Just over three years ago, my life changed dramatically. Up until that time, I was unaware that stress and anxiety were boiling inside of me. I was one of “those guys” that didn’t believe I could be affected by anxiety. I thought I was too tough or strong for something like anxiety. I never saw it coming; truth is, when it did come, I didn’t believe it. My wife saw it, but neither of us would have guessed the magnitude of what life can become when anxiety takes over.
Looking back, I can see 3 things that I did right from the beginning that were essential for healing:
- I started to journal everyday.
- I read and studied the Bible every day.
- I prayed all the time, and did not hold back my feelings or thoughts from God.
The stress or anxiety or fear – whatever you want to call it was unbearable and continuous. It completely debilitated me. I could not sleep, I could not work, I could not eat.
Enter panic attacks – If you have had one, you know what they are. If you are unsure, let me suggest that you haven’t had one. Within a week, I was having panic attacks. My comment at the time was that God was giving me a glimpse of hell. Writhing in pain, massive anxiety and fear were wonderfully tied up with the feeling of being utterly alone and empty.
During some of the most anxiety-filled times, my wife would read Bible verses, especially the Psalms, to me. If your anxiety is so high that it is difficult for you to read, get someone to read God’s Word to you.
Instrumental in healing was God’s Word and the transforming affect it has on the mind.
Below are some of my favorite Bible verses regarding anxiety. They are in the English Standard Version (ESV), unless noted otherwise. I’ve been told that there are 365 Bible verses where God speaks to anxiety and fear. I trust and pray that these are helpful to you.
Philippians 4:6-7 – “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.”
This was one of the first verses that I journaled; It was on the second day of journaling. My journal entry was ”I do so desire to have this. I want to call it a promise between God and I.”
Deuteronomy 31:8 – “It is the Lord who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.”
I faced a lot of questions. A key one is what I journaled just after writing this verse, “How do I equate God not leaving or forsaking me when recovery or healing is not guaranteed? People die, people do not recover, people get sicker. How do I not fear (have anxiety) if the outcome I fear is a real possibility.”
My anxiety left me with many nights of no sleep. During the first 45 days of dealing with anxiety, I slept an average of two hours a night. At times I was positive, and would journal while I read throughout the night, but most of the time, I was in utter despair.
Romans 5:3-4 – “Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope.”
Matthew 11:28-30 – “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
I prayed constantly for rest. I considered myself heavy laden; that is, overwhelmed with burdens that I could not carry. I so much wanted rest for my soul. It is a good prayer to pray!
2 Timothy 1:7 – “For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self control.”
This was one of my first memory verses. I loved how the New King James Version says “sound mind” instead of “self control.” I knew that I wanted a sound mind, but the anxiety was in control. I prayed for a sound mind.
Psalm 27:1 – “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?”
David wrote this while he was experiencing great stress and anxiety. Anxiety is a normal part of life. I pray that you don’t have it as bad as I did (do – 3 years and counting); please know that the Lord is whom you should trust, and that it takes time to heal.
Romans 8:18 – “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.”
Often times, I would journal a prayer after the verses I wrote in my journal. After this verse I prayed, “I look forward to that glory. Lord help me have the mindset that these sufferings I’m going through are nothing when compared to the glory that will be revealed to me.” I pray for those reading this that you are able to pray this for yourself.
James 1:2-4 – “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.”
Counting your anxiety and fear as joy is difficult, but it is possible as you allow God’s Word to have an affect on your mind (to renew your mind – see Romans 12:2). Know that there is joy in the suffering you are going through when you allow God to grow you!
Psalm 34:18 (NASB) – “The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.”
I often wrote in all capital letters – “I MUST ENDURE!! Lord please help me as I am weak” – It may not feel like it, but the Lord is with you as you walk through your anxiety. Think Romans 8:28.
How hard it is to wait for the Lord…especially when you are suffering and want healing.
Psalm 37:7a – “Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for Him; fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way…”
1 Peter 5:6-7 – “Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time He may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because He cares for you.”
God cares for you; but remember, He cares for you from His perspective, not ours. He is using this suffering you are enduring to make you more like His Son.
