Anxiety is a mental illness that causes frequent feelings of worry, unease, and nervousness. These feelings plague many of us in different ways. And not everyone who experiences anxiety is diagnosed; anxiety is a feeling many people experience from time to time. Maybe it’s your first day at a new school, or you are preparing for a job interview – that nervous feeling is all anxiety.
Personally, I was diagnosed with an anxiety disorder when I was 13, and my saving grace has been finding comfort within the Word. I spent most of my life battling with different medicines and trying to find a way to overcome the illness. Of course, everyone’s experience is different, and you should definitely go to the doctor and get help as needed, but I can only speak from my own experience. I was 19 when I began a bible study (Yes, this one) and for the first time, I didn’t need medication and I didn’t need therapy. Encouragement and hope from gaining an understanding of God’s word were able to help put my mind at ease.
What verses in the Bible can help me to put those thoughts at ease? This is a mini-guide to some of the best verses, that I was turning to, to help with my anxiety or other anxious thoughts.
1. Philippians 4:6
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.”
Don’t let this verse fool you; you can’t pray to God only when you’re feeling stressed. (Read More Here about praying to God) We must remember that our relationship with God cannot be one-sided. Mt 7:21 says that not everyone who calls “Lord Lord” will enter the kingdom of Heaven. But we must do God’s will in order to enter the kingdom. If we do not take the time to know God’s will, which is His word (Romans 12: 1-2), we cannot enter the kingdom and we will not be acknowledged by God. For God to answer our prayers, we must pray consistently, with proper intentions, and we must have God’s will in mind as well.
God wants us to come to him with prayers and with what is troubling us, but in return, we must put effort into our relationship with Him. We should work to understand God and study the word he has given us. Knowing that we can come to God with our problems is comforting and can put our minds at ease because God cares and is attentive to what troubles us.
2. Hebrews 11:1
“Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.”
What is your hope as a believer? Eternal life? Heaven? Meeting God?
Having faith in God’s word and having an understanding of what he promises us as believers is the foundation that we all must have. Take a look was what is promised in Mt 24 and the entire Book of Revelation; God has promised so many wonderful things, even if we ourselves have not seen them ourselves. Rv 21:4 promises “He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”
Jn 14:29 says “I have told you now before it happens so that when it does happen you will believe.” So we must read these things that are promised and work to understand them so that we can recognize them when they take place. God has promised to wipe our tears, so we know that even though right now we may be going through a difficult time, later these problems will no longer weigh on us. We know this will happen because God fulfills every promise he makes. (Read More Here about God and promises)
3. Joshua 1:9
“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”
For reference, Joshua was Moses’ successor. He was tasked with leading Israelites to the promised land relying solely on God’s word he’d been given. Can you imagine taking over after someone like Moses who through God led Israelites to freedom? The amount of weight placed on Joshua was immense and only through God’s comforting words was he able to carry out the task appointed to him.
God is always with His people. His people are those who know Him, which also means you must know His Word (Jn 1:1), do the work of the kingdom and are loyal to God (2 Timothy 2:19). As long as we do these things, we can rest assured that God is with us and taking care of us. Like a parent watches their toddler to make sure they do not wander off in a supermarket, God watches us and helps guide our way each day. Thinking with that mindset can help relieve anxiety about daily life. We just need to make sure that we are the type of wheat-like believers that God acknowledges. (Read More Here about what kind of a believer God acknowledges)
4. Proverbs 3:5-6
Trust in the Lord with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;
in all your ways submit to him,
and he will make your paths straight.
To have the faith needed that is mentioned in Heb 11:1, it cannot just be blind faith. Blind faith is dangerous because it creates a foundation that will shake easily. If our faith is rooted in an understanding of the Bible, then we will have a more concrete foundation. But please don’t think that self-study is a proper understanding. When a group of people reads the same book, each person will have a different opinion and understanding in many variations. This is the same with the Bible, and this is the reason for so many different interpretations that have resulted in a multitude of denominations.
This verse warns you to not lean on your own understanding. This is why it is important to seek the truth and use the Bible to distinguish whether the word you’re receiving is truthful or not. (Read More Here about what kind of word you have been receiving)
Once we have understanding, then we can have faith that leans on God and His word alone. He will guide us and protect us, but we must be following the narrow path to understanding Him. (Read More Here for how to find that path)
5. Isaiah 43:1
“But now, this is what the Lord says—
he who created you, Jacob,
he who formed you, Israel:
“Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;
I have summoned you by name; you are mine.”
This may not be a verse you expected to be on this list, but it can help ease anxiety in other ways than just the obvious. Everyone makes mistakes or becomes lazy in our life of faith. And when we do, it can be easy to second-guess ourselves. But here God reassures us that He has chosen us and we are His people and He is our God (Jer 24:7). To be His people, we must live a righteous life (Read More Here on how to live a righteous life) and know His will. If we do this, we need not worry; God will take care of what we need.
If you are seeking God, and yearn to understand His teaching and be His people, I urge you to reach out and sign up to join our Bible study and speak with our team. God summoned each of us by name, and it is no coincidence you found our blog. Reach out and learn more about God’s word. Having an understanding of all things written gives immense hope for the future.
Written by Nikki
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