Like so many, I've known the grip of anxiety. That knot and tightness in my chest, the pit in my stomach, the constant swirl of what-ifs and worst-case scenarios. I've replayed conversations over and over, analyzing things I said or did or failed to say. I've wrestled with the perfectionism, self-criticism, scrupulosity, and exhaustion that always seem to follow in anxiety's wake.
I know I'm not alone in this. When I asked my friends how they experienced anxiety, I was struck by how universal, yet personal, the feeling is:
Frozen, fearful, paralyzed. Struggle to breathe. Confusion, irrational, grasping, lost.
Anxiety is like a train that leaves the station in my body, and I cannot stop it—it becomes all-consuming. It is very physical for me—I can hear my heart pounding and racing in my ears, and my chest actually hurts. I get a stomachache, and I cannot shut off my mind to sleep.
Anxiety to me feels like being weighed down or crushed by fear, but at the same time, feeling like I am not anchored to anything real. Like I am adrift and alone and could float away. I feel overwhelmed, powerless, and driven to escape that feeling by retreating inward and hiding from reality in stories, fantasies, or the lives of others. At the same time, it drives me to grasp at control by seeking answers from every other expert so I can understand the problem and fix it by just trying harder or doing more things. I swing between two extremes when I am anxious. I experience it as both the pull inward and a restless reaching outward, a tension between wanting safety and craving certainty.
Tension, hyper-vigilance, in my head (not present), not grounded, intrusive thoughts, and rushing thoughts. I used to explain to my husband that what was going on in my brain when I am anxious is exactly what our medicine cabinet looks like. And I'd open our medicine cabinet (which was overstuffed, disorganized, expired meds, boxes opened, you can't find anything...).
As a young teen, when anxiety first began, I didn't have the words for any of this; I only knew that it seemed as though I couldn't make it stop.
Over time, I've learned how to manage my anxiety, how to prevent it from being a force that dominates and rules my life. Prayer has played a tremendous role in my journey. Though it's one of many tools I use, praying with Scripture has most powerfully transformed me. It has changed the voice in my head, replacing the lies and harshness of anxiety with the truths of God. It brings peace, perspective, and a constant reminder that I am not alone. I have a God who is good and who holds my future in His hands.
Of course, prayer doesn't magically make anxiety disappear. But it does teach us to face it with God at our side. When we take His words and promises from Scripture and pray them—during anxious moments, yes, but especially in times of calm—we can become grounded in His truth and hear His voice over the storm. God's thoughts can powerfully shape our thoughts. His love prevails, assuring us of His presence, His peace, and our worth in His eyes.
These five Scripture verses have anchored me in times of anxiety and remain a balm to my soul that I often turn to. I pray they guide you and comfort you, too, as you bring your worries before Him.
Philippians 4:6-7 — Have no anxiety 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 passes all understanding, will keep your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Pray with this verse: Lay everything before the Lord: your anxieties, your worries, your hopes, and your dreams. Thank Him for being present through it all, for knowing you more than you know yourself. Ask for His peace to protect and guard your heart.
Does this verse resonate with you? I wrote more about it in a previous reflection: Living with Anxiety and Embracing Philippians 4:6. Check it out!
1 Peter 5:7 — Cast all your anxieties on him, for he cares about you.
Pray with this verse: Ask the Lord to help you to believe, in a new way, or perhaps for the very first time, that He truly cares about you, that He loves you. Because of that love, because of His goodness, you can trust Him, with your past, your present, your future—with your yesterdays and your tomorrows. Let Him carry every one of your anxieties.
Matthew 6:34 — Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Let the day’s own trouble be sufficient for the day.
Pray with this verse: How often do we worry about things that are out of our control? How often do our racing thoughts steal our peace and joy? So often, our worrying doesn't help us exert control over the situation or change the outcome; it merely distracts us and exhausts our hearts. Pray for the grace to accept each moment for what it is, to approach life one step, one day at a time. Ask the Lord to give you the wisdom to live fully present, to control the controllable and surrender that which you cannot, remembering that we are only guaranteed today.
Isaiah 41:10 — Fear not, for I am with you, be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my victorious right hand.
Pray with this verse: Ask the Lord to settle your heart, to slow your mind, and to allow you to hear His still, calm voice above the tumultuous noise of anxiety. He is your strength, your shield, your protection, your hope, your help. Lift your eyes to Him and let Him uphold you.
John 14:27 — Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.
Pray with this verse: The peace Jesus gives us is not a fleeting emotion, it is Himself. The Prince of Peace leaves us with His own steady peace to anchor us in times of conflict, even if that conflict is within ourselves. Jesus' peace is deep, rooted, and enduring; it transcends and transforms. Pray for this peace to wash over you, and guide you, especially when you are troubled and afraid.
P.S. Journaling has consistently proved to be a way for me to gather my thoughts and anxieties, and lay them down before the Lord. If you're looking for a prayer journal to help you do the same, I recommend Praying from the Heart: Guided Prayer Journal.
