What Does God Say About Anxiety?

Casting all your anxiety upon
Him, because He cares for you.
1 Peter 5:7

When talking about anxiety in the Bible, you might find words like “worry,” “concern,” or “cares” instead. They all have the same idea.

Anxiety is so common in our world today. Really, it’s been around since Adam sinned, and sin entered the world through him. It’s why God has much to say about it.

Let’s look at several verses about anxiety, worry, or cares, including those that specifically tell us what God says.

Sin Can Cause Anxiety

So I confess my iniquity; I am anxious because of my sin (Ps 38:18)

David is on the verge of collapse. The guilt from his sin is “eating him alive,” so to speak. In this verse, David confesses that his sin is the cause of his anxiety. Notice that sin caused David anxiety but isn’t considered a sin itself.

When we knowingly live with unconfessed sin, we will experience anxiety. Confessing our sin is a logical next step to being free from it.

God Can Bring Comfort When You’re Anxious

When I am filled with cares, your comfort brings me joy (Ps 94:19)

The psalmist is filled with cares (or “anxious thoughts” NASB) because of what the wicked are doing and seemingly getting away with. But the psalmist is comforted when he confidently turns to God, knowing He will ultimately bring justice. This comfort brings him joy.

We see or hear about wickedness everywhere. It’s easy to feel anxious or afraid when we focus on it, whether it’s happening to us or not. Like the psalmist, we can also be comforted, even joyful, knowing that God is in complete control and will bring justice in His time.

In this case, anxiety will lead to sin if we let our fears take over instead of trusting God.

God Can Reveal Our Anxious Thoughts to Us

Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me and know my anxious thoughts (Ps 139:23)

David asks God for several things in this verse, including for God to reveal his anxious thoughts to him. The next verse tells us why: David doesn’t want to offend God in any way but to be led in the everlasting way.

Do you think your anxious thoughts offend God? Not if you ask Him to reveal them to you so you can turn away from them and replace them with truth. He is in control, and He cares about us.

When our anxious thoughts cause us to doubt God or momentarily forget His care and sovereignty, we will undoubtedly fall into sin.

Anxiety Weighs a Person’s Heart Down

Anxiety in a person’s heart weighs it down… (Prov 12:25)

Anyone who has experienced ongoing anxiety or worry can attest that this verse is true. I know firsthand how heavy anxiety feels; I have struggled with it for as long as I can remember.

I also know that God gives us promises concerning our anxiety that we can bank on. We will learn what they are in a little bit. For now, just know God doesn’t want us to live with anxiety but knows we will be anxious at times. What we do with it matters.

God Says Don’t Be Anxious About Anything

Be anxious for nothing…(Phil 4:6)

When God tells us not to be anxious about anything, He is talking about those things that weigh our hearts and minds down and keep us from having peace.

Most things that cause us anxiety are the things we have no control over. Since we can’t do anything about our situation, and we either don’t think about going to God or somehow believe He can’t or won’t do anything, we become anxious.

After telling us to be anxious for nothing, Philippians 4:6-7 goes on to tell us what to do instead for a better result:

• pray about everything; tell God what you need
• include thanksgiving in your prayer
• Expect God’s peace, which is beyond understanding, to fill (guard) your heart and mind in Christ Jesus

Turning to God and trusting Him to do what He says He will do is key for combatting anxiety and worry. God also tells us not to worry about specific things:

Don’t worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Ask yourself, “Can my worrying add a single moment to my life?” (Mt 6:25, 27)

Don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own set of worries. Today has enough trouble of its own. (Mt 6:34)

Instead, consider how God cares for the birds and clothes the flowers (Mt 6:26, 28). Seek God’s kingdom and righteousness first, and the rest will be provided for you (Mt 6:33). In other words, trust God to take care of you and provide for the things you need.

Don’t worry beforehand what you will say, but say whatever is given to you at that time. (Mk 13:11)

Jesus is talking to the disciples about the inevitability of being persecuted. “They will hand you over to local courts,” and “you will be flogged in the synagogues.” He tells the disciples that when you’re arrested, trust the Holy Spirit to give you the right words to say. Know that the gospel must be preached to all nations.

I have not been arrested or beaten for my faith, but I have shared the gospel and asked the Holy Spirit to give me the right words to say. Even when I give a testimony or have to confront someone, I ask for the right words. I often think of this verse since speaking doesn’t come naturally or easily for me.

Some Anxiety is Positive, According to God

I want you to be without concerns. The unmarried man is concerned about the things of the Lord–how he may please the Lord…(1 Cor 7:32)

Let’s be honest: the word “anxiety” is used in a variety of ways, even in the Bible.

I asked my husband if he thought anxiety was a sin, and he said it could be, but not necessarily. We each gave two examples of things we were or had been anxious about.

I said I had been anxious about watching our grandson all day for the first time, and another was how using Nasacort had caused me so much anxiety that I had panic attacks.

My husband said he had been anxious about his trip to South Africa and was now anxious for the upcoming presidential debate. He was anticipating it, but it wasn’t weighing him down.

His examples were about anticipation and not knowing; my examples were about not knowing and a side effect. Obviously, anxiety from anticipation and side effects wouldn’t be a sin or a lack of trust in God. But fear of the unknown could be sinful if we let it control our thoughts or weigh our hearts down.

All that to say, God sometimes uses the word in a positive sense. For example:

Be anxious about pleasing the Lord

Paul contrasts the unmarried and married man in 1 Corinthians 7:32-33, ESV. He says, “The unmarried man is anxious about the things of the Lord, how to please the Lord. But the married man is anxious about worldly things, how to please his wife.”

The married man can also be concerned with pleasing the Lord, but his attention will be divided because he will also be anxious to please his wife.

Most versions use the word “concern” instead of “anxious,” but it’s still true: God wants us to care about some things so deeply that it is a burden we carry.

So, anxiety can be good if used in the right way. But even then, we have to trust God with the outcome.

I think of having a deep concern for the lost and how it should weigh our hearts down (and how often it doesn’t) or for seeing God’s kingdom come and His will be done on earth as it is in heaven (Mt 6:10, from the Lord’s prayer, Mt 6:9-13). Both of these are proper things we should care deeply about.

You can probably come up with more.

Cast Your Anxiety on God

Casting on your cares upon Him because He cares about you (1Pet 5:7)

The NASB reads, “Casting all your anxieties upon Him, because He cares for you.”

We learn two things: 1) God invites us to give Him our anxieties, cares, and worries, and 2) He does so because He cares about us. We matter to God.

Let that sink in.

Another verse that comes with an invitation from Jesus is Matthew 11:28-30, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take up my yoke and learn from me, because I am lowly and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

If you, like me, tend to struggle with anxiety, the truth of these verses can turn things around. When we cast our anxiety on God, who cares for us and also keeps His promises, we will begin to trust Him more deeply.

Final Thoughts

In looking at what God says about anxiety, hopefully, you learned something new.

Let’s review:

1) Sin can cause anxiety, but anxiety isn’t necessarily a sin
2) God can bring comfort when you’re anxious
3) God can reveal our anxious thoughts to us when we ask
4) Anxiety weighs the heart down (and often the mind)
5) God tells us not to be anxious about anything and proceeds to tell us what to do instead
6) God also tells us specific things not to be anxious about
7) Some anxiety is positive or at least doesn’t lead to sin
8) God invites us to bring our anxiety to Him because He cares for us

What are your thoughts concerning what God says about anxiety?

Have you learned anything new?