This post is all about how you can worry less by focusing on God more.
What does worrying accomplish? It doesn’t help solve the problem we are facing. It doesn’t ease our trepidation. Worry doesn’t make the days less painful, and it certainly doesn’t make us more Christ-like.
So, what does worrying do for us?
Worry fills us with fear and dread. It steals our joy. It takes us captive and paralyzes our decision-making. Worry causes us to lash out at our friends and family and gives us many sleepless nights.
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Worry may be easy to do, but it is not Biblical. Here are 13 things you can do today if you are ready to worry less.
Understand where your worry is coming from
I am the biggest introvert there is. Being out in people situations gives me THE WORST anxiety. Because of this, I tend to worry about the situation before I even arrive, but once I am there, I realize that all of the scenarios I came up with, and had been stressing about, don’t even happen. (In fact, most of the time, I enjoy doing the thing that I was so worried about!)
When I stopped to think about why I was worrying and where it was coming from, I realized that it was not from God. 2 Timothy 1:7 says that the “spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love, and self-discipline.”
The cause of my worry is feeling like I don’t fit in. that I’ll say or do the wrong thing, and people will look at me like I’m crazy and weird (Which I totally am). It was only when I understood this is where my worry was coming from that I was able to implement steps to worry less.
Journal and write it down
Sometimes you need to be able to write down what you are worrying about to give it a new perspective. So go ahead and get out a pen and paper and write down the main thing you are worried about, but also include every outcome of that situation. Then write down what you can accomplish by worrying. You’ll most likely find that worrying does not get you very far.
Now that you know the source of your worry, you can follow these next steps to help you worry less.
Pray | Talking to God can help you worry less
One of the most popular Bible verses for anxiety is Philippians 4:6-7, which says “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.”
There are so many powerful truths to unpack in this verse. Perhaps the most powerful thing is that we can come to God in every situation, and He will hear us.
Did you know that when YOU pray, God listens? He isn’t just listening to the big important Christians; He is listening to you, because He cares for you. He desires to have a relationship with you.
I think it is so easy to forget just how powerful prayer is. But the Bible says that the prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective (James 5:16). This is because God hears your prayers (Proverbs 15:29), and we can have confidence because of it (1 John 5:14).
Read the Bible
Prayer doesn’t always come naturally to me, but reading the Bible is something I can get behind. There are so many ways that reading the Bible can help you worry less.
Reading every day is a great proactive way to worry less. The more you seek God first, the more you will find yourself naturally being worry-free. Having a daily Bible reading plan is great for getting in the Word consistently, and finding a community of believers is great for accountability.
Related post: 7 ways to have a successful daily Bible study.
If you are in the midst of worry right now and need a more directed approach to reading the Bible, you can read verses specific to God’s command to never be anxious. You can also read passages that can help in whatever situation you are facing.
Memorize scripture to take with you when you are anxious
Right alongside reading the Bible, memorizing some key passages is a great way to overcome anxiety and worry less. Joshua 1:8 says to meditate on {God’s Word} day and night, and Psalm 1:2 reaffirms that sentiment by saying “Blessed is the one whose delight is in the law of the Lord.”
Memorizing scripture is especially helpful if you tend to have reoccurring anxieties – such as anytime you are in a public setting, anytime you take an exam, or whenever you are in a certain situation.
Maybe you notice yourself getting worried whenever you take an exam, and that causes you to get bad grades. Having a verse memorized can help you find the peace of God in the middle of the exam, because the verse can quickly be brought to mind. Memorizing scripture can be a great way to help you worry less.
Cast your anxieties on Jesus
Often, the thing we are worried about is completely out of our control. We tend to worry about the situation because we WANT to control the outcome, but if we were to humble ourselves before God, giving Him our anxiety and worry, He would give us the strength to overcome our fears. We can cast our anxiety on Him because He cares for us (1 Peter 5:6-7).
You can hold in all of your worries, or you can choose to give them to God. He truly cares about you – more than you can even imagine. I mean, just think, He knit you together in your mother’s womb, He calls you by name, and He knows the number of hairs on your head! God loves you and He wants you to give Him all of your worries and fears. If we cast our cares on the Lord, he will sustain us (Psalm 55:22).
