Naturally, life is full of suffering. Suffering that finds us for a day, and for some seasons, suffering that follows us for years. When we’re anxious, those difficulties become harder. The fear takes away our ability to see life clearly. We view people and circumstances as though peering through a kaleidoscope, but instead of colorful and surreal imagery, we see our worst nightmares come to life. Anxiety has a way of making what’s true look like a lie, and what looks like a lie appear not only true, but worse than reality.
Needless to say, a life lived anxiously is not a happy one. A sense of foreboding saps our peace. Instead of finding joy, we find uncertainty. Rather than dwelling in the good, we can’t help but notice the bad.
While I can tell you the simple solution to anxiety is a deeper trust in God, I would be remiss without acknowledging that this simple task is not easy. I too struggle with anxiety. While I have come a long way, there is still distance to travel. Many people are in the same boat as you and I. Though we intuitively know trust is needed, or at the very least lacking, we struggle to do just that. Trust.
Christian author Jennie Allen learned to deepen her faith through years of struggle with anxiety. In her book Get Out of Your Head, she outlines four steps believers can follow to counteract anxious thinking. First, identify the anxious thought. Secondly, ask yourself if the belief is true. Next, see what God says about the particular thought through His word. Then finally, choose who we want to believe - God or Anxiety.
As you ask yourself which thoughts are and are not true, as you read through the Bible, consider committing His Word to memory. Being able to recall verses is a great way to boost morale in any moment of struggle. Moreover, the more we dwell on what’s true, the less credence we give to lies.
If you’re ready to be proactive in your fight with anxiety, here are several verses to read, recall, and use to counteract anxiety.
10 Verses to Counteract Anxiety
“Therefore, everyone who hears these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain fell, the rivers rose, and the winds blew and pounded that house. Yet it didn’t collapse, because its foundation was on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and doesn’t act on them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. The rain fell, the rivers rose, the winds blew and pounded that house, and it collapsed. It collapsed with a great crash.” (Matthew 7:24-27)
The Bible refers to God as a rock multiple times throughout the text. A rock is strong and secure. Sand, on the other hand, is easily dispersed by the elements. Anxiety is like sand, leading us to stumble whenever the wind blows or the sea pulls at our feet. Which should we pick as our foundation?
If God is the foundation, then He is our first line of defense against hardship. Not our last resort. However, I’ll be the first to admit that at various points in my life, seeking God was not my first response and, at times, something I needed to be reminded to do. When I listened to anxiety, I sought ways to control a situation, and when control was not readily available, I grew more anxious. So went the cycle.
You can break your cycle by choosing God from the beginning. Hardships are bound to happen, but you never have to face any of them alone. Not when we’re rooted in God.
“Don’t worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:6-7)
A couple once taught me that anxious thoughts are unspoken prayers. What they were indicating is that the energy put towards negative thinking could be redirected. Don’t just think the bad thing will happen, talk to God about the situation or person. Seek His help and guidance and trust that He will come through. Why? His Word says so.
Anxiety would have us believe that not only will a bad situation occur, but that we have to experience life anxiously. We don’t. God presents to us the remedy.
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“No temptation has come upon you except what is common to humanity. But God is faithful; he will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation he will also provide the way out so that you may be able to bear it.” (1 Corinthians 10:13)
Whenever you struggle and however you struggle, know that someone somewhere knows your pain. Finding such people has become easier today with the internet. There are chat rooms set up on various websites for people who contend with loneliness, depression, and even anxiety. However, finding them in person is difficult. When we do foster fellowship, online or in person, these relationships help us endure. We can also gain wisdom to use in our struggles, and share what we ourselves have learned.
Of course, even when we can’t find people who can relate, rest assured that God understands. He may not take away the hurt, but He is for you, with you, and He loves you.
“Haven’t I commanded you: be strong and courageous? Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:9)
Anxiety is commonly brought about by false beliefs. We think incorrectly about situations, other people, ourselves, and especially God. One thought that I have often had during seasons of hardship is that God was not with me. That thought in itself caused more anxiety. As the bad circumstances unfolded, I figured I was on my own, left to salvage the mess, if possible. The Bible presents a different story. No matter what you or I face, God is in our corner. That is a reason to be strong and courageous.
“‘For I know the plans I have for you’—this is the Lord’s declaration—‘plans for your well-being, not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.’” (Jeremiah 29:11)
When anxiety dominates your mind, do you believe God has good things in store? My tendency was once to believe that bad things were destined for my life. That’s so far from the truth, but exactly what we should expect from anxious thinking.
“I am able to do all things through him who strengthens me.” (Philippians 4:13)
Fear leads us to doubt other people, and fear creates doubt within ourselves. We start to believe that we aren’t good enough, and the proof is revealed by our lives. What a lie. No matter the obstacle, through Christ, we can overcome. Again, He is with us, for us, and He loves us.
“We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:28)
Believing that all things will ultimately serve our growth is hard to comprehend in the moment. Sometimes things happen that are not just bad, but also confusing. We lack an understanding as to why this or that occurs. I’ve had seasons of loneliness, conflict, and loss. I questioned how God would work things out, but He always does. Sometimes, things work out so well I forget that those very things were even once prayers. Think back to what God has done in your life. He has done more than you could ever ask or even remember.
“Consider the birds of the sky: They don’t sow or reap or gather into barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Aren’t you worth more than they?” (Matthew 6:26)
Anxiety shrinks our perspective, preventing us from seeing God’s goodness. When we want to counteract that, we can get outside of our heads by looking at nature. Observe how he blesses the birds, the squirrels, and other animals. He looks after them. Why would He not do the same for us, those who bear His image? That in itself reveals our importance to Him.
“But those who trust in the Lord will renew their strength; they will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not become weary, they will walk and not faint.” (Isaiah 40:31)
When the going gets tough, and anxiety threatens to swallow you whole, remember that God will strengthen you. He may not act when you desire or how, but He will act. God allows our suffering, but He will use that suffering for our good. He wants to make us like Christ. Moreover, the suffering won’t last forever. No matter what anxiety says, life will get better. Either on this Earth or afterward.
Conclusion
Memorizing specific verses is helpful, but if that’s too great a feat, so is being able to recall the context of any particular passage. Ultimately, we want to remind ourselves that what anxiety says is not true because what anxiety says conflicts with what God says. When we better discern between the two, our trust will grow.
Trust in God is difficult to build, but simple. Know His word, remember His word, and believe it. And remember what He has already done for you and others. Do that once, then again, and again, and forever.
Trust in God is possible, no matter how much anxiety would have you believe otherwise.
Photo Credit: ©Getty Images/Boy Wirat
Aaron D'Anthony Brown is a freelance writer, hip-hop dance teacher, and visual artist, living in Virginia. He currently contributes to Salem Web Network’s Crosswalk platform and supports various clients through the freelancing website Upwork. He's an outside-the-box thinker with a penchant for challenging the status quo.
Get in touch with him at aarondanthony.com and check out his debut short story anthology Honey Dreams on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.