Isaiah 41:10 (NIV) – “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.”
Psalm 34:4 – “I sought the Lord, and He answered me and delivered me from all my fears.”
Oh how I love this next verse! Count it as a promise from God to you!
1 Peter 5:10 – “And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.”
In the worst of times, I found peace from this verse; I told myself that God was going to restore, confirm, strengthen and establish me! He will do this for you, too…
I’d like to remind you of something that I wrote in my journal on day 21. I acknowledged that Satan wants me to be stressed and full of anxiety. I told God that Satan does not want me to learn what God has for me. I told God that I wanted to learn what He has for me. If you are feeling anxiety and stress, make sure you are praying to God. Make sure you let Him know that you want to learn what He has for you to learn from this. As best as you are able, know that God will answer your prayer.
If you feel led to leave your comments or experiences below, please do so. I promise to pray for you regarding what you share and as I am led by our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
So powerful! Thank you for giving us a gift
I too have been in this dark place and come out the other side by the grace of God and the light of His word. Thank you for sharing brother.
I can only imagine, Peter (and Kim)…Bonnie and I are still thanking God for what He has brought Kim and you through.
Can’t wait to share this with my kids!
Prayerful reflections – so helpful in these days of persecution everywhere especially in the Middle East.
Thanks Nancy, I often wonder how people live in areas of the world like the Middle East…seems so hard. Blessings to you and your family.
Wow! Thank you so much for sharing of Bonnie’s & your journey. Intense and amazing. I praise God for how He has showed up here for you-it was not in a tidy, neat, “only afflicted for a week” way. This is long term. I appreciate reading these big, fat reminders of God being with us, even in the icky.
I so much love you energy Kim! I think at times that I am at the most peace when going through something…it’s when I cling to God the most:-)
Hi Richard, I praise God I found this website. I recently had total hip replacement and have been going through mental, emotional, and spiritual upheaval for the past three weeks. Getting into the Word about fear and anxiety has helped bring my spirit to be able to be molded by His Spirit. The hip is fine but the mind and spirit are in depression and as I continue to heal physically, I seek to heal emotionally too. thanks.
Hi Judy, I just prayed for you. I’m so glad you shared a little of what you are going through…if I may, God will use this period in your life to sanctify you – which is His purpose for us here on earth. When I look back on what I went through (and am still going through), time in God’s Word was and is so healing. The enemy wants to attack you and keep you from believing in God’s promises – that He is faithful and with us (Emmanuel). God knows exactly how you are feeling; He wants you to find His peace even in the midst of anxiety and depression. Look back at your life and thank Him for his faithfulness. Ask Him to reveal those times in your life when He was there; when He blessed you and walked you through life’s struggles. He will reveal them to you. It will give you hope for what you are going through. The depression and anxiety will not last forever (no matter how hard it is to believe that); count on it and wait for God’s timing…
May God bless you and give you His peace.
Thank you for your response. When I look over the life God has given me, I have no doubts that He has blessed and guided over the years. In the midst of a deep depression, though, it takes thankfulness and constant abject humility before Him. His plan for this or any moment in our lives is perfect whether it feels that way or not! Bless His holy name!
Thank you so much for sharing your experience I found great comfort in it. I too suffer from anxiety and I have hope and faith that god is walking beside me I try to thank my anxiety for bringing me closer to god. I know there is a lesson in all of this and I have faith that god will lead me through. Anxiety is still such a taboo subject so I commend you and helping others. I pray that you find peace.
Thanks Molly – I appreciate you taking the time to leave a comment. Your faith is not misplaced!
Thanks for posting this. God used you to quiet one of my storms at the moment. The question you asked about what happens if my fears comes true or if the worst happens how do I trust is one I struggle with and the devil plays on. Your post really helped me today. Thanks
I’m so glad, Thaya, that God was able to use my experience to help you. I just prayed for you. God is giving me peace with fearing the worst and trusting Him; I pray that He does that for you as well. I plan to write about it soon – it’s not an easy or short answer; but much of it lies in knowing that your eternity has been secured by the work of Christ on the cross. No one, no event, can take that from you. Rest knowing that you are secure in your Father’s hands.
