NOTE: This article is addressing common levels of anxiety that are connected to typical (if difficult) life issues. I am not a medical professional, but I know first-hand that anxiety can be rooted in medical/physical issues. If you are struggling with severe and/or frequent anxiety and/or anxiety that does not seem to be related to your circumstances, etc, please talk with your doctor. The biblical truths here are still true for you as well, and I encourage you to hold to them, but that doesn’t preclude medical help with physical issues.
Do you ever find yourself anxious or afraid?
I know, I know, what kind of question is that? Anxieties and fears are a part of life – a significant part of life for many of us. I think it’s just part of the human condition. And I think that’s why God gave us so much in His Word to help us when we feel anxious or fearful! He tells His people over and over: “Do not fear.” (Joshua 1:9, Isaiah 41:10, 1 Peter 3:14) “Cast your anxiety on Me.” (Psalm 55:22, 1 Peter 5:7) “Don’t be afraid.” (Deuteronomy 31:6, Jeremiah 42:11, Isaiah 44:8) “Be anxious about nothing.” (Isaiah 35:4, Matthew 6:25, Philippians 4:6) And again (all the repetition means it’s extra important!), “Have no fear.” (Psalm 118:6, Proverbs 3:25, 1 John 4:18).
So, there we go! Anxiety gone, right? And we’re all free of fear! …Right? No? Haha. Of course not; it’s not quite that easy.
Just reading these verses is not a cure for our anxiety (or for our human nature). But they do tell us how to deal rightly with our anxieties. It’s not easy, but it’s possible, if we are God’s children through faith in Christ – possible, because of the Holy Spirit within us.
We know God’s Word is utterly true, and we know all His commands are good. And while we are utterly weak and unable to deal well by ourselves, God enables us, by His Spirit within us, to do what He commands us to do – which includes not living anxious. So that means we can deal with our fears and anxieties in ways that honor Him, and it means we can have peace, even when life is hard. …But how?
How can I deal with anxiety?
- Recognize that God’s Word really is truth. Sometimes we read it as if it’s just a nice theory, and forget that it is reality. God is real, and He is good, and He means what He says. Remind yourself of this as you read. Pay attention to how you’re viewing His Word. And correct your view where needed.
- Choose to submit yourself – including your feelings – to that truth. This means choosing to say, “Even though I feel anxious, I will trust You, Lord, and I will trust what you say in Your Word. I recognize that my feelings and my desires are not my ultimate guides, and are not in charge of me. I submit them all to You.”
- Our feelings usually come from our thoughts, and while we can’t just turn our feelings off, we can control and choose our thoughts. Scripture tells us to take every thought captive to obey Christ (2 Corinthians 10:5). Submit your thoughts to the truth of Scripture, and fill your mind with the truth of Scripture.
- “Cast” your anxiety on the Lord (1 Peter 5:7). “Cast” is a figurative term here, of course. It’s a word picture of throwing or tossing something – the same word is used in Luke 19:35, where the disciples “cast” their cloaks onto the colt for Jesus to ride on it. Casting is not a simple and measured placing of something. It’s a more forceful action. Perhaps you could think of the anxiety as something heavy that’s hanging on you, or as something you would fling off of yourself – a frightful bug, for instance, or an entangling vine. Every time you find anxiety weighing on you (or crawling on you), cast that weight (or bug) over to the Lord – He will carry it for you. Let Him shoulder the load. He does not intend for you to bear it.
- Remind yourself who God really is, and what He has really promised. Has he promised life will be easy? No. Has He promised everything will be good? No. But He’s promised to use everything for our good if we belong to Him (Romans 8:28), and He’s promised that our future – once we’re made new and in person with Him – will be perfect (Revelation 21:1-4).
What are some practical steps to deal with anxiety?
- Reject false thoughts, and direct your thoughts to Truth. Where can we find what’s true, when our anxious thoughts are so loud and so strong and so persuasive, when we don’t even know what (or how) to think? We find ultimate Truth in Scripture – God’s very words. Read, study, meditate on, listen to, discuss, memorize Scripture – do any or all of these. Fill your mind with what God says. Copy Scripture down by hand – writing it out helps you to slow down and think about what it says and what it means. Immerse yourself in God’s Word. Spend time there – make time for this – and choose to align your thoughts to the Truth you find there. And, again, as soon as you recognize any untrue thought, actively reject it and replace it with Truth. Here is a short video that directs us to this, and to Philippians 4:4-9: Overcome anxiety biblically.
