What are some anxiety Bible verses?
The Word of God offers us the wisdom and grace we need to overcome anxiety, worry, and fear.
What’s the difference between stress and anxiety?
Stress is part of life. Pains and problems, decisions, discords, and demands are all examples of stress. The more responsibility we have the more stress we experience. Pastors and other ministry leaders experience high levels of stress.
Stress becomes anxiety when stress gets inside us. Anxiety is not inevitable. It’s an uncomfortable problem that can dominate our lives, steal our joy, and cripple our ability to function.
When we’re anxious we say, “I’m stressed out!” But really we ought to say, “I’m stressed in!” That’s because anxiety is stress internalized. When we take stress into our bodies it affects. We feel it in our bodies and emotions. It causes us health problems. It changes the way we think. It affects the way we act and relate to others.
Be Still
The psychology of anxiety is that we’re trying to control our image, other people, or the outcomes of situations instead of relying on the Lord who loves us. We need to learn to abandon outcomes to him, not trying to make anything happen, but always looking to Jesus Christ and his kingdom in our midst and finding our love, joy, and peace there — not in our visual circumstances.
The Lord says to us, “Be still and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10). This means listening. It means taking God’s Word into our hearts. It means letting go of striving, straining, and stressing and taking hold of the Prince of Peace.
It takes practice to be still, to abandon outcomes to God. For instance, find some time to sit beside a quiet lake or in a garden and meditate on Scripture. Let God’s Word lead you into prayer. Then share with a soul friend what you’re struggling with and what God is showing you. These anxiety Bible verses and thoughts will help you get started.
Anxiety Bible Verses
God’s Word is full of the wisdom and care that we need to apply in order to live in God’s peace. Here are just a few examples of some anxiety Bible verses to help us learn how to live as disciples of the Prince of Peace (All Bible verses are from the NIV84 unless indicated otherwise):
Don’t Rely on Yourself for Security – Listen to God’s Wisdom and Trust His Way
“Whoever listens to [the voice of wisdom] will live in safety and be at ease, without fear of harm.” Proverbs 1:33
Don’t Worry – Look at the Birds and Flowers!
“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important… Look at the birds… your Heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow…. Will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?… But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” (Matthew 6:25-34)
Don’t Worry – Pray About your Anxieties, Ask for What you Need, and Give Thanks to God
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God which transcends all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:6-7)
Don’t Worry about Pleasing People – Reverence God
“The fear of the Lord leads to life: Then one rests content, untouched by trouble. Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is kept safe.” (Proverbs 19:23 and 29:25)
Don’t be Ruled by Selfish Desires – Submit to the Rule of Christ in All Things
“Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.” (Colossians 3:15)
Don’t Try to Control People and Situations – Submit to God in Humility
“God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble. Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.” (1 Peter 5:6-8)
Don’t Keep Trying Harder – Embrace what God is Doing
“What the law code asked for but we couldn’t deliver is accomplished as we, instead of redoubling our own efforts, simply embrace what the Spirit is doing in us. Those who think they can do it on their own end up obsessed with measuring their own moral muscle but never get around to exercising it in real life. Those who trust God’s action in them find that God’s Spirit is in them—living and breathing God! Obsession with self in these matters is a dead end; attention to God leads us out into the open, into a spacious, free life.” (Romans 8:4-6, MSG)
Don’t Try to Make Things Happen – Follow Christ in All You Do
“Anyone who intends to come with me has to let me lead. You’re not in the driver’s seat; I am. Don’t run from suffering; embrace it. Follow me and I’ll show you how. Self-help is no help at all. Self-sacrifice is the way, my way, to saving yourself, your true self. What good would it do to get everything you want and lose you, the real you? What could you ever trade your soul for?” (Mark 8:34, MSG)
Don’t Hurry – Slow Down, Listen to God, and Trust Him
“Be still and know that I am God.” (Psalm 46:10)
Don’t Work too Hard – Rest in God’s Grace
“There remains, then a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; for anyone who enters God’s rest also rest from his own work, just as God did from his. Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest.” (Hebrews 4:9-11; See also Exodus 20:8-10.)
Don’t Hold Onto Anger – Be Honest, Direct, and Loving
“Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor… `In your anger do not sin:’ Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry.” (Ephesians 4:25-26)
Don’t Rely Only on Yourself – Come to Jesus
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 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. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30)
Don’t Forget – Remember that You’re Loved by God!
“For I am convinced that… [nothing] in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:38-39)
Don’t Lose Sight of God in Your Midst – Praise Him and Trust Him with Your Burdens
“Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior, who daily bears our burdens. Selah.” (Psalm 68:19)
Bill Gaultiere, Ph.D. is a Psychologist specializing in “Christian Soul Care”. Bill and his wife Kristi, have a donor supported ministry to pastors and leaders called Soul Shepherding. In counseling, spiritual mentoring, seminars, and retreats Bill and Kristi help people to connect deeply with Christ in ways that facilitate soul transformation. To learn more about Bill, visit SoulShepherding.org.
Article reposted with permission from SoulShepherding.org
