How To Stop Worrying About Everything
The Weight We Carry
There are countless things in our world today that can cause us to worry, live in fear, and feel anxious. For many of us, finances top the list. How will we pay all our bills? What about the debt hanging over our heads? How can we afford what our kids need, pay for college, or ensure we have enough for retirement?
Beyond money, our relationships can be both a blessing and a source of anxiety. Teenagers often struggle with friendships and romantic relationships, but these worries don't disappear in adulthood. We wonder if our spouse will continue to love us, why we keep arguing, and whether we'll ever find the happiness we seek.
Then there's work and school—the endless tests, grades, deadlines, and pressure to keep up. We question our career choices, fear losing our jobs, and feel constantly overwhelmed by demands on our time.
Add health concerns to the mix, and the burden grows even heavier. Chronic pain, cancer diagnoses, heart problems—these realities force us to ask difficult questions about our future and survival.
Furthermore, there is the constant barrage of news that keeps us updated on everything going on in our world and leaves us in tension with everything seemingly hanging on by a thread.
The list goes on, and we haven't even mentioned the anxiety that comes from social media and comparison, leaving many of us feeling inadequate all the time.
But there is good news.
God's Prescription for Anxiety
Scripture teaches us how to stop worrying about everything and truly experience the abundant life Jesus came to bring. In Philippians 4:6-7, Paul writes:
Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
When we pray and lift our worries to the Lord, we experience peace. It's really that simple—if you want relief from fear, worry, and anxiety, pray about these situations and lift them up to Jesus. Scripture promises that God's peace will guard your hearts and minds in Christ.
Here's why this works: As we pray, we release these burdens to the Lord. We stop holding onto them, stop trying to control every situation, and instead place them in the hands of the One who sits above all things and holds everything together.
Pray with Thanksgiving
Notice that Paul says to pray with thanksgiving. He doesn't say to give thanks after God answers your prayers the way you want. No, he instructs us to pray with thanksgiving as we're lifting our concerns up to Him.
Thank Jesus for being there to listen and for taking the burden off your shoulders. Thank Him for knowing what's best and for answering prayers in ways that serve His glory and our good. Thank Him for all we have in our union with Him, regardless of our circumstances.
In Christ, we are always loved. We have every spiritual blessing. We are forgiven, set free from condemnation, and filled with His power working through us. There is so much to be thankful for, even when facing situations that cause fear or anxiety.
Here's a practical tip: Go on a walk of gratitude. Give thanks for all you have in the middle of difficult situations. You'll find that whatever has you worried or anxious will begin to diminish, and you'll experience that peace Paul mentions. It's nearly impossible to be anxious and thankful at the same time.
Three Ways to Pray
Paul uses three different words to describe how we should pray: prayer, petition, and requests. Each offers insight into handling our anxiety.
Prayer (Intercessory Prayer)
The first term often signifies praying for others. As one commentator notes, "true intercessory prayer for others overcomes anxious thoughts about them."
Pray for the people causing fear, worry, or anxiety in your life. These might be loved ones who are sick or hurting, or they might be enemies treating you poorly. Either way, lift them up to Jesus. Give them to Him. Release them and quit trying to fix or control them yourself. Let go of resentment, bitterness, and thoughts of revenge.
Picture yourself holding out your hands, physically handing these people over to Him and releasing them into His care.
Petition (Urgent Requests)
Petition denotes an urgent request to meet a need, exclusively addressed to God. These are major worries in your life—things causing significant fear and anxiety.
When urgent situations arise in your life or with people you love, don't just sit around hoping things improve. Don't start frantically googling solutions or asking others what they can do. Fall on your knees and give these needs to Jesus. Petition Him to intervene and release them to His control.
It's out of your hands anyway, so place it in His.
Requests (Specific Items)
This term refers to naming specific items. Sometimes we feel a general state of anxiousness without knowing exactly why. But Paul tells us to present our requests to God—to name specific items.
Give voice to the particular things causing anxiety. Identify them. Name them. Be specific about what's causing the fear, worry, or anxiety in your life, and present those specific things to God.
Give every one of them to Jesus. Quit carrying them. Hand them over.
The Peace That Makes No Sense
When we pray in these ways, Paul says "the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus."
This peace makes no sense. With everything going on that should worry you and cause anxiety, you shouldn't have peace—but you do. That's because the peace isn't found in your situation or circumstances but in Jesus. He is your peace.