- Worship. This can be in prayer, in song, in whatever you are doing at that moment. Worship the Lord with your mind, your heart, your actions – your whole life. Whatever you’re doing, do it for the Lord (Colossians 3:17, 23-24). Turn on worship music and glorify Him. Turn your thoughts to His goodness and grace, His love and provision, His promises for your ultimate future. When it’s hard, do it anyway, and consider it a sacrifice of praise. He is worthy of that – He is worthy of all our worship, in every moment. Consider Who God is, consider what you know of Him, and praise Him for all His goodness, even in the midst of the hard things you’re dealing with.
- Pray. Take your anxieties and worries and fears directly to God; cast them onto Him over and over (and over). Process them in prayer to Him, whether aloud or in writing. Put them into words, don’t let them just be feelings. Our feelings seem much more powerful when we just feel them. But when we describe them, put them into words, and define them, we can then compare them with the truth of Scripture. Unless they have a physical or medical cause, our feelings stem from our thoughts. Recognize and identify the thoughts that are at the root of your feelings of fear and anxiety. Write them down, type them up, record them somehow – then assess them. Are they true? Do they match up with Scripture? If they don’t, reject those thoughts, and replace them with true thoughts.
- Pray for others. Turn your attention from your own troubles to others, and lift them in prayer to the Lord. Everyone is dealing with something difficult, just by nature of this sin-soaked world. Resist the temptation to compare the severity of others’ issues with yours; that’s not a game God plays. You can use prayers from Scripture if you find it difficult to know how to pray for them.
- Find someone who needs help, and help them. Anxiety tells us we are the most important person around, but we know that’s not true. Find someone you can serve; find someone you can help. Read a story to a child. Take a dog for a walk. Help at a soup kitchen. Find a place to volunteer. Go visit a neighbor who’s lonely. Ask the Lord to use you, to make you a blessing to others, to show someone else His grace through you. Serving others is always a blessing.
It’s still not an easy thing, dealing rightly with anxiety, even with the truth of God’s Word and practical steps to take. Sometimes those feelings just won’t go away. But remember: your feelings do not define you. Even your anxious feelings. They do not govern you. They are not in charge of you. They do not determine truth. They often don’t even tell the truth! They are very persuasive, but they lie. So always remember: because of the Holy Spirit in you, it is possible to deal with anxiety in a way that aligns with Truth and honors God.
Now, it’s true that sometimes anxiety is from a more physical cause – lack of sleep, hormones, thyroid issues, and other medical issues can contribute to anxiety. And we should get medical help if that’s the case. Our bodies can affect our minds, and our minds can affect our bodies. But even when that’s happening, even when it’s hard, even when our anxieties and fears are big and seem overwhelming, God is real, and God is good, and God is for us. He is at work, even in those difficult times and situations. He is trustworthy, even in those difficult times and situations. And He is worthy of worship, even in those difficult times and situations. Worshiping Him, focusing on Him, and thanking Him for the good things we know to be true are practical and God-honoring ways of dealing with our feelings of anxiety and fear. When our minds are set on Him, He gives us peace (Isaiah 26:3). When our perspective is widened to include the truth of eternity with Him, we can see beyond this moment of anxiety. When we choose to trust in Him and obey Him, we find true rest for our souls – which is even better than rest for our bodies. Jesus promises this in Matthew 11:29 (NIV): “Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”
As David wrote in Psalm 62:5 (NIV), “Yes, my soul, find rest in God; my hope comes from Him.” Our rest and our peace is found in God alone, not in our circumstances and not even in our feelings. Mike Winger said it well:
“Learn to say to your feelings, ‘I feel you, but I don’t trust you.’ And then trust the Word of God.”
Below are just a few of the many, many Scriptures that show us how to rightly deal with our anxieties and fears. Study these in their contexts. Take time to meditate on them (biblically, this means thinking about them, pondering them, not mindlessly repeating them). Apply them to your own life in the way Scripture teaches them (again, context matters! Be aware that the Old Testament was written to ancient Israel, not to us today…but God is the same God, and He intends for us to learn from all of Scripture (Romans 15:4, 2 Timothy 3:16-17)! His Old Testament promises to Israel (like Jeremiah 29:11) aren’t promises to us, but they do display and teach us about His character and how He deals with His people – and if we are in Christ, we are His people).
Fill your mind with His Word, and fix your mind on Him. Trust Him, and walk in the peace He has promised, in every circumstance, regardless of your feelings. Then you can say, as Paul did when he wrote Philippians 4:11b-13 (from an unjust imprisonment!):
“I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.” (ESV)
Scriptures to Study and Pray Through When You’re Feeling Anxious or Afraid
(Note: I’ve included a printable file below, in case you’d prefer to have these on paper.)
