Who In The Bible Experienced Anxiety? – What We Can Learn From Them

Anxiety in a person’s heart weighs it down…
Proverbs 12:25

Anxiety is a reaction to the emotion of fear. It isn’t necessarily a sin but can become one when we choose not to trust God.

The Bible tells us not to be anxious about anything (Phil 4:6) but also to cast our anxieties on Him (1 Pet 5:7). So, obviously, we have to experience anxiety if we are going to “cast” it on God. Giving it to Him makes us less likely to let it become a sin.

People in the Bible had anxiety, too. Let’s look at five examples, find out why they were anxious, and how they responded.

It should be noted that sometimes, it’s their words or actions that demonstrate anxiety, and other times, the Bible tells us they were anxious.

The disciples on the Sea of Galilee were anxious when a storm came up.

The disciples went and woke him up, shouting, “Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!” Matthew 8:25

After Jesus had finished teaching and healing, including Peter’s mother-in-law, He climbed into a boat. He started crossing the lake with His disciples.

At some point, Jesus fell asleep because we’re told he was sleeping when a violent storm arose on the sea. However, the disciples were wide awake and afraid, so they woke Jesus up.

They did the right thing by waking Him up, but you can hear the anxiousness they were feeling when they shouted, “Lord, save us; we’re going to drown!”

Fear would be expected in a situation like this, but Jesus’ only words were to ask them why they were afraid and tell them they had little faith. Then, He got up and rebuked the wind and the waves; the storm stopped, and everything became calm.

The disciples went from fear to amazement when they saw that the wind and the waves obeyed Jesus.

Jesus’ words teach us that we can have faith in fearful situations, knowing He has power and authority over nature, even dangerous storms.

Jesus may not be physically present with believers today like He was with the disciples. However, He still has the same power and authority as He did then.

Jacob was anxious about meeting his brother, who had wanted to kill him.

Jacob was greatly afraid and distressed…Genesis 32:7

God had instructed Jacob to return home to his country and relatives with the promise to prosper him there.

So, Jacob sent messengers ahead to explain to his brother Esau where he had been all these years in hopes of seeking his brother’s favor and forgiveness. When the messengers returned, they told Jacob that Esau was already on his way to meet him with four hundred men.

This caused fear and anxiety for Jacob because he remembered Esau’s threat to kill him (Gen 27:41). Years before, Jacob had received their father’s blessing through deception, and his mother told him to flee after learning of Esau’s intentions.

Now he was returning home and knew he would have to face his brother. But when he learned Esau was on his way, he didn’t know what his bother would do. So, he divided his household into two groups, thinking if Esau attacked one group, the other could escape.

Then Jacob went to God and prayed:

“God of my father Abraham and God of my father Isaac, the Lord who said to me, ‘Go back to your land and family, and I will cause you to prosper,’ I am unworthy of all the kindness and faithfulness you have shown your servant. Indeed, I crossed over the Jordan with my staff, and now I have become two camps. Please rescue me from my brother Esau, for I am afraid of him; otherwise he may come and attack me, the mothers, and their children. You have said, ‘I will cause you to prosper, and I will make your offspring like the sand of the sea, too numerous to be counted.

What a wonderful prayer of humility and reminding God of His command to return home along with the promises He had given. We can use this prayer as a pattern when we feel fearful and anxious.

God gives believers commands and promises that we can appeal to in prayer and humility. Of course, that means we have to know what they are first.

You can read the rest of the story in Genesis 25:19-33:20.

Esther was anxious about approaching the king because he could have her killed for coming without an invitation.

All the king’s officials and even the people in the provinces know that anyone who appears before the king in his inner court without being invited is doomed to die unless the king holds out his golden scepter. And the king has not called for me…Esther 4:11

Esther was a Jewish orphan raised by her cousin, Mordecai. She replaces Vashti as queen when the king chooses her for her great beauty and charm. However, he doesn’t know her Jewish heritage.

Soon, Mordecai uncovers a plot by Haman, the king’s advisor, to exterminate the Jews. Mordecai is devastated and, through a messenger, asks Esther to go to the king to plead for mercy for their people.

At first, Esther reminds Mordecai of the possible consequence of her going to the king uninvited, but Mordecai emphatically reminds her of the consequences for herself and the Jewish people if she refuses:

“Don’t think for a moment that because you’re in the palace you will escape when all other Jews are killed. If you keep quiet at a time like this, deliverance and relief for the Jews will arise from some other place, but you and your relatives will die. Who knows if perhaps you were made queen for just such a time as this?”

Esther sees what Mordecai is saying and is then willing to risk death for the sake of saving herself and her people. But she still needs God’s favor and strength to follow through.

You can understand Queen Esther’s fear of going to see the king without an invitation. You might never have had to risk your life, but you’ve probably felt fear of having to do the right thing without knowing what would happen.

