How to Overcome Anxiety with God

In your battle against anxiety disorders, discover how to seize your fears and cast them all on God, following principles from 1 Peter 5:7.

Anxiety is one of the most misunderstood illnesses among Christians because many fail to understand the difference between anxiety as a sin and anxiety as a psychological issue.

Indeed, anxiety disorders are also spiritual, and God can help us overcome them. Here are a few ways to claim victory over your uncertainty and distress with Scriptures like 1 Peter 5:7.

What Is Anxiety?

Anxiety is a type of psychological health disorder characterized by strong feelings of worry or fear. It is a very common illness, affecting nearly 4% of the global population and about 19% of the U.S population alone.

These feelings are usually potent enough to interfere with your daily life and relationships. Some symptoms may include panic attacks, post-traumatic stress disorder, and obsessive-compulsive disorder.

For many individuals, anxiety is also backed by depression. However, only about 37% of people receive medical help, despite it being treatable.

How to Deal with Anxiety

Submit Your Life and Thoughts to Christ

Becoming born again gives God jurisdiction over your life. When you do this and submit your anxious thoughts to him, he helps you overcome them. That is the 1 Peter 5:7 meaning—to cast your worries to God. You can best give your thoughts to God by actively feeding on his word and practicing rebuking every thought pattern that doesn’t align with it.

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For example, when you have anxious thoughts about dying, you can hold God’s promise that says that “we shall not die, but live to declare God’s deeds” (Psalm 118:17). It also helps to absorb resources, such as books, audio messages, and posts that will help you practice faith over fear.

Ask for Intercessory Prayers

We can open up to our brothers and sisters in Christ—for example, those at church—about our anxiety and ask them to pray for us. This prayer goes a long way in getting needed help.

Self-Care Is God’s Care

It doesn’t help our anxiety when we do too much or exert ourselves—trying to do things with our own strength. We must learn to take breaks and prioritize our health. It’s good to take time from all the hustle and bustle and just be still in God’s presence, where our fears are calmed.

Seek Professional Help

It is essential to believe in God’s power to heal you. But there is nothing wrong with seeking professional help, especially when our anxiety levels are very high. Scientific research and treatment are also a form of God’s healing extension. It doesn’t make us “less spiritual” or “faithless.” After talking to your pastor or church counselor, speak to a doctor too.

Can God Heal My Anxiety?

God desires that you are free from all forms of disease, including psychological disorders. Even better, he has the power to heal you!

However, God also allows trials in your life to draw you closer to him. It’s not possible to know precisely why you’re dealing with anxiety in this life. Only God knows, but he does promise that all things will “work together for the good of those who love God” (Romans 8:28).

Pray, endure, and seek therapy from a Christian worldview. God will heal you—either now or in his kingdom to come.

Scriptures for Anxiety

Turn all your anxiety over to God because he cares for you.
1 Peter 5:7

I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love which Christ Jesus our Lord shows us. We can’t be separated by death or life, by angels or rulers, by anything in the present or anything in the future, by forces or powers in the world above or in the world below, or by anything else in creation.
Romans 8:38-39

God didn’t give us a cowardly spirit but a spirit of power, love, and good judgment.
2 Timothy 1:7

Conclusion

In your battle with anxiety, always remember:

• You are not alone.
• It may take time to overcome it fully.

So be patient and never beat yourself up for “not believing enough” when anxiety doesn’t disappear overnight. God himself fights for you.

Finally, join a local Christian community. Indeed, there you will find others who also suffer from anxiety disorders, and you can both support and be encouraged by fellow believers to cast your cares on God.

 

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God’s Word Mission Society welcomes Ted Atkins, a GOD’S WORD Ambassador, pastor, church leader, and founder of Best Daily Prayer. “As a religious leader and keeper of sheep, I have the duty to educate my community in the faith in God. In our fast-paced society, finding time to go to church and dedicate to our Lord is nearly impossible for some people. I want to show how technology can be used in the service of God to strengthen our faith.”