May God give you the peace that surpasses all understanding…Your Brother in Christ, Rich
Wow…thank you so much for sharing your journey and God’s word. God’s word has been such a comfort to me. As David said in Psalms 27:13…I am confident of this, that I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. I pray that you and I will both experience this because God is faithful and he loves his children. May the Lord bless you with the healing and calming power of his grace and mercy.
Thanks so much for your comment and your are right – God does love us and wants what is best for us. Blessings and God’s joy and peace on you!
I have anxiety and panic attacks as well. Thank you for your bible verses and sharing your comments. I am quitting drinking today. (This is how I deal w/ my anxiety) So, if you have time to say a prayer for me I would appreciate it.
In Christ,
Amy
Thank you Amy for sharing and I will certainly pray for you; for the anxiety and panic attacks as well as the drinking…please know that I will add you to my daily prayers beginning today for the next week. May the grace of Christ heal you and train you in His perfect righteousness. I pray that as you read, pray and memorize scripture that it will be easy for you to stop drinking…God’s blessings on you…Rich
I am currently going through a hard time with anxiety and I could really use prayer. It’s no joke to play with. I’m tired of letting anxiety control my life. This has been going on for a couple of months and I have just recently realized how bad it has gotten. Please pray for me and my husband for going through this with me. Thank you.
Hello, just wanted to let you know that my daughter and I just prayed for you and your husband. We prayed for not only relief, but that God’s will and desire for you to grow and learn is realized and that He brings you His peace and comfort.
Stay close to Christ and in His Word. We will pray for you throughout the next week.
Thank you for sharing. I’m in it as we speak. Please Pray for me.
Swede, I will be praying for you tonight…I was reading this verse in Psalms as I saw your comment.
Psalm 46:1-3 – God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at its swelling.
Anxiety and fear can cause you to feel just as the psalmist describes; actively tell God how you feel…Spend as much time as you can reading His Word. You will be prayed for throughout the next week.
I am just calming down from a panic attack. I’ve been reading verses regarding anxiety out loud for about an hour, and I loved the verses that you posted. I know this blog was posted about a year ago, but I just want to say thank you, and I have said a little prayer for you, as well!
Thank you Christina – really do appreciate the prayer. I hope you are able to get to a point where you no longer have panic attacks. I’ll be praying for you tonight. God bless.
Thank you so so much for sharing this. Im 24 years old and have been suffering from anxiety, depression, and stress for the past 5 years. I cant sleep, eat, or even conversate with anyone. It has been tearing me apart more than ever. After reading this I lost it. Tears streaming like waterfalls. It was like I had never cried before. I couldnt stop. All I can think about is why I had not seeked God years earlier. So thank you with all of my heart. You saved my life today.
Hi Chelsea,I’m so very grateful that you took the time to share…I’m even more happy that you are looking toward God for some answers. From what I have been through, I know with certainty that seeking God and knowing what Christ did on the cross for you is the path to healing.
Since I have started sharing what happened to me, I’ve learned that we are not alone, Chelsea; anxiety and depression are so very common. You can get through this. Give yourself the grace to know that you are not broken, bad or damaged; tell yourself this truth, what you are feeling will not last forever.
Stay in God’s Word and pray – Rich
Hi my name is Kristy. I have been dealing with severe depression and anxiety for 2 years. I have turned to the Lord for help and made him my savior. I got baptised in august as well. There are always days that come back worst than others and I had to change my work environment for a while but knowing I have to go back soon I am struggling with the thought. I trust that the Lord will guide me and thank you for this post.
Hi Kristy – Praise God for Him calling you to Him! Under no circumstances are you alone with what you are struggling with. I went through the very same thing. It was day by day and sometimes hour by hour. Remind yourself frequently that you are going back as a child of God. Everything you face can be used (Romans 8:28) to draw you closer to God and for your sanctification. And whatever you are feeling is temporary.
Thank you so much for taking the time to leave your comments. May God bless you with His peace!
May the peace.of Christ be with you. Will pray this morning to send you the Holy Spirit. He that is within you is stronger than he who is within the world.
It is encouraging to know we all face this type of spiritual battle. Thank you.