A prayer for anxiety and worry to bring peace

peaceful-river

Have you ever had times in your life when your mind is racing so fast but at the same time it is stuck on the same thought over and over again. Anxious thoughts and fear have taken root inside your brain and you feel trapped.  You long for a prayer for anxiety and worry to bring hope to your troubled heart and soul.

I can vividly recall times in my life where I have been afraid; and yet I could feel God’s peace, it was a calmness that washed completely over me.  It is truly  the peace that surpasses all human understanding.  From our perspective it doesn’t make sense.  As I look at this scripture verse it tells me God will quiet me with His love.  “The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing.”  Zephaniah 3:17  I began to understand all the moments when the peace of His presence has washed over me and brought relief to my wearied mind.

The phrase, “he will quiet you by his love” jumped out at me.  I have read this verse hundreds of times but for some reason, those words have caught my attention.

I will never forget when we did not know if our Dad was going to live or die.  There is nothing that can prepare you for those moments… in your mind you can rationalize that your parents are getting older and they will not live forever.  But when you stand face to face with the reality of death, it can strike terror in your heart and your mind can began to race with all the thoughts of what if…..  I have to tell you during those days when we did not know what was going to happen with our Dad, anxiety was not my constant companion, instead God’s peace flowed all around me.  As I look back at that time I am amazed by how God quieted us with His love.

My Dad survived and he is still with us.  I am so thankful.  He doesn’t remember much about that time in the hospital.  But the one thing he does remember is he felt a presence in the room with him, it was near him and it brought to him a feeling of peace which words cannot begin to describe.
I had wondered if my Dad felt scared and I find out  God was right here sitting next to him, quieting him with His love.

This reminds me of a beautiful prayer a friend of mine gave me when I was going through some major health issues and stressful situations.  He said to say each line of the prayer and to focus on what the words mean. I have found this to be a perfect prayer for anxiety and worry.

Be still and know that I am God.
Be still and know that I  am.
Be still and know.
Be still.
Be.

Psalm 46:10

I added this to the prayer for anxiety and worry:  Be in the presence of the One who loves you more than you can possibly imagine.  The hands that formed the earth and placed the stars, the hands that were nailed to the tree and won the victory over sin, death, and the devil….are the very same hands that hold you close to His heart and will never let you go.

Sin has messed up so many relationships and caused so many problems in our world. But I know the One who has won the victory over sin, so I will find comfort in my Savior, who quiets me with His love.