So, Esther called for all the Jews, including herself, to fast for three days before approaching the king. She was putting herself in the hands of God, trusting Him to do what He knew was best. I’m sure she gained strength during this time as well.

Believers today may also benefit from fasting when our anxious thoughts keep us from doing the right thing.

You can read the rest of the story in Esther 5:1-10:3.

Moses was anxious about leading Israel out of Egypt and confronting Pharoah.

But Moses again pleaded, “Lord, please! Send anyone else.” Exodus 4:13

When God came to Moses in a burning bush, He informed Moses that He had seen the oppression of His people in Egypt and was now going to free them. How? He was sending Moses. This didn’t go over well. Moses responded with five “buts” before finally agreeing.

Each time Moses protested, God answered and encouraged him, but it always led to another protest. This man was filled with anxiety over what God was asking him to do.

• But Moses protested to God. “Who am I to appear before Pharoah? Who am I to lead the people out of Egypt?
• But Moses protested, “If I go to the people of Israel and tell them, The God of your ancestors has sent me to you,’ they will ask, ‘What is his name?’ Then what should I tell them?”
• But Moses protested again, “What if they won’t believe me or listen to me? What if they say, ‘The Lord never appeared to you’?”
• But Moses pleaded with the Lord, “O Lord, I’m not very good with words. I never have been, and I’m not now, even though you have spoken to me, I get tongue-tied, and my words get tangled.”
• But Moses again pleaded, “Lord, please! Send anyone else.”

After the fifth time, God became angry and suggested his brother Aaron could be his spokesman. Finally, Moses obeyed.

Have you ever sensed God asking you to do something you didn’t want to do? Have you, too, had excuses and tried to resist God’s call? The thought of obeying caused so much fear and anxiety that the idea of trusting God seemed too much to ask.

God will always make a way, but He also requires obedience.

You can read the rest of the story about Moses’s success in leading the people out of Egypt in Exodus 4:18-14:31.

Martha was anxious and upset about having to prepare the dinner for Jesus by herself.

She came to Jesus and said, “Lord, doesn’t it seem unfair to you that my sister just sits here while I do all the work? Tell her to come and help me.” Luke 10:40

When Jesus passed through the village where Mary and Martha lived on His way to Jerusalem, Martha welcomed Him into their home.

Mary sat at Jesus’ feet and listened to His teaching, but Martha was distracted with preparing the big dinner.

However, she became upset that Mary wasn’t helping her. Preparing a dinner for Jesus was a lot of work, and she wanted it to be perfect. She became worried, anxious, and upset that she was left to do all the work alone while her sister sat listening to Jesus.

So, she complained to Jesus, hoping He would make Mary help her. Instead, Jesus said, ” My dear Martha, you are worried and upset over all these details! There is only one thing worth being concerned about. Mary has discovered it, and it will not be taken away from her.”

Interestingly, several Bible translations use the word “anxious” when Jesus answers Martha’s request for Mary to help her.

Martha was obviously upset that Mary wasn’t helping, but maybe she was also afraid that she wouldn’t get to hear any of Jesus’ teaching if no one helped her prepare the dinner.

I remember one Christmas with my family when I was left in the kitchen to clean up while everyone else went to the living room to continue talking. There were over twenty of us, so there was lots to do.

I was upset and worried with anxious thoughts of no one liking me. The anxiety grew until I was convinced that the reason no one had stayed to help me was because no one wanted to be around me.

It seems silly now because I know I could have joined the others, and cleanup could have happened later. Fortunately, I learned that time with family was more important than cleaning up immediately. After that, we sometimes cleaned up right away, and other times, we waited.

If Martha had sat with Mary and listened to Jesus, the rest would have fallen into place. No one expected Martha to prepare the meal herself, but they knew listening to Jesus teach was more important.

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Final Thoughts

I’m sure you can come up with others who experienced anxiety in the Bible. I only gave five examples, but there are more.

The disciples on the Sea of Galilee were anxious when a storm arose but learned that Jesus had authority over the wind and waves.

Jacob was anxious about seeing his brother after many years but learned to cope with his fears through prayer and trusting God.

Esther was anxious to go to the king because approaching him unannounced could mean death, but she learned that doing the right thing was more important than being controlled by her fear. She and the Jewish people fasted for God’s favor.

Moses was anxious when God told him to go back to Israel and tell the Jewish people that the Lord God was going to use him to free them from their slavery. But, in the end, Moses learned that God wouldn’t accept his fear or disobedience.

Martha was anxious and worried about getting the meal ready when Jesus visited their home. She even asked Jesus to make her sister help her, but Jesus rebuked Martha for being too caught up in the preparations. Martha learned what was most important.

Anxiety is a given, but we can all learn how to overcome it by trusting God with our fears. We can also find encouragement from how people in the Bible responded when they experienced anxiety.

How hard or easy is it for you to turn to God when you have anxious thoughts?

What response from the person or people above do you identify with most?