Anxiety hits us from all directions. Whether it be school stress, work stress, a stressful family situation, or anything else in life that causes us to feel unsettled, tired, and afraid of the future, anxiety can feel like it's taking over our lives.
As someone who constantly struggles with anxiety, I know how hard it is to find peace in the midst of a stressful situation. When we feel anxious about something, we generally try to do all that is in our power to control the situation. When we can't control it, we become even more anxious. So how do we stop this downward spiral of anxious turmoil?
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We must turn to the one who is in control of all things. God holds all of our lives in his hands and is the only one who can calm our anxious minds. When we frantically struggle to put the pieces of our life together on our own, we will fail.
The only way to gain peace in the midst of anxiety is to turn to God, trusting in His perfect will and His power to hold us in His hands. The best way to remember this truth is to look to the Bible. Here are some verses to help us remember God's provision in the midst of anxiety.
1. Philippians 4:6
We don't have to be anxious when we can freely talk with God about our needs. We can cry out to Him for help and He will hear us.
2. John 14:27
Peace is a wonderful thing. Notice how it says, "I do not give it as the world does." We have to remember that worldly peace is only temporary, but God's peace is forever.
3. Isaiah 41:10
Not only will God give us peace, but He will also strengthen us. The image of God "upholding us with His righteous right hand" is pretty powerful and very comforting.
4. Psalm 94:19
Anxiety can make us sad and upset, but knowing that God is with us can bring so much joy in the face of desolation.
5. Psalm 34:4
Freedom from fear is so empowering! Imagine God setting us free from all the fear that holds us back. Oftentimes fear can make us feel trapped, but God can set us free.
6. 1 Peter 5:7
God cares about us so much that He allows us to cast all of our worries on His shoulders.7. 2 Corinthians 12:10
Human capacity is limited. We can by no means do everything, in fact, we can't do anything without the help of God.8. Philippians 4:13
Nothing can hold us back or scare us when we have the strength of God.
9. Proverbs 3:5
We always try to lean on our own understanding, but it will never be enough. We try to control everything, but it will always fall through. It is because of this that we need to trust in the Lord for everything.10. Matthew 6:25-34
This passage, while somewhat lengthy, is such a great reminder that God is truly in control of everything. We don't need to worry about a thing because He has it all planned out. We stress out about things that were never ours to worry about in the first place.
11. 2 Timothy 1:7
We were not created to be afraid, but to be empowered and loved by God.
12. Isaiah 26:3
If we simply keep God in the forefront of our minds, we will have perfect peace. Trust in Him brings the greatest peace.13. Matthew 11:28-30
How comforting is this? Anxiety causes a lot of weariness but knowing that we can rest in God is amazing.14. Jeremiah 29:11
God has a plan for us, so we don't need to worry about it. His plan is always good and always exactly what we need. His plans will always be better than anything we try to control ourselves.15. Isaiah 41:13
When we feel anxious and afraid we can take comfort in knowing that God is reaching out His hand to us to help us trust Him and walk with Him.While anxiety can feel overpowering or terrifying, we should not fear, but rather trust in the perfect and never-changing love and peace of God.