Have you ever found yourself so upset about something going on in your life that you couldn’t sleep? Perhaps you were so anxious about everything that was going on at work that you couldn’t even enjoy dinner at home with your family. Maybe there is so much trouble at home that you can barely force yourself to focus on your job. Whatever your particular situation is, the fact remains that anxiety can make it nearly impossible for us to function the way we need to in our daily lives.
How do we deal with anxiety? There are as many different answers to that as there are causes of anxiety. Some people immerse themselves in work as a way to escape the harsh reality of their anxiety-riddled home lives. Others take a healthier approach by exercising to find a physical relief from the symptoms of anxiety. Tragically, some people turn to drugs and alcohol in order to let substance abuse try to numb themselves to the anxiety that is raging inside.
With so many sources of anxiety and so many options about how to deal with it, where can we go to find the help that we need? God’s Word of course! Here is a look at five things the Bible says about anxiety.
You’re Not Alone
Psalm 55:22 (TPT)
So here’s what I’ve learned through it all: Leave all your cares and anxieties at the feet of the Lord, and measureless grace will strengthen you.
Have you ever purchased a large piece of furniture or another heavy item and seen a logo on the side of the box that reads “Team Lift?” This logo is used to indicate something that is too heavy for one person to carry on their own. Your anxiety isn’t meant to be a solo mission, at least not one that you carry on your own.
David said that throughout the course of his life he had learned that he should leave his cares and anxieties at the feet of the Lord so His measureless grace could provide the strength that David needed. This seems to indicate that David recognized that he couldn’t carry his anxieties on his own while also pointing out that he couldn’t carry his anxieties and hold onto God’s measureless grace.
Anxiety isolates you and makes you feel alone. The Bible teaches us that instead of trying to carry those cares and anxieties on our own, we should lay them at His feet and exchange that load for His grace.
God is Greater
Isaiah 12:2 (ESV)
“Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and will not be afraid; for the Lord God is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation.”
The prophet Isaiah penned these words while pointing to the goodness of God in the face of adversity. While we don’t know exactly what was going on when Isaiah wrote these words, we do know that his ministry took place during a time of captivity for Israel. Undoubtedly, there was a great deal of anxiety going on inside Isaiah and everyone else.
It’s easy to feel like you are a captive to your own anxiety. When your thoughts begin to race and it seems like everything is going wrong, rest in the fact that God is your salvation. He isn’t only our salvation from sin, but He is also our salvation from the things that would come against us and rob us of our peace.
You’re on God’s Mind
Psalm 139:17-18 (TPT)
Every single moment you are thinking of me! How precious and wonderful to consider that you cherish me constantly in your every thought! O God, your desires toward me are more than the grains of sand on every shore! When I awake each morning, you’re still with me.
When someone around us goes through a difficult time, we often use the phrase, “I’m thinking of you.” While this doesn’t seem like much, it can actually provide a great deal of comfort to someone just to know that they are on your mind. In this Psalm, David said that God’s children are on His mind in every single moment.
Anxiety can cause our thoughts to become scattered. In fact, when things become too intense, we may find ourselves so unable to form a coherent thought that it’s difficult to even pray. However, we can rest in the fact that we are on God’s mind in our darkest moments. He doesn’t just think of us when things are going the way we want them to. Instead, we are on His mind at every moment. If you find yourself facing anxiety, cherish the fact that God says, “I’m thinking of you.”
It Will Distract You
Matthew 6:34 (TPT)
Refuse to worry about tomorrow, but deal with each challenge that comes your way, one day at a time. Tomorrow will take care of itself.
In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus talked about the fact that anxiety can distract us. Each of us have challenges that we face each day. While those challenges may vary from one person to the next, each of us are faced with things each day that can spark anxiety. However, we can become so focused on the unknowns of the future that we become anxious about them! When that happens, we fail to focus on our present and become tormented by the fear of our future.
Jesus taught that we shouldn’t worry about tomorrow. In fact, He said that we should simply refuse to do that. When you become so focused on the potential problems of tomorrow, you miss the opportunity to seek God in the face of today’s issues. Even worse, becoming so focused on anxiety about the future can shift your focus from the goodness of God in your present.
Make the commitment to stop worrying about the future. Rest in the promise that tomorrow will take care of itself and live in the present.
We Can Be Unshaken
Psalm 16:8 (TPT)
Because you are close to me and always available, my confidence will never be shaken, for I experience your wrap-around presence every morning.
One of the physical side effects of anxiety is shaking of your hands. You may have heard people talk about their “knees knocking” when they are nervous or upset. Anxiety doesn’t just lead to shaking externally, it can also leave you feeling shaken internally. However, David says that we don’t have to be shaken, regardless of what’s going on around us.
Confidence is a powerful thing. Contrary to popular belief, confidence isn’t a bad thing, at least not when our confidence is in the right place. Regardless of the source of our anxiety, having our confidence placed firmly in Christ can help us to not be shaken regardless of our circumstances. When we are engulfed in His presence and His power, we are not shaken by the things that would rob us of our peace.
The Bible provides a lot of insight about the best way to deal with our anxieties. God does not want His children to be fearful and anxious for anything. Instead, He encourages us to bring all of our cares and anxieties to Him and then leave them there. How much simpler would life be if you didn’t try to hold onto the things that weigh you down? How much simpler would your day-to-day be if you weren’t trying to carry the weight of the worries that are holding you back? The Bible says that you don’t have to. God’s plan for you is to walk and live in His glorious freedom. When you embrace that, you can live a life that is free of the weight of anxiety.
A Closing Prayer:
God, help me embrace Your peace. Give me the strength needed to lay down the worries and cares that I’ve been hanging onto. I know that I can’t figure this out on my own. Instead, show me how to lean on You in my pursuit of Your perfect peace. I know that You want to take the weight of my worries and make them Your own. I thank You for that and I release my worries to You. In Christ’s name, Amen