Pam Fogle
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7
Cast all your anxiety on him because He cares for you. 1 Peter 5:7
In recent weeks, I’ve realized how easy it is to let anxiety take over, especially when life feels overwhelming and unpredictable. Work has kept me busy, daily life has been hectic, especially with the holidays, and I’ve found myself worrying about things beyond my control. It’s been a different kind of anxiety—one that I have not experienced before. Once my worries passed, I often wondered why I was so concerned. Things weren’t as bad as I imagined, and everything went better than expected, thanks to God’s guidance. Many biblical heroes wrestled with anxiety—David, Elijah, Jeremiah, and even Jesus in Gethsemane. Something I am learning is that scripture doesn’t shame us for feeling anxious but invites us to turn our worries into prayers and cast them onto the Father. These scriptures have helped me through my recent periods of anxiety, and they may be beneficial for you as well.
Praying and casting require action. Every day we must choose faith over anxiety and not worry about tomorrow because each day brings trouble of its own (Matthew 6:34). By expressing gratitude and turning our worries into prayers, we are releasing them and placing them in God’s hands. And the truth is, these worries don’t belong to us; they belong to Jesus. He paid for them on the Cross. When we give up control and release our worries to God, this leads to peace that surpasses understanding.
Listening Prompt
Instead of bottling up my worries, I’ve found comfort in expressing gratitude and speaking my worries out loud in prayer, letting go of the need to control the outcome.
– Name the worry or worries you’ve been carrying.
– Pray it plainly and truthfully. “God, this has been weighing on me.”
– Release it with trust, “Lord, I place this in Your hands and trust You with the results.”
– Resist the temptation to pick it back up, even if the feeling lingers.
