Use these Bible verses when you feel stressed to ease your worry and anxiety and find joy and peace in the Lord.
We don’t have to look very far to find reasons to feel anxious or burdened with stress. Our everyday lives may be filled with things that evoke feelings of stress and anxiety.
Scripture has a lot to say about navigating stress, worry, overwhelm, and anxiety.
If you’re looking to find what God’s word has to say about stress, and how you can deal with stress, here are 13 verses to help you overcome it.
Scripture on Stress
1. Psalm 94:19
When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought me joy.
When we experience anxiety, it can be easy to turn to other coping mechanisms to deal with the feelings that we are going through.
Some of those methods may be helpful, such as taking slow breaths, or taking a walk. And others may be unhealthy, or simply cause a distraction.
But the Psalmist knew there were more than outward methods to cope with his anxiety.
We too, like him, have God who is able to console us, and bring us true comfort, not only in our hearts and minds but also in our soul. And His consolation brings joy!
2. 1 Corinthians 7:32
I would like you to be free from concern. An unmarried man is concerned about the Lord’s affairs—how he can please the Lord.
The gift of singleness isn’t for everyone. If you’re married, this verse isn’t for you, but if you are in a season of singleness, or you feel as though God has called you to live a life of singleness, I want to encourage you.
You have the opportunity to have your time less divided, and for your life to be free from many concerns and responsibilities. Use the time to seek out how you can serve the Lord with your life.
3. Proverbs 12:25
Anxiety weighs down the heart, but a kind word cheers it up.
When you are dealing with anxiety, it can burden your heart. You may be anxious about your job, unemployment, your children, trying to have children, your future, and so many other concerns of life.
It seems like there is always something to be concerned about, and this can strip your heart of any joy or peace. Sometimes all we need is a kind word, a word of encouragement from those around us, or from God’s word.
4. Matthew 11:28-30
Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
Where do you go when you feel burdened, weary and anxious?
God calls us to come to Him in times of weariness, and anxiety to find rest. When your mind is racing and you can’t seem to find peace, turn to God. In His presence we can find both peace and rest for our weary and burdened hearts and minds.
5. Isaiah 35:4
Say to those with fearful hearts, “Be strong, do not fear; your God will come, he will come with vengeance; with divine retribution he will come to save you.”
God is our refuge in every trouble. We don’t have to let anxiety and fear rule over our hearts because we have a God who is able to save us.
6. Philippians 4:6
Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
There are so many things in life that we can stress about. Most of us could come up with a long list of stressors in our lives, whether that is over minuscule things or life altering things. The size of our issue or the thing that is causing us anxiety doesn’t matter to God.
Whether they are great or small, He says “don’t be anxious about anything.” Instead, He says that we should pray about everything. If you’re writing a test, going for an interview, in between jobs, raising a family, or facing health issues.
Wherever you find yourself, exchange your anxious thoughts with prayer. Tell Him what is on your mind, ask Him to help you and remember to give Him thanks.
7. Psalm 55:22
Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken.
When we feel ridden with anxiety and don’t know what to do or where to turn we can always turn to God. Why is that?
Because He is a personal God, He cares for us and that includes all the details in our lives.
There is nothing that You can’t bring to Him in prayer.
Turn to Him in faith and He will sustain you.
8. 2 Thessalonians 3:16
Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way. The Lord be with all of you.
The remedy for an anxious mind or heart is peace. But peace can be hard to come by in this world.
As Christians we get to experience the supernatural peace of God, given to us by Him through His Holy Spirit.
Even when we are facing less than peaceful circumstances, we can have peace at all times and in every way because He is with us.
9. 1 Peter 5:6-7
Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.
Again, we are reminded that God cares for us, so we can unburden ourselves before Him. I love that this verse also talks about the kind of heart posture that we should have when we come before God.
A heart that is humbled to even get the gift of being able to have an intimate relationship with God.
A heart that does not demand from God, but humbly submits to His wisdom. This is the heart that He lifts up in due time.
10. Matthew 6:25-34
Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?
And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’
For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
What more can be said about this passage in Matthew 6?
The Lord knows our needs and reminds us that He will look after us.
We don’t have to focus all our time and attention on our needs as the world does, because our lives are more than that.
He reminds us to focus our eyes on His Kingdom, knowing that everything else will follow.
11. Luke 12:25-26
Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to your life? Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest?
If we think about it, worrying doesn’t accomplish very much. It takes more from us than what it gives.
It takes precious time, it distorts our perspective and it robs us of trusting God.
In Luke we’re told that worrying can’t add a single hour to our lives, since it can’t accomplish such a thing, why would we worry at all?
12. John 14:27
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.
As Christians we are so privileged to be in the world but not of it.
Though many of the concerns and anxiety that we experience are due to earthly concerns and circumstances, the peace that Christ gives us is not like that or the world.
The world’s kind of peace is circumstantial but Christ’s peace is eternal. It is what carries us through the broken world, and gives us the courage to hope and not to be afraid.
13. Jeremiah 29:11
For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
When you’re facing a crisis in life, it can be easy to fret over the outcome and what your future will look like. One of the ways that we can find both peace and assurance in those times is by reminding ourselves that God is the one who ultimately establishes our footsteps.
Though we have free will to make choices that can either positively or negatively affect our lives, we can find comfort in knowing that He is sovereign over our lives.
Looking for more help to ease your stress?
Prayer for Stress – How to Deal With Stress As A Christian
30 Bible Verses When You Feel Overwhelmed
5 Steps To Taking Your Thoughts Captive
19 Bible Verses on Confidence and Self Esteem
Brenda
Sunday 16th of June 2024
Thank you
Becky
Monday 17th of June 2024
You're welcome, Brenda!