Can it be possible to use God’s word or bible verses to combat your anxiety and worry? In my personal experience, absolutely! And it’s a lot simpler than you may think.
I fully believe it is possible to use the bible to deal with anxiety because I’ve personally walked it out since 2014 and weekly help my life coaching clients do the exact same thing.
Something about becoming a wife and mom made my reality more anxiety ridden than it had ever been and I’m happy to use my painful experiences to help amazing Christian women experience emotional freedom and peace in Jesus like never before in my work every day.
Anxiety has been a part of my life since I was a teen… and as a mom of 4 worry is never far off!
Living with Anxiety and Worry as a believer
First, a bit of a disclaimer… I am not a mental health professional and I do believe in the use of professional help. So please, don’t be afraid to seek out professional counsel if you have concern that you could be dealing with any mental health issue. There are clinical levels of anxiety that may necessitate the use of medication.
After having my fourth baby in 2020 my anxiety hit an all new level. I suffered from severe postpartum anxiety and would just wake up in a panic attack.
It was in this extremely hard season that I figured out new ways to use some of my favorite bible verses to find peace and rest in dealing with my anxiety.
In dealing with anxiety throughout the years the one thing that I realized was the power that
What is anxiety?
According to Merriam-Webster, anxiety is:
- apprehensive uneasiness or nervousness usually over an impending or anticipated ill : a state of being anxious
- medical : an abnormal and overwhelming sense of apprehension and fear often marked by physical signs (such as tension, sweating, and increased pulse rate), by doubt concerning the reality and nature of the threat, and by self-doubt about one’s capacity to cope with it
- mentally distressing concern or interest
- a strong desire sometimes mixed with doubt, fear, or uneasiness
What is important about bible verses that address anxiety and worry?
First of all, the bible as a whole has A LOT to say about it! We’d be here for ages if I laid out every bit of what it says.
But, to simplify, it often says that fear causes anxiety and worry. The bible also talks about praying instead of worrying.
- Often a root of fear
- People all throughout scripture suffered from it
- We’re to pray and trust in God’s character
There is one thing I need you to understand about using the bible to seek out dealing with anxiety and worry.
It’s a choice.
An act of faith, to take a verse and say
“I’m going to choose to trust what God says and to cling to this instead of allowing my feelings and emotions to provoke what I believe”
You’re choosing to say you’re going to believe and have faith that God’s word is true and that He is who He says he is no matter the outcome, no matter how you feel.
Here are a couple of passages for you go deeper with:
- A first instance of fear in the fall – Genesis 3:9-10
- Jesus addresses worrying – Matthew 6:25-34
- Do not be anxious, pray/refocus – Philippians 4:6-9
You may always struggle with anxiety and worry but God is still good. Our feelings will likely never line up with our actions of faith and that’s the way it should be. You cannot follow your heart, trust yourself or make decisions based on your feelings.
At the source of all of it though, we need to be looking to God himself and NOT our circumstances, ourself, or anything else.
Anxiety and worry often start in the mind
I briefly touched on this already, but I want to remind you,
You cannot control your circumstances, only yourself….
The most helpful way I’ve found to do this is to go to the source of what spurs on our action, our mind or our thoughts.
In my case, the thoughts that were constantly running around my head (whether I was aware of them or not) were the culprits behind the triggers of my anxiety. There could also be past traumas involved. Some of those triggering events could lead to a thought that triggers the anxiety. It can be very complex, but
The first step is to start to listen to your mind.
Until you’re aware of the thoughts that are driving you, it will be hard to combat your anxiety with verses from your bible. This is something you will do for all of your life… don’t overthink it.
"Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. 7 Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you." 1 Peter 5:6-7
Are my thoughts triggering anxiety and worry?
Figuring this out just takes some time and attention.
Like I mentioned, the first step is to just start to pay attention. We’re so busy in our culture that we rarely pay attention to the things that run through our mind. You’re likely just trying to survive and ge the next thing done.
So is your brain! So, a lot of the thoughts driving you are likely hidden or subconscious. They’re things you’ve been operating from for 25+ years so in order to conserve energy, your brain pushes them to the subconscious level.
What does that mean?
You’re thinking thoughts in the back of your mind without being completely aware of them.
The way to begin identifying if your thoughts are triggering your anxiety is to learn to listen. It takes practice and like I said, time, but now that you’re more aware of it, you’ll start to notice yourself listening more.
Once you become more aware of certain thoughts, you’ll start to realize triggering thoughts and ones that don’t line up with scripture.
The bible talks about taking your thoughts captive in 2 Corinthians 10:5. This is what we’re doing!
What do I do with anxiety triggering thoughts and where does the bible fit in?
The one thing that has completely changed the way I deal with anxiety and worry has been through journaling. But not just writing random stuff.
very strategic journaling.
- Write down the thought (taking it thought captive). Write any feelings and emotions that rise up. Get it all out of your head.
Don’t be afraid to pour your heart out on the pages. Effectively your surrendering them and pouring them out to the Lord.
How to Use bible verses to combat anxiety and worry
God’s thoughts for you need to be elevated above your thoughts for yourself and your circumstances.
- Locate some verses you want to cling to instead of the anxious thought. Look at different bible versions. (you can use google to find some or the list at the bottom of this post)
- Re-write that scripture in your own words.
- Choose to let that be your truth by focusing on it when you feel your mind wander or when you’re under attack.
BONUS: post these truths (the verse and/or your personal paraphrase) anywhere you’ll see them. I’ve written them on my mirror, windows, index cards on my cabinets, my phone wallpaper, you name it.
You want them easily accessible and visible so it’s easy to find them during an inevitable attack. Don’t overthink it.
There is power in God’s word, whether you believe it at this point or not. Trust the process and trust the God who created you. If he brought you to this post, he intends for you to do what you need to do to find healing that only He can provide.
Don’t miss out on the blessing of pressing into Jesus and using the opportunity (yes, I said anxiety is an OPPORTUNITY) that anxiety provides for a deeper relationship with God.
Powerful Bible Verses for Times of Anxiety and Worry
This is a list of go-to verses for myself and for my clients when they’re feeling anxious or worried. I won’t expound on all of them, because the transformation happens when you get your bible out and dig into them with your own heart ❤️
- 1 Peter 5:6-7
- Psalm 61:2
- Philippians 4:6-7
- Psalm 62:8
- Matthew 6:26-27
- Matthew 11:28-30
- Hebrews 13:5-6
- Psalm 34:4
- Psalm 42:5
- Matthew 6:34
- 2 Corinthians 4:7-9
- Psalm 23:1-6
- Revelation 21:3-4
- Psalm 107
I pray for your healing in Jesus name.
If you’d like a helpful resource for identifying thoughts, download my free “remarkable thought renewal” action plan Here.
How can I pray for you? Let me know in the comments below!
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