10 Scriptures For When You Are Anxious

I get many of my readers for two reasons.

1. The post about my cornbread.
2. The posts about my anxiety.

I’m a very diverse blogger. 🙂

Recently a sweet reader emailed to ask me if I had any verses that were helpful to me when I was dealing with anxiety. I can’t believe I haven’t published about this before.  I’m embarrassed I’ve talked about many other helps for anxiety, but not Scripture! God’s word is so foundational to our safety and comfort during difficult times.

Here are a few verses I always find myself clinging to.

• The LORD is my light and my salvation– whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life– of whom shall I be afraid? {Psalm 27:1}

Why I love it: I have loved this since I was a little girl. If God is with us, who can be against us.

• Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. ⁷ Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. {I Peter 5:6-7}

Why I love it: The right reading of verse seven, as many of you probably know, is “casting all your anxiety…” We humble ourselves first. Then cast our worries. First we say, God, you are the one in charge. Now take these worries of mine. Your will be done.

• He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all–how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? {Romans 8:32}

Why I love it: If God sent his own son for us – what can I possibly be worried about? Will he not take care of me?

• And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? {Luke 12:25}

Why I love it: It reminds me of the quote : “Worry is like a rocking chair. It gives you something to do, but it will never get you anywhere.” 🙂

• He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young. {Isaiah 40:11}

Why I love it: So many of my worries are about my children. I love this verse, which shows God’s heart for mothers. He treats the mothers kindly. He gentle leads us, and he cares for our children.

• You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance. {Psalm 32:7}

Why I love it: This verse reminds me of Corrie ten Boom (and her book “The Hiding Place.” I so love how God was with them during the darkest, darkest depths. He was their very real God, even in that. It’s such an encouragement to me that God will be with me through the deepest, darkest times I fear, too.

• Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. {Matthew 6:43}

Could I attempt to add more wisdom to this verse? I don’t think I could. 🙂

• “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” {John 16:33}

Why I like it: I find this weird sort of comfort in the promise “in this world you will have trouble.” Like, this isn’t a surprise to God. It’s not a weird thing that I’m going through difficulty. It is promised. God knew it, but He is bigger.

• ³⁸ For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,^[a] neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, ³⁹ neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. {Romans 8:38-39}

• ³ Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, ⁴ who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. ⁵ For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Christ.  {2 Cor. 1:3-5}Why I love it: three reasons.
  1. The last sentence – we are promised that we will share in suffering. It’s okay. It’s supposed to happen.
  2. God comforts us. He is right there in the worry and the difficulty we fear.
  3. God will use our struggle – whatever it is – to help us to comfort others. Our struggles are not in vain!

Do you have a verse you cling to when you are anxious? Which of the ones I’ve listed is your favorite?

 

 

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