Be still before God to worry less
Often when we are worried, we try to fix whatever is on our mind by doing a bunch of things. Maybe the best thing for you to do is to just be still before God. Sit in His presence and let His peace wash over you. In Psalm 56:3, David writes “When I am afraid, I put my trust in you.”
Put your trust in God and be still before Him. If you need help knowing how to be still, I have an entire post dedicated to How to be still before God.
Worry less by resting in God’s love
Do you ever get to the point where you are so worried about something that when someone goes to give you a hug or comfort you, you push them away? How often do we do that same thing with Jesus? There have been times in my life when I ask God to send His comfort, but then I push away the help that He offers. Let it never be said of us that we were not willing to be gathered to Jesus as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings (Matthew 23:37).
When you need help to worry less, remember that God is with you. He takes great delight in you, He quiets you with His love and rejoices over you with singing (Zephaniah 3:17). Rest in the love that God offers when you are feeling anxious.
Wait on the Lord
Sometimes we can find ourselves worrying because we are waiting for something to happen. If you find yourself in this situation, instead of passively waiting on something out of your control, actively wait on God.
When you are waiting on God, know that He is with you, so you have nothing to fear. He promises to strengthen you and help you (Isaiah 41:10). God promises to give peace that surpasses all understanding (Philippians 4:7). Hold on to this peace while you wait.
God promises that those who wait on Him will renew their strength (Isaiah 40:31). If your worrying has caused you to grow weak, hold on to the promise that God will renew your strength when you cling to Him.
Remember God’s faithfulness to worry less
God is faithful and His promises never fail (Joshua 21:45). If you find yourself getting weary from the anxiety and wanting to worry less, remember God’s former faithfulness in your life. How have you seen God fulfill His promises, give you peace, or turn a bad situation for good?
You can also look up the promises God has for you in the Bible, as well as instances in the Bible where God fulfilled His promises to His people.
Only think about today (don’t worry about tomorrow)
Okay, so this one is obviously hard to do. But whenever you find yourself worrying about something in the future, remind yourself that God is in control and God commands us to not worry about tomorrow (Matthew 6:34).
So often, the thing we are worried about is something that won’t even happen. We are worried about the “what-ifs” of life. What IF I don’t get that job, or what IF the diagnosis is positive? What IF my marriage fails, or what IF I don’t pass this test?
Instead of worrying about the “what-ifs” of tomorrow, which will steal your joy, try to worry less by only thinking of today.
Seek God’s kingdom first
What is the reason for only thinking of today? Well, whenever you are worried about the “what-ifs of tomorrow, you are not focused on the Kingdom of God. Matthew 6:33 says to “seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” What are all these things? They are the what-ifs that tomorrow brings.
Related post: Do not worry, God’s command to never be anxious.
Instead of worrying about tomorrow, which only brings more fear and anxiety, worry less by focusing on God. Remember that TODAY is the day that the Lord has made, so we have a reason to rejoice (Psalm 118:24). Above all, whether in a season of worry or a season of confidence, seek first the Kingdom of God.
Talk to other believers about your worry
If you find yourself unable to stop worrying about something, maybe it is time to take it to another believer who can help you through it. Your worries may be weighing you down right now, but being in fellowship with others might be the cure you need (Proverbs 12:25). When you come together with other believers, you can encourage each other and pray for each other (1 Thessalonians 5:11).
If you are unable to worry less, even after trying these other steps, seeing a counselor may have the tools you need to free you from anxiety. Seeing a counselor was one of the best things I ever did to help free me from anxiety.
Serve others
One of the best ways to worry less about a situation is to serve others. The proactive nature of doing something with your hands gets your mind off of whatever is stressing you out. You don’t even have to do anything big to serve others. Most of us can find an example of service in our own homes. Get practical with how you serve: what does someone close to you need? How can you take a worry off of their plate?
Serving others takes the focus off of yourself and puts it on someone else. This may be the very thing you need to help you worry less.
Reflect on how you can worry less
Which of these steps cn you implement today to help you worry less? Comment below if which one was most helpful and what Bible verse impacted you most!
This post was all about how you can worry less by seeking God more in your everyday life.
