As one who has struggled with an anxiety disorder for most of my adult life, I know just how important prayer for anxiety is.
And in addition to struggling with an anxiety disorder, I also regularly find myself in the midst of circumstances that tempt me to feel anxious. Whether it’s the stress of upcoming bills or the health of my children or the pressure of being self-employed, I find myself constantly tempted to be anxious.
I need prayer for anxiety.
But here’s the thing…
When I’m being squeezed by the vice grip of anxiety, it’s really hard for me to pray. My brain is going in 10,000 different directions and I often don’t even know what to pray.
Can you relate?
Here’s the good news though. God always hears our prayers for anxiety. He longs to help us when we’re anxious. He wants to meet us right where we are and give us the peace that passes understanding.
As Paul said in Philippians 4:6, “do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.”
So what sorts of prayers for anxiety should we pray? Here are five.
5 Prayers for Anxiety
1. Trusting God’s Good Character
Father, I don’t understand why you’re allowing me to go through these challenging circumstances. I don’t know why you’ve allowed me to be pressed on every side and overwhelmed by the waves of life.
But what I do know is that you are good and loving and faithful. I know that nothing can get to me without first going through you. And I know that you are working all things together for my good and your glory.
As it says in Romans 8:28, “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.”
So even though I may not understand why I’m experiencing these difficult trials, I know that you are walking with me every step of the way. So I lift this prayer for anxiety to you. I trust in you to sustain me even when I can’t sustain myself. You are faithful even when I am faithless.
2. Trusting God’s Good Promises
Father, even though I may not be able to see how any good can come out of these circumstances, you have promised to never stop doing good to me.
As you say in Psalm 23:6, “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”
In Psalm 84:11 you say, “No good thing does he withhold from those who walk uprightly.”
As I lift this prayer for anxiety, I believe this promise. I believe that you will not withhold a single good thing from me. If something is good for me, you’ll give it to me. If it’s not, you’ll withhold it.
