Walking With Anxiety
A Note for Readers:
This article is not intended to be medical advice, and we encourage readers who are struggling with significant emotional distress to reach out to a trusted healthcare provider as needed. The CBN Prayer Center is available 24/7 to take your call or connect online. Our team is also available to pray with you and provide additional resources as needed. You can reach the Prayer Center by phone at 800-700-7000 or connect online at CBN.com/prayer.
Anxiety
The term anxiety can be an actual medical diagnosis, or it can describe the state in which we experience feelings of worry, fear, or unease. Personal interpretation, childhood history, and cultural background can play a large part in how someone views their struggles, including the words they use to describe their emotions or symptoms.
Like most mental health concerns, anxiety is not a one-size-fits-all experience. You can have mild symptoms like difficulty making decisions—or physical ones like heart palpitations, shaking, and sweating.
You may not describe yourself as an anxious person, but you may say you feel overwhelmed. There are many different words used to describe anxiety or similar feelings you may experience. Some people use terms such as nervousness, overwhelmed, distress, worry, fear, panic, dread, edginess, or agitation.
Periods of anxiety are normal, but if you’re experiencing persistent and debilitating anxiety, we encourage you to seek support from a healthcare professional. This article does not offer medical advice, but it is intended to help you better understand the biblical truth about who God is in the face of these struggles.
God encourages us to cast our cares and anxieties on Him because He cares for us (1 Peter 5:7). Turning to the Lord in our time of need is always a good first order of business. It may be part of a more extensive protocol to follow to find alleviation from anxiety.
God’s Desire for His People
Throughout Scripture, we see heroes of our faith walking through seasons of emotional struggles. For example, King David wrote many psalms during dark times. He cried out to God, seeking His reassuring, steadfast presence. He wrote about the times he felt scared, overwhelmed, and fearful.
God never left David. He was always present. He allowed David to experience tough times, and David persistently sought the Lord’s help despite his present troubles. As David continually cried out to the Lord, His faith grew stronger. He also experienced the truth that God is a trustworthy Father who never leaves or forsakes His children.
God wants all of His children to have unwavering faith in Him. He is close to those in pain. God’s ways are not like man’s ways (Isaiah 55:8-9). His timing and plan are likely different than ours. When one is experiencing emotional unrest, peace is the heart’s desire. God offers peace that surpasses all understanding (Philippians 4:7). One of the hardest things for someone facing anxiety is to lay down the desire to control what feels out of control. We have to learn to surrender ourselves to Him, trusting fully that He is God Almighty and He loves us!
The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those whose spirits are crushed. (Psalm 34:18)
People Who Experienced Anxiety in Scripture
King David: David wrote many psalms that described his anxiousness, pain, worry, and fear (Psalm 6:1-10; Psalm 38:1-22; Psalm 55:1-23).
Jesus: In the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus prayed fervently to the Father and expressed agony and anxiousness about what He knew was coming (Matthew 26:36-46; Mark 14:32-42; Luke 22:39-46).
Job: The entire book of Job records Job’s intense suffering, despair, anxiety, and fear.
Elijah: While experiencing fear and anxiety when Queen Jezebel threatened his life, Elijah cried out to the Lord, wishing himself dead (1 Kings 19:1-9).
Paul: The Apostle Paul showed great concern and worry over the state of the churches he established (2 Corinthians 11:28).
You may or may not directly relate to these examples, but we do see that experiencing concern, feeling overwhelmed, being fearful, or dreading the future is not uncommon. Even Jesus Himself experienced a time when the state of His mental health brought Him to cry out to God for relief.
How to Experience God’s Comfort
Our God is not a God of confusion (1 Corinthians 14:33). When we face times of anxiousness, let’s rest on the truth of God’s Word. When we feel anxious, we can be assured that God provides peace, trust, faith, courage, assurance, contentment, hope, joy, calmness, and serenity.
We suggest you read through the Scriptures below, immersing yourself in the truth of God’s Word, and allow the Holy Spirit to bring you comfort and peace. Consider memorizing one(s) to pray through when you’re feeling overwhelmed with anxiety.
- Peace — John 14:27; Philippians 4:6-7
- Trust — Proverbs 3:5-6; Psalm 56:3
- Faith — Hebrews 11:1; Romans 8:28
- Courage — Joshua 1:9; Psalm 27:1
- Assurance — Romans 8:38-39; 1 John 5:13
- Contentment — Philippians 4:11-13; Hebrews 13:5
- Hope — Romans 15:13; Psalm 42:5
- Joy — Psalm 16:11; James 1:2-3
- Calmness — Psalm 46:10; Isaiah 26:3
- Serenity — Philippians 4:7; Psalm 23:2
As we earnestly seek the Lord through prayer and reading His Word, we can be encouraged by God’s promises and rely on Him in our times of uncertainty. This is a battle you need to tackle one day at a time, armed with God’s Word.
You don’t have to go into battle alone. The CBN Prayer Center is available 24/7 to take your call or connect online. Our team is also available to pray with you and provide additional resources as needed. You can reach the Prayer Center by phone at 800-700-7000 or connect online at CBN.com/prayer.
Personal Prayer
If you’re not sure where to start, we have a guided prayer to help you in your personal time with the Lord. We mentioned that personal experiences and cultural differences shape the way we view and describe our mental health struggles. You may find it helpful to insert your own descriptive words in the brackets below. It may also be helpful to use specific words you identify with to best describe your personal experiences.
Father, I cry out to You. I feel [distant] and [alone]. I don’t know my next step and am [anxious] and [fearful]. The feeling of being [overwhelmed] is constant, and I want to feel [like my old self again]. Please help me walk in Your truth and not in [fear]. Remind me of Your goodness, faithfulness, and steadfastness.
My heart’s desire is for You to [remove the situation before me] and bring healing to my soul. Help me trust that You’re looking out for me. Help me want what You want. Help me seek You wholeheartedly through this storm. Provide my next steps, assuring me of Your presence and peace over my life.
I ask for total freedom and complete healing from this. I’m Yours, and I trust You fully. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
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Scripture is quoted from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
