Bible Verses about Anxiety to Help You Stop Worrying

Almost every single one of us can relate to worrying about something in our lives. For some of us, we might suffer from panic attacks, generalized anxiety, or other forms of ongoing stress. Other people might experience situational anxiety about a specific issue.

But, no matter what form your fear takes, if you’re human, you’ve experienced anxiety, worry, and despair at some point in your lifetime.

Seeking counseling for your anxiety can be one of the most critical choices you make. Christian counseling can help you sort through the root of your anxiety and learn to take your fears to the Lord. As you meet with your counselor, you’ll learn proven therapeutic coping skills.

What does the Bible say about anxiety and fear?

The Word of God doesn’t offer trite answers regarding fear and anxiety. Instead, Bible verses about not worrying remind us that anxiety is as old as humanity and that the God who created us understands us better than anyone else. He offers hope in our fears.

What’s the greatest hope in Scripture for anxiety? It’s the relationship that we have with God. Just as a child senses a buffer between him and the world because of the relationship he has with his parents, so we can rest assured that there is a strong Father to lean on even during the hardships, pain, and suffering of this life. How amazing it is that God meets us in our fear and promises to be there with us!

Bible Verses About Anxiety

Here are five verses about anxiety in the Bible. Consider the truth of these verses and how they might apply to your life.

1. Trusting God’s Presence

“Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” – Isaiah 41:10

If you got stuck in an elevator, what would make it worse? Many factors could make the situation worse, but what if you were alone? Being alone in a scary situation is much worse than having a comforting companion.

How amazing it is that God, our Father, gives us this Scripture for anxiety. He is with us, and He will provide strength and help in our time of need. The word uphold in the original Hebrew can also mean “seize” or “grip.” God has a secure grip on us as His children. We may not be able to see our way out of our current circumstances, but we can trust that God will not leave us alone in them.

2. Handing Over Our Concerns

“Casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.” – 1 Peter 5:7

The International Standard Version renders this verse as, “Throw all your worry on him, because he cares for you.” Worry does feel like a heavy weight that we’re carrying. It can drag the day down, and it feels like it’s impossible to live well when we have all of this baggage to lug around with us.

Here’s the promise buried in this verse—God wants to be the one holding that weight for us. Why? Because He is concerned for us. He cares about our fears. The events of our lives matter to Him. He is our holy and sovereign God, yet He is always of our experiences and concerns.

“Casting your cares on the Lord” is a beautiful word picture to remember. When worries come into your mind and threaten to overwhelm you, picture yourself throwing them onto the Lord for Him to carry. In your mind’s eye, imagine Him standing before you, ready and willing to take your burdens for you because He loves you so much.

3. Focusing on Each Day

“Therefore, do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” – Matthew 6:34

Jesus spoke these words about anxiety two millennia ago. In New Testament times, there was no modern technology as we know it today. No one commuted to work or had a smartphone to distract them. Ancient Israel offered no cultural pressure to rush and multitask—yet, people still worried! We worry because we are finite and mortal. We know we don’t have control over our lives or death.

In this passage, Jesus identifies the futility of worrying about the future. He puts a fence around our concerns. Limit them to today, He says. Focus on this day, because that’s all you have.

Taking the fear and stress of life one day at a time is incredibly freeing, and the fact that Jesus knows this is genuinely comforting. He knows how limited we are and that we can’t try to hold the scope of the future in our imagination without falling apart. Instead, He encouraged and admonished His disciples to live out the day before them and leave the rest in God’s hands.

4. Encouraging the Worrier

“Anxiety in a man’s heart weighs him down, but a good word makes him glad.” – Proverbs 12:25

This proverb powerfully illustrates the role of other people in our anxiety—people who love us and walk with us on life’s journey. We’re not meant to walk alone, holding our fears in isolation. When you walk with that kind of load, it can feel unbearable. But when someone comes alongside you, your burden instantly feels lighter.

Have you ever compared taking a walk by yourself to walking with someone? Usually, the time will pass more quickly, and you’ll end up walking longer when you walk with someone else. Why is that? Your mind engages with the companionship and conversation; you’re not so focused on your effort. God created us to be in community.

Not only that, God created us with the capacity to encourage one another. It’s amazing that merely the words we speak can relieve a burden of anxiety, even if we’re not doing anything to practically change someone’s circumstances. Of course, love means taking action where necessary, but this should also include speaking life to others when we can.

5. Practicing Prayer and Gratitude

“Do not be anxious about anything, 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 understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” – Philippians 4:6-7

These verses from Philippians are two of the most famous Bible verses about not worrying. There’s a command (don’t be anxious) followed by two more commands (instead of worrying, pray to God about what you want, and thank Him for His blessings). And then there’s a promise: God’s peace will wrap around you like a shield.

At first glance, this might seem formulaic. So, you pray and thank God for your blessings, and then you feel better? Let’s look a little closer at the Greek word translated “peace.” This word, eirene, can mean:

● Joining something that was separated
● A state of harmony
● Inner rest and well-being
● Freedom from disturbance

According to commentator William Barclay, peace in the New Testament “means not just freedom from trouble but everything that makes for a man’s highest good… It is always the peace that is born of reconciliation.” (Precept Austin)

In other words, when we make a practice of prayer and gratitude, we find the comfort of a relationship with our Creator, even during our troubles. We can rest assured that God is our Father, that He is caring for us, and that He has our best interests in mind, no matter what happens. This peace is a promise, even though our emotional experience of it may be fleeting at times.

As you consider these Bible verses about anxiety and other passages throughout Scripture where God comforts his people amid their fears, remember that you’re not alone. God is with you as you place your faith in Him and cast your cares on the Lord.