Hello Friends,

Have you ever met someone that worries about…. everything?

I used to think I didn’t worry too much. But, now I’m starting to worry that I do worry a lot! 🙂 Maybe it’s because I’m getting older and I need to make bigger decisions. Or maybe it’s just the stress of planning a wedding. Or…. maybe I just like to worry!

Thankfully, I know I am not the only one that has an occasional (or habitual) worry problem. Better yet, because I’m a child of God, I don’t need to worry. God’s Word has answers and help for those who struggle with worries and fears. God has also given us resources and other people to help us along when we are struggling.

So… what do you worry about? What is your biggest fear and struggle right now? Here are 4 ways you and I can learn to deal with our worries and fears.

4 Ways to Deal with Your Worries and Fears

1. Pray Through It

“Be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication, let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7

My first reaction to fear is usually some kind of upset, or self-defensive, reaction. If someone says something that worries me, or brings fear to my heart, I often get upset. My words may even be rather sharp as I try to protect myself from the perceived problem. Obviously, my reaction never works. I usually end up feeling guilty, and I upset another person as a result. Just because that seems to be my natural reaction, doesn’t mean it’s right. As a matter of fact, it’s downright wrong, even sinful, to respond that way.

Our reactions to fear should be to turn our eyes on the Lord instead. He is God, and He is in perfect control of the situation. God did not create us to control everything… that’s His job and He does it perfectly, in a perfect way. If we truly trust the Lord like we ought, then little things would not rattle us so quickly.

When things do worry us and cause us to fear… we should take the problems to the Lord instead of trying to fix them ourselves. We do this by prayer and taking those burdens to the Lord.

2. Meditate on Scripture

“Finally brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.” Philippians 4:8

For every single doubt, worry or fear, you can be sure that there is a verse in Scripture to help you fight against it.

After taking our worries and fears to the Lord in prayer, we need to search His Word for a promise or truth to keep our hearts and minds in the right place.

If you need some help… here is a list of Bible verses that talk about worry/fear.

• 2 Timothy 1:7
• Romans 8:15
• John 14:27
• Psalm 46:1-3
• Psalm 56:3

When worries and fears consume your heart – reach for the Word of God!

3. Talk to Yourself

This is something my mom often tells me to do… and honestly, it really works when I actually put it into practice.

We often worry because we are thinking about the same problem or fear over and over again. Instead we should remind ourselves of what God’s Word says, and what God can do to take care of the situation. Sometimes just reminding ourselves to use common sense will do the trick as well! 🙂 Let me explain…

A few weeks ago I was really worried about something that interfered with my plans. I reacted to the situation totally wrong by getting upset and worrying about the results of this little interference. Instead of worrying so much, I should have spent more time praying over the situation. In hind sight, I could have looked at things differently and “talked to myself” by thinking of the following things…

• Everything WILL work out.
• God has a solution in mind.
• Maybe God  wants me to learn to trust Him for the little things.
• This is not a big problem, only a minor hurdle to work through.
• Instead of worrying, I NEED to pray.

If I could have talked myself out of worrying, I would have saved myself a lot of grief – and I would have had a much better day as a result!

So, the next time you find yourself worrying about a problem… talk to yourself. Write out a list of things to think about instead of the problem, and fight the worries with things that are true.

“Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true… think on these things.” Philippians 4:8

4. Share it With Someone

Sometimes one of the best ways to get rid of worries and fears is to talk it out! For me, that means turning to my mom or my fiance’. Talking to one of them usually helps because they both remind me that 1) everything will be okay 2) I need to think about things differently 3) things really aren’t that bad.

God has placed people in our lives to help us work through things. Sometimes, that means sharing our worries and fears so that relief can be brought to our hearts and minds. Everyone has been given different perspectives and different thoughts on various matters. Seeking counsel from a trusted loved one or mentor may be just the thing we need.

How about you? Who can you share things with to help unload your burdens? Who can you seek for advice and loving (and biblical) counsel?

“Where no counsel is, the people fall: but in the multitude of counselors there is safety.” Proverbs 11:14

Always turn to prayer and God’s Word first… but don’t be afraid to open up and share your worries with someone you love and trust!

Final Thoughts

Worry and fear… two common problems that everyone faces sometimes. However, being swallowed up in worry and fear is a sinful reaction – it means that we are not placing total trust and confidence in the Lord. This is a sin we can confess and make right before the Lord… and it’s also an area in which we can gain victory. It may take diligent prayer and Bible meditation to conquer… but it IS possible! Why not talk to the Lord about your worried and fears right now?

I Would Love to Know

• How do you respond to worry and fear?
• What makes you worry the most?
• Do you have a favorite Bible verse for those times of worry and fear?

Please share your thoughts in the comments! I love hearing from my readers! 😉