5 powerful Bible verses to memorize when battling anxiety

By Aaron Hall, Op-ed contributor Wednesday, January 05, 2022

I want to share with you five powerful Bible verses you can memorize if you are battling anxiety as I do. I can be a very anxious person and any number of things can trigger an episode. Our world has a lot going on and that only increases anxiety for millions of people battling it.

Anxiety is a mental health illness that affects over 40 million adults. According to the Anxiety & Depression Association of America, “Anxiety disorders are the most common mental illness in the U.S., affecting 40 million adults in the United States age 18 and older, or 18.1% of the population every year.”

What I have found has helped me was when my wife wrote different Scriptures on index cards and placed them all throughout our house. They would be placed in a position that was very noticeable and as a result, God’s Word was in front of me daily. The daily encounter with His Word greatly encouraged me and I believe the Bible verses below will do the same for you!

Write them out on index cards. I plan to do this again as well.

Put them in places you go often.

Memorize them. Let them sink deep into your heart.

Hebrews 4:12 says, “For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart” (NIV).

God’s Word can run deep into your soul, cut, challenge, and transform. And as someone who battles anxiety and because we live in a world where anything can be a trigger, I need God’s Word daily to remind me of how big my God is!

Here are 5 powerful Bible verses you can memorize if you battle anxiety:

Don’t be anxious about anything

Philippians 4:6-7 “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (NIV).

When we are anxious we allow it to steal any peace in our life. When we go to the Lord in prayer and give Him our needs we find His peace that surpasses all understanding!

Give God your worry

1 Peter 5:6-7“Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you” (NIV).

The thought of casting our anxieties onto the Lord is a beautiful picture of how He’s willing to carry the weight of it for us and, in exchange, gives us His peace. All because He cares for you and me!

He will sustain you in the storm

Psalm 55:22“Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken” (NIV).

I know anxiety can feel overwhelming and never-ending. When we give it to the Lord, by His strength, He will sustain us, keep up above the water, and never let us go. What an amazing picture of His love for us!

We can trust God completely

Proverbs 3:5-6“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight” (NIV).

As worrisome as life can be, this verse reminds us that we can completely trust God and know that He promises to direct our steps. Trusting God doesn’t mean anxiety isn’t real or that we should just brush it off as if it’s nothing. It means we trust God knowing He is bigger than what we’re facing!

God is bigger than our fearful hearts

Isaiah 35:4“Say to those with fearful hearts, 'Be strong, do not fear; your God will come, he will come with vengeance; with divine retribution he will come to save you'” (NIV).

Anxiety can grip the heart and make it fearful. I know first hand. But by the Lord’s strength, we don’t have to let anxiety make our hearts fearful. Why? Because the Lord will come and save you. He will not abandon you in those moments of worry. He’s with you.

There are many more Bible verses for anxiety all throughout the Bible that you could add to this list. Write these five down on index cards, begin reading and meditating on them, and then add more! Let God’s Word fill you, restore your anxious heart, and transform your mind. I’m writing this from the perspective that I need to do this also. I battle anxiety often and I need to remind myself of God’s promises and who He is daily. God’s Word has the power to transform your life!

Prayer for those battling anxiety:

Lord, I lift up every person reading this article that battles anxiety. May your peace fill their heart today and may they be reminded in You they are secure because you are in control. Remind them of how much You love them and care for them today. Thank You, Jesus! Amen.

Originally published at thinke.

Aaron Joseph Hall is the founder of Jesus Loving Dad and host of The Jesus Loving Podcast. He’s a husband, father, pastor, and author from South Florida. You can connect with him online on Gettr, Twitter, and Instagram.