While there are so many scriptures that I love, there's something extra special about my go-to verses when I feel ridden with fear, doubt, and anxiety. Think about it. How amazing is it that we serve a God who gave us a bible filled with proof of His love for us and the deeds He carried out on other's behalf, and as if that wasn't more than enough, He also decided to give us these verses to remind us that though we may feel anxious, we can always find peace when we decide to trust in Him.
1. 2 Timothy 1:7- "For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind."
So many times we allow our hearts and minds to become anxious, and unfortunately, it doesn't stop there. Anxiousness becomes worry and worry becomes fear, and that fear is a product of our own insecurities and uncertainty in our self-limitations. That fear is something the world instills in us, and in turn, we begin to instill it in ourselves, but God didn't give us a fearful spirit. He gave us one of power, love, and of a sound mind, one that challenges us to stop choosing fearfulness, one that reminds us to embody and embrace the strong and peace-filled spirit. By living with a fearful spirit, we aren't allowing our enemies to defeat us, we're doing it to ourselves.
2. John 14:27- "Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you; not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid."
What I love about this verse is that it clarifies that Christ's peace and the world's peace are two very different things. Peace from the world is temporary and unreliable, but when we receive peace from Him, we can rest assured in knowing that it's genuine and something we can depend on for the long haul. Also notice that He leaves us His peace, we don't have to ask Him for it or earn it or go out of our way to seek it. He gives it freely because He knows how weary and burdened we already are and loves us too much to give us obstacles without fueling us with something so sustaining.
3. Isaiah 41:18- "I will open rivers in high places, and fountains in the midst of valleys: I will make the wilderness a pool of water, and the dry land springs of water."
While this may not be as direct as the other verses, I believe it still applies to anxious tendencies, and for good reasons. So often we find ourselves wondering and worrying if God is going to make a way, and when we've almost run out of hope, we even begin to wonder how God could possibly make a way out of our mess. But if He can do something as daunting as making springs of water in dry land or opening fountains in the middle of a valley, He's more than capable of handling our problems and taking care of us. Even if your situation seems to be hopeless and unable to work out in your favor, God doesn't work within your circumstances, He works above them.
4. Psalm 61:2- "From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I."
Amazing. Just think about it. We could be on the very end of the earth (or even at the end of our rope), and all we have to do is cry out to Him in order for Him to lead us to higher (and safer) grounds. That's it. It's that simple. He's aware that we're human and we can only handle so much, so without hesitation, He comes to our rescue with a simple plea. Once we release control to Him, we have security in Him because He is the rock that is higher than any of us. Think about that. Rocks can withstand rain, heat, sand, storms, etc., and remain unchanged and unfazed through it all. They're strong, so threatening conditions don't even bother them, and like Christ, they're a safe shelter when the storm becomes too much to bear.
5. 1 Thessalonians 5:18- "In every thing give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you."
Perhaps one of the most simply phrased verses in the bible, yet it is so complete. Many times we find ourselves looking at certain events or circumstances with a heart so broken or anxiety-ridden, that thankfulness is the furthest thing from our mind. But no matter how hard it is to process, Christ commands us to give thanks for whatever it may be because it's part of His will for us and our life. In case you hadn't figured it out, the Christian life is not heartache free, and it's not supposed to be. With that being said, He wants us to give thanks for every thing, even the things that hurt too much to endure, and even the things that make us worry and uncertain about the future, because all of these things are coming together to give us a life much more significant. Much like Romans 8:28 says, all things work together for our good, so every thing that makes up God's specially selected will for our life is worthy of thankfulness, not just some things, and especially not just the good things.
6. Mark 4:39- "And he arose and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm."
If any single verse could put our anxieties to rest, it would be this one. I always read this verse in awe because all He had to do was speak in order to still the waters and calm the wind. Just think about it, the God we serve is so powerful that mere words from Him can control the force of the sea and the winds, so why wouldn't He be able to control the chaos that surrounds our daily lives? And to make it even more astounding, when He did these things, He had just arose from sleep; it was that effortless for Him. If He could calm their storm as it was raging around them, He's more than capable of handling whatever it is that disturbs our sails and causes us to worry.
7. Romans 8:38-39- "For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."
Maybe you've read through this entire list of verses and not a single one has made you feel any less anxious, or maybe you're going through something so trying that your anxious heart feels as though it's almost too much to bear, but regardless of what it is that's burdening your heart, you can rest assured in knowing that whatever it is, it could never lessen or come between the love Christ has for you. Absolutely nothing, not even death or powers, could separate us from His love. And knowing that that all-encompassing, selfless love is given to someone with so many doubts and insecurities, makes my heart less anxious by reminding me that none of the things that cause me to worry could ever interfere with what matters most.