His peace will guard your heart and mind, keeping anxiety and worries from flooding your thoughts and emotions and drowning you in them. You'll experience release, calmness, an inner quietness and rest in your spirit and soul.
Replace Worrisome Thoughts
Paul doesn't stop at telling us to release our worries to Jesus. He also instructs us to replace fearful, worrisome, and anxious thoughts with different kinds of thoughts:
Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. (Philippians 4:8)
The verb "think" here means to give careful thought to a matter, to consider, ponder, and let your mind dwell on something. Anxiety exists because we dwell on our worries and concerns, giving them constant attention.
So first, release your worries to Jesus through prayer. Give them over to Him and quit carrying them. Second, begin pondering these particular things instead. Dwell on these instead of the things causing you to worry.
Whatever Is True
This refers to that which corresponds to reality. Anxiety comes when false ideas and unreal circumstances occupy our minds instead of truth. This is listed first for a reason—it's of primary importance.
Spiritual warfare is a battle of truth and lies. Satan is a liar and deceiver, and when he gets us focused on things that aren't true, anxiety hits hard.
Consider this:
Research shows that 40% of our worries are about events that will never occur, 30% are about past events that cannot be changed, 12% are about health concerns that aren't serious, 10% are about petty miscellaneous issues, and only 8% are about legitimate concerns requiring action.
That means 92% of what we experience fear, worry, and anxiety over are not legitimate concerns. Satan causes us to dwell on "what-if" scenarios—things that could or might happen but haven't materialized yet. They aren't true. They're lies and deceptions.
Even with the 8% that are legitimate concerns, Satan will lie to you about them. He'll deceive you into thinking you're responsible for fixing everything, that you have to carry the burden alone, or that God doesn't care or can't overcome your situation.
So, lift your concerns up to Jesus and replace those lies with truth. Here is the truth: God is good whether you face bad circumstances or not. He is big enough to do something about them. And even if He chooses not to answer your prayers the way you want, God is love and cannot act in ways inconsistent with His attributes of love and goodness.
Dwell on what is true. The more your focus is on God's truth over Satan's lies, the more you'll experience peace that surpasses all understanding.
Whatever Is Noble
Noble refers to lofty, majestic, awesome things—things that lift your mind above the world's dirt and scandal. Set your heart and mind on things above, not on earthly things.
Whatever Is Right
This refers not to what we think is right or what society says is right, but to what God says is right and just. He defines what is right.
Whatever Is Pure
Pure means wholesome, not mixed with moral impurity. Dwelling on impurity and acts of the flesh leads to anxiety and shame.
Whatever Is Lovely
This is a relationship word. It refers to the type of lovely conduct that makes someone feel lovable and gracious. Thinking about things that are lovely in this way brings people together in peace rather than separating them through fighting and feuding, which causes anxiety.
Whatever Is Admirable
Admirable refers to that which is well-spoken of, praiseworthy, and laudable. Think of the ways Jesus will express His life through you—ways that bring peace and make people ask, "How do you have such peace in the middle of those circumstances? That's so admirable!"
Whatever Is Excellent or Praiseworthy
Excellence encompasses what is best in every area of life, and praiseworthy means that which deserves praise. Think of God's best and what you have in Jesus in every area of your life, and that which makes you praise Him in those situations.
As you dwell on these things, you will feel and experience less fear, worry, and anxiety.
How to Stop Worrying About Everything
Many of us know this teaching. We know it's true about dealing with anxiety, fear, and worry. But even though we know it's true, how many of us really put it into practice?
When you sit at the roadblock of fear, worry, and anxiety, do you continue to allow yourself to drown in these thoughts and lies? Many of us do.
Here's what you must do:
Pray, petition God, and present your requests to Him
Release, hand over, and give the people and situations you're facing over to God. Hand them over to Him in your mind and heart.
Focus your mind on what is true
Remember who God is and all that you have in Jesus to overcome your situations or to experience His joy and peace as He continues to allow them to happen.
Don't wait until you start worrying about everything
Go on walks of gratitude every day. Declare what is true, excellent, and praiseworthy in your life every morning when you wake up and throughout the day as you have opportunity.
The more you get into the habit of turning inward to Christ in you and you in Christ, the less you will stop worrying about everything!
