15 of the Most Uplifting Bible Verses for Anxiety

These 15 Bible verses for anxiety are just a few of the ones I have claimed and prayed over specific situations and worries. Friend, God is bigger than your fears, your stress, and your worries. His plans for you are joy and peace, despite the struggles you are facing.

In the last month of my unexpected pregnancy with my third child I majorly struggled with anxiety. I had already had a challenging pregnancy with gestational diabetes and my physicians were telling me if my baby didn’t change positions soon they may have to schedule a c-section which felt like a HUGE complication in many different ways.

There were suddenly so many unknowns with my husbands job, my health, our baby’s safety, my other children’s needs, people traveling to see us, etc. etc.

My worries were overflowing.

“What if Nate could only have a few days off work when it was time for our child to be born?”

“What if we tried to manually turn the baby and there were problems?”

“What if I couldn’t lift Barrett up and down from his crib after a c-section?”

I felt like my mind was running a thousand miles a minute with all the problems and trying to find solutions to every potential situation.

One night after the kids were in bed and when Nate was working late, I sat down and wrote out all the things that were causing me stress. Every. Single. One.

A full front and back page of pouring out my heart later, I began to line by line, pray over each stressor, claiming the promise of that I could “give all my cares and worries to God because He cares for me.” (I Peter 5:7)

I said things like “God, I can’t control the position my baby is in, but you know the plans you have for me. God, please let me deliver my baby safely. Keep my mind fixed on You-your promises, your goodness, your love-and replace my fear with peace.”

At the end of an emotional prayer time I claimed this verse: “If God hadn’t been there for me I never would have made it. The minute I said, “I’m slipping, I’m falling,” Your love, God, took hold and held me fast. When I was upset and beside myself, You called me down and cheered me up.    -Psalm 94:17-19

Over the years I have done this process countless times for countless worries. I have chosen prayer and Scripture over anxiety and stress. God has not answered every prayer the way I wanted, but each answer has been good and it has led me closer and closer to Him.

Here are 15 Bible verses you can claim and pray through when you are filled with anxious thoughts.

15 Bible Verses for Anxiety and Worry

1. If God hadn’t been there for me I never would have made it. The minute I said, “I’m slipping, I’m falling,” Your love, God, took hold and held me fast. When I was upset and beside myself, You called me down and cheered me up.    -Psalm 94:17
2. Cease striving and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the heavens I will be exalted in all the earth.     -Psalm 46:10
3. You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you! -Isaiah 26:3
4. Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you. -1 Peter 5:7
5.  Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. -Philippians 4:6-7 
6. Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me. -John 14:1
7. I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.  -John 14:27
8. Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.”  -Matthew 11:28-30
9. That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing?  Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are?  Can all your worries add a single moment to your life? -Matthew 6:25-27
10. Be still in the presence of the Lord, and wait patiently for him to act. Don’t worry about evil people who prosper or fret about their wicked schemes. -Psalm 37:7
11. For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. -Jeremiah 29:11
12. The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing. -Zephaniah 3:17
13. The Lord is my light and my salvation—so why should I be afraid? The Lord is my fortress, protecting me from danger, so why should I tremble? -Psalm 27:1
14. But he laid his right hand on me and said, “Don’t be afraid! I am the First and the Last. -Revelation 1:17
15. For I hold you by your right hand— I, the Lord your God. And I say to you,
        ‘Don’t be afraid. I am here to help you. Isaiah 41:13

Each of these verses is a promise from God. Each of these verses is an invitation to choose trust over worry, anxiety, and fear.* 

*This is not to say that prayer will cure your depression or anxiety disorder or mental illness. I DO think that prayer along with exercise, meditation, seeing a good therapist, spending time outdoors, having meaningful relationships and hobbies can be huge in managing mental illness. If you are in a state of anxiety or depression or “funk” please have a conversation with your health provider and establish a treatment plan to address your illness.

I chose these 15 verses because they are each special to me. I landed on the amount of 15 because it is not overwhelming. There are, of course, more verses on peace, rest, and trusting God in the Bible!! As you read and study the Bible I’m sure God will bring even more Bible verses on anxiety and fear to you as you read. I’d recommend starting a note in your phone or a special notebook to write down these verses so you can go back and remind yourself of them when you need them.

Of these 15 I hope one will stand out to you and become your anchor in your anxiety. Memorize it, meditate on it, place it around your house where you can see it often.

To help you do just that I have created 15 beautiful cards with these verses on them you can print out and place in your home. I also have a full page with all the verses printed on it if you want them all together!

Get the list and verse cards by signing up for access to my printable library.

 

I pray this list of Bible verses for anxiety will be one tool that God uses to bring healing and peace to your heart, mind and soul.

If you know a friend who struggles with anxiety or fear I’d be honored if you shared this post with them! 

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