Why are you cast down, O my soul,
and why are you in turmoil within me?
Hope in God; for I shall again praise him,
my salvation and my God.
My soul is cast down within me;
therefore I remember you…
By day the LORD commands his steadfast love,
and at night his song is with me,
a prayer to the God of my life. …
Why are you cast down, O my soul,
and why are you in turmoil within me?
Hope in God; for I shall again praise him,
my salvation and my God.
Psalm 42:5-6a, 8, 11 ESV
When I am afraid,
I put my trust in you.
In God, whose word I praise,
in God I trust; I shall not be afraid.
What can flesh do to me? …
You have kept count of my tossings;
put my tears in your bottle.
Are they not in your book?
Then my enemies will turn back
in the day when I call.
This I know, that God is for me.
In God, whose word I praise,
in the LORD, whose word I praise,
in God I trust; I shall not be afraid.
What can man do to me?
I must perform my vows to you, O God;
I will render thank offerings to you.
For you have delivered my soul from death,
yes, my feet from falling,
that I may walk before God
in the light of life.
Psalm 56:3-4, 8-13 ESV
Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior,
who daily bears our burdens.
Our God is a God who saves;
from the Sovereign LORD comes escape from death.
Psalm 68:19-20 NIV
my soul is bereft of peace;
I have forgotten what happiness is;
so I say, “My endurance has perished;
so has my hope from the LORD.”
Remember my affliction and my wanderings,
the wormwood and the gall!
My soul continually remembers it
and is bowed down within me.
But this I call to mind,
and therefore I have hope:
The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases;
his mercies never come to an end;
they are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.
“The LORD is my portion,” says my soul,
“therefore I will hope in him.”
The LORD is good to those who wait for him,
to the soul who seeks him.
It is good that one should wait quietly
for the salvation of the LORD.
Lamentations 3:17-26 ESV
The LORD makes firm the steps
of the one who delights in him;
though he may stumble, he will not fall,
for the LORD upholds him with his hand.
…
The salvation of the righteous comes from the LORD;
he is their stronghold in time of trouble.
The LORD helps them and delivers them;
he delivers them from the wicked and saves them,
because they take refuge in him.
Psalm 37:23-24, 39-40 NIV
Cast your burden on the LORD,
and he will sustain you;
he will never permit
the righteous to be moved.
Psalm 55:22 ESV
When I said, “My foot is slipping,”
your unfailing love, LORD, supported me.
When anxiety was great within me,
your consolation brought me joy.
Psalm 94:18-19 NIV
I will bless the LORD at all times;
his praise shall continually be in my mouth.
My soul makes its boast in the LORD;
let the humble hear and be glad.
Oh, magnify the LORD with me,
and let us exalt his name together!
I sought the LORD, and he answered me
and delivered me from all my fears.
Those who look to him are radiant,
and their faces shall never be ashamed.
This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him
and saved him out of all his troubles.
The angel of the LORD encamps
around those who fear him, and delivers them.
Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good!
Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!
Oh, fear the LORD, you his saints,
for those who fear him have no lack!
The young lions suffer want and hunger;
but those who seek the LORD lack no good thing.
Come, O children, listen to me;
I will teach you the fear of the LORD.
What man is there who desires life
and loves many days, that he may see good?
Keep your tongue from evil
and your lips from speaking deceit.
Turn away from evil and do good;
seek peace and pursue it.
The eyes of the LORD are toward the righteous
and his ears toward their cry.
The face of the LORD is against those who do evil,
to cut off the memory of them from the earth.
When the righteous cry for help, the LORD hears
and delivers them out of all their troubles.
The LORD is near to the brokenhearted
and saves the crushed in spirit.
Many are the afflictions of the righteous,
but the LORD delivers him out of them all.
He keeps all his bones;
not one of them is broken.
Affliction will slay the wicked,
and those who hate the righteous will be condemned.
The LORD redeems the life of his servants;
none of those who take refuge in him will be condemned.
Psalm 34 ESV
Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? … Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
Matthew 6:25-27, 31-33 ESV
Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world. And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.
1 Peter 5:6-10 ESV
Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.
Philippians 4:4-9 ESV
Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it.
1 Thessalonians 5:23-24 ESV
Feel free to print the file below for a quick reference – and be sure to spend time truly studying these and other Scriptures. His Word is Truth, and is sufficient to equip us for all of life and godliness.
More Than This Mess 