Finding Peace in Anxiety: Exploring Scripture and Practical Steps for Overcoming Worries

Oct 10

“Why am I anxious?”

Anxiety is a spiritual condition that seems to thrive during periods of uncertainty. Anxiety is the opposite of peace, and peace finds it origin within God. If I want to combat worry and stop allowing anxiety to have a hold on my spirit, then the best way to do that would be by going to God who is the wellspring of peace. The peace of God is strong enough to overpower and suffocate the anxieties of man.

What does scripture say about peace and anxiety? What are some Bible verses about peace and anxiety?

1. Eliminate Noise

“But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.”
—Luke 5:16 (NIV)

This Bible verse doesn’t explicitly say that practicing solitude leads to peace, but Jesus really did withdraw from the crowd on a regular basis. I think he did this in order to remove distraction allowing him to focus more intently on God (who is the wellspring of peace). If there were so many distractions during that time period, then how many more distractions do we have in today’s world? And if Jesus found it necessary to eliminate distractions, then how much more necessary should it be for us? A practical way to eliminate distractions in today’s world might involve taking extended breaks from the internet.

2. Verbalize Your Worries

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
—Philippians 4:6–7 (NIV)

It helps to tell verbalize my thoughts and concerns to someone who’s listening. Even if the future doesn’t unravel the way I want it to, it helps to just express my concerns and get them off of my chest. Praying doesn’t always have to look like a lengthy monologue—it can also take the form of sharing my thoughts with God throughout the day.

3. Practice Gratitude

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
—Philippians 4:6–7 (NIV)

Thankfulness is an effective way to foster peace. If I focus on all the uncertainty and negative possibilities, it’s no wonder my spirit feels anxious. Exercising gratitude forces my mind to turn its attention away from the negative and redirect its focus onto things that are positive. A practical way to implement this concept might be by making a list of things that I’m thankful for.

4. Have an Eternal Mindset

“The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace.”
—Romans 8:6 (NIV)

If left to its own devices, my mind likes to focus on things that are temporary and can end up wandering into all kinds of dark rabbit trails. But when God’s Spirit is the thing that animates my thoughts, my own spirit finds itself in a much better place. Having a mindset that is fixed on eternal things helps puts my earthly worries into perspective.

5. Give it to God

“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?
—Matthew 6:25–26 (NIV)

Matthew 6 is one of the passages that comforts me the most when I am feeling anxious. It reminds me that God is in control, everything I have comes from him, and that he loves me. It takes some pressure off of me when I trust God with uncertainty instead of trying to control everything myself.

6. Take One Thing at a Time

“Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”
—Matthew 6:34 (NIV)

Life is big and complex which means that it can easily start to feel overwhelming. Jesus teaches us to break it down. Take one day at a time. Don’t worry about how you’ll eat the entire pie—just take it one bite at a time. A practical way to apply this concept might be by making to-do lists and just focusing on accomplishing one small item at a time.

7. Do What is Good

“There will be trouble and distress for every human being who does evil: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile; but glory, honor and peace for everyone who does good: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile.”
—Romans 2:9–10

The reason why we’re supposed to do the right thing isn’t just because “God said so,”—it’s also for our own benefit. When I am living in sin, it negatively affects my spirit and my state of mind. When I know I’m doing something wrong, I feel guilty and anxious about my actions. On the other hand, living correctly enables me to enjoy peace of mind while doing something productive: impacting those around me with things that are good.

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