Do Scriptures on Anxiety Really Help Reduce Anxiety?
Hi friend, are you struggling with anxiety today? Anxiety has multiplied exponentially in our country in recent years. As you well know, Covid-19 and its variants have triggered an increase in anxiety for many of us. But also, simply the pressures of life, a genetic predisposition toward anxiety, a background of anxiety producing experiences, and other things you know are true for you, produce anxiety.
What is it that causes you to be anxious? What do you do to help yourself when you’re stuck in the moment or cycling through a loop of anxious thoughts that you can’t seem to control? I have learned to ask where in my body am I feeling it the most. In my chest? In my stomach? And I try to locate its source. Recently, it was not something I could feel; it was just a steady stream of thought that I call “fretting” that ran through my mind throughout the day until a text from a friend who said she was praying for me enabled me to talk to God about it and gain a new perspective. Thank the Lord for friends like that!
Though anxiety relief may seem impossible in the moment, I do believe that along with whatever successful techniques you may be practicing, that meditating on verses such as Philippians 4:6-7 can set your heart and mind on Christ.
They are such familiar verses for many, that for you, they may seem to have lost their effect. Or maybe you’ve never heard them before. Or, you may have already discovered that they are a great pathway to peace. Paul, an apostle in the early church, wrote these words in his letter to the believers in the city of Philippi:
Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God, And the peace of God which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Also, the apostle Peter wrote these words in his letter to believers: “…casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you.” (1 Peter 4:7)
God does not condemn you for your anxiety. Instead, He wants to give you His peace. And as this verse says. He cares for you. He truly cares for you. He is present with you.
Meditate on these verses during your times of anxiety. Write them down on a 3x5 card and put it where you can access it. It’s not a simple formula for success or Poof! You’re OK.
Although for some of you these verses may not help your mental and physical and emotional sensations to cease, the act of dwelling on these verses will point you to the One who loves you the most and cares for you the most. And that, in itself, brings security.
Take me for example. Anxiety is not the worst symptom of my mental illness, but it overtakes me as it does for most anyone else. When I recently read a book on anxiety that mentioned that uncertainty of the future can produce anxiety, I thought, Duh! That’s me! When I know I need to plan an event or vacation where I’m the one who prepares the food or makes the arrangements, I immediately start over-planning and try to overly control the future. The book said that over-planning can be a form of anxiety. I was shocked, but that really resonated with me. Meditating on Philippians 4:6-7 is one step I take to find peace. That, and simply knowing I tend to do this, helps me cope.
So, I believe these passages can draw your attention to the source of power—God himself, and show you how much He cares for you, and even supernaturally fill your heart with peace. That doesn’t disqualify the need for someone with an anxiety disorder to seek counseling.
Philippians 4:6-7 is as much about prayer and thanksgiving as it is anxiety. When I prayed and asked God to take control of the future events I was so worried about, that helped me to give the situation to Him, and I also found more peace.
Reread each word of these verses and see what pops out at you the most. I pray that as you read and meditate on these scriptures, you will find peace in your mental health journey today.
Whenever I post on the topic of anxiety, I like to get others’ opinions of how they deal with anxiety so that I might share one of their tips with you. I asked someone I know well to tell me how she finds peace for her anxious thoughts. Perhaps her practices will help you when you are struggling. She said:
During times of anxiety, I know steps that I can take to help me find comfort in the only One that brings true peace but having the discipline to put them into practice when my mind is racing is very difficult for me. So, I share very humbly knowing that I don’t always put them into practice like I wish I did. One practice I find very helpful is to remember God’s faithfulness throughout my life and especially during other times of trials and anxiety. I think about how scared or hopeless I felt at that time and remember specifically how God carried me through, whether with the outcome I wanted or not, He has always been faithful. He can’t not be, it’s who He is. Another way I have battled anxiety recently is by reading the Psalms. Reading David’s words of both distress and worship while facing some very big trials have been a huge encouragement to my heart. It reminds me that it’s ok and good to cry out to the Lord in both good times and in hard times.
- Marilyn