering emotional triggers, Isuggest you keep a record of
incidents in which you reactstrongly.
Keep track of your emotionalresponses for a period of at
least two weeks.
I recommend getting a journal torecord your thoughts,
observations, findings, and thethings you hear God speaking to
you on this journey.
You can also use the EmotionalTriggers Log template provided

(11:56):
for you in the back of my LivingPerfectly Loved book, or
download the PDF for free frommy website at
kellyannsnyder.com, under mybook tab.
For your convenience, I've alsoincluded the link to this
download in my show notes underepisode resources.
After recording multipleincidents, look for patterns.

(12:17):
Notice the similarities betweenthe incidents.
Going through this process willhelp you start pinpointing
specific emotional triggers,when they happen, and why they
occur.
This can be a really helpfulanalysis of your ongoing
struggle with fear, or any otheremotional response.
Let's pray.

(12:37):
Heavenly Father, I know thatnothing is hidden from Your
sight.
You see the source of my painand You long to heal me.
I acknowledged that true wisdomand understanding come from You.
You are the wellspring of life.
I want to understand why I havestruggled so long with anxiety

(12:58):
and fear, and why cannot seem tobreak free from its hold on my
life.
Lord, I ask you to reveal theplaces of wounding from my past
and bring me wholeness andhealing.
Lead me in Your truth and guideme in the process.
In Jesus' name I pray, Amen.
Thanks for listening to thisepisode of the Living Perfectly

(13:21):
Loved podcast.
While it's true that God is loveand we are perfectly loved by
Him, we all struggle at times tolive like this true.
While we should strive to growin Christ likeness, we can rest
in knowing God loves us becauseof who He is, not because of who
we are or anything we could everdo for Him.

(13:43):
In Jesus Christ, we are enough!Remember, you don't have to be
perfect to live perfectly loved.
You have always been and willalways be a completely forgiven,
fully accepted, deeply loved,daughter the King.
Beautiful friend, His grace isfor you.

(14:03):
Please subscribe to my podcastnow and stay tuned for another
episode of Living PerfectlyLoved.
May the Lord bless you and keepyou.
May He shine His face on you andbe gracious to you.
May He turn His face toward youand give you peace, in Jesus'
name.