Maybe you think faith and anxiety are two opposing factors in life. Or that at least might be what a parent or a former pastor once told you. You can’t have faith and anxiety, right?
Well, don’t be so sure about that. If there’s anything I’ve learned in my own faith, experiences, and counseling practice over the years, it’s that things are rarely black and white.
There’s a huge gray area when it comes to most things. There’s nuance in our daily lives and our experiences – faith and anxiety included.
Most of us experience occasional anxiety, stress and worry – they’re a normal part of life. For some people, though, anxiety can become a chronic occurrence. These bouts of anxiety are more than just worry or nerves.
So, how do we meet our anxieties with our faith?
First and foremost, we look to Jesus as our example in all things.
Even Jesus experienced anxiety:
- When Jesus was praying in the Garden of Gesthemane, he was anguished and was sweating blood (Luke 22:44).
- In Matthew’s telling of this scripture, Jesus asks God to let this cup – death on the cross – pass from him (Matthew 26:39).
What do we see in Jesus’s responses to his anxieties? He prays to God. He says to God, “not as I will, but as you will.”
Like Jesus, we can cling to God. We can cast “all our anxieties on him, because he cares for you” (1 Peter 5:7). We can ask God to remove our anxieties or relieve them – it doesn’t matter if it’s a seemingly minor worry or a major life event.
But, what do we do when removing our anxieties is not God’s will?
Like Jesus, we embrace God’s will either way and lean on Him entirely for direction, discernment, strength and peace.
“When I thought, ‘My foot slips,’ your steadfast love, O LORD, held me up. When the cares of my heart are many, your consolations cheer my soul… But the LORD has become my stronghold, and my God the rock of my refuge” (Psalm 94:18–19, 22).
Our faith is not in receiving a certain outcome or having our prayers answered. Our faith is in God who loves and cares for us. Faith is what anchors us in all things, whether it’s a joyful circumstance or a stressful experience.
God doesn’t expect us to never experience anxiety or fear in this life. He does, however, call us to cling to Him in all circumstances – because He cares for us. He cares for you.
Want to know more about anxiety? We have some great free resources to help:
