The Answer to Anxiety
How to Break Free from the Tyranny of Anxious Thoughts and Worry
By Joyce Meyer
Category: Psychology | Reading Duration: 15 min | Rating: 2.8/5 (198 ratings)
About the Book
The Answer to Anxiety (2023) lays out the steps to overcoming anxiety with the help of God’s Word. It walks you through four specific actions, all derived from a single Bible passage.
Who Should Read This?
- Christians looking to solve their anxiety problems
- Anxious people seeking spiritual support
- Anyone interested in Christian-based self-help work
What’s in it for me? Discover the Bible-based secrets to overcoming anxiety.
You’re human. It’s only natural to make questionable choices, struggle with insecurity, and develop bad habits at some point in your life. But do you know another thing humans have in common? We all experience anxious feelings.
Anxiety is a normal part of life. You’re bound to worry from time to time, whether it's stressing about your upcoming driving exam or your loved ones’ safety while away from home. But the problem starts when those worries snowball and take over your thoughts – before you know it, they’ve turned into a serious mental health disorder that requires professional intervention. That’s why it’s important not to wait until it’s too late. If you tackle those daily worries head-on, they’ll never spiral out of control. But how do I do that, you might ask.
Joyce Meyer believes that the answer to this problem lies in God’s Word. So if you’re a follower of Christ who wants to deal with your anxiety once and for all, you’re in the right place. By the way, we’ll be referring to specific spots in the Bible throughout this Blink – so it might help to keep the good book handy. Ever felt lost in a sea of what-if scenarios?
That’s anxiety at work. It’s a mixed emotion of unease, dread, and nervousness that leaves you feeling drained all the time. Anxiety can sneak up on you for all sorts of reasons, but one of the biggest culprits is stress.
Chapter 1: Defeating anxiety with one powerful Bible passage
When faced with stressful situations like a big business presentation or a painful breakup, it’s our tendency as humans to worry about what might happen next. And while you might not be subjected to stress 24/7, the fact of the matter is that you can never completely avoid it. Just as Jesus said in John 16:33, the world is full of troubles. Another big trigger for anxiety is fear.
Maybe you’re scared of abandonment, financial instability, career failure, or severe health problems. While some of these things may be valid worries, most of them probably won’t ever transpire. Finally, you may have anxiety due to the pressure you put on yourself to be perfect. If you constantly feel like you’re not meeting your impossibly high standards, it can lead to a lot of stress and worry. When you let anxiety take over, you also let it steal away your precious time and energy. Instead of making progress toward your goals for the day, you end up stuck.
Matthew 6:27 confirms this, saying how worry accomplishes nothing useful. So why waste your energy on something that won’t bring any value to your life? It’s time to take control of your anxiety with the help of one mighty Bible passage, Philippians 4:6–7. Be anxious for nothing, 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 minds through Christ Jesus.
This single passage reveals four actions you can take to kick anxiety to the curb. We’ll explore each of these steps in detail in the next sections. Philippians 4:6–7 begins with a clear mandate: “Be anxious for nothing.
Chapter 2: Action 1: Conquer anxiety with the help of five techniques.
” That’s the first action you need to take – stop being anxious. While the message is simple, you already know that it’s easier said than done. In fact, that’s probably why this Blink piqued your interest in the first place – you want to figure out how to overcome your anxiety. And it’s totally doable!
You can start by taking five easy techniques to heart, following them to a tee, and making them a part of your daily life. The first technique involves looking back at all the times God helped you through your problems. This is what Psalm 77:11 tells you to do. By remembering how the Father never abandoned you in the past, you’ll rest easy knowing that He won’t abandon you this time either. The second technique is all about keeping the faith amid difficult times. When anxiety starts creeping in, remember Joshua 1:8 – counter those thoughts by meditating on God’s promises.
Do this relentlessly every day, and don’t let the long wait for answers to your prayers discourage you. Keep in mind that God’s timing is perfect. The third technique is to believe that God has your back. He holds all the answers you need, no matter how seemingly insurmountable the problems are. As Matthew 19:26 confirms, anything is possible with the Lord. The fourth technique is putting your trust in God, just as Psalm 56:3 encourages.
Whenever things go the wrong way, you might find yourself asking Him why. Why does He put me through such horrible challenges? Why does He keep hurling problems my way? But trust that God has His reasons – those trials may simply be a test of your trust in Him. Finally, the fifth technique: know that God loves and cares for you. It may not be easy to accept, especially if your life is filled with trouble after trouble.
But if you look at Scripture, you’ll see just how deep and unconditional God’s love for you is. In fact, it’s so perfect that 1 John 4:18 says it can drive away fear. These five techniques will give you the push you need to start conquering anxiety. Put them into practice, and see just how much your mindset changes. But your battle with your anxious human nature doesn’t end here. This is only the first step.
Chapter 3: Action 2: Pray wholeheartedly.
Let’s go back to Philippians 4:6–7: Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication … let your requests be made known. This simple yet powerful statement emphasizes the importance of incorporating prayer in your battle against anxiety. Now, you may be someone who prays, but you’re likely making a common mistake: turning to prayer as a last resort. Think about it – do you only pause to pray after you’ve exhausted all other options?
But prayer should never be your last option; it should be the very first thing you do. So raise your problems to God right from the get-go. Hand over your worries, and trust that He will take care of them. The earlier you do this, the less anxious you’ll be. Prayer is nothing more than a simple heart-to-heart talk with God. You don’t have to use complex, eloquent language while praying or speak for an hour in order for the Father to hear you.
What matters most is that you do six things while praying. First, forgive the people who have wronged you. Next, say your prayer from the heart. Third, simply ask God for what you need – it’s only when you ask that you receive. Fourth, let your prayer be rooted in faith, as Hebrews 11:6 says it pleases the Lord. Fifth, couple your prayer with love – love for other people and love for all things right.
Last but not least, keep God’s will in mind; 1 John 5:14 reminds us that prayers in accordance with His will are always heard. If you don’t know what to pray for, you can always turn to Matthew 6:9–13 and use the Lord’s Prayer that Jesus taught His disciples. It’s a perfect example of what to say when talking to God, and it takes less than a minute! Once you’re done praying, try not to fall back into the anxiety trap.
This would mean you aren’t completely surrendering your problems to God, and don’t fully trust in His power to handle them. Remember, when you pray, you’re essentially turning all your worries over to Him – so your problems don’t belong to you anymore. That’s the power of prayer at work.
Chapter 4: Action 3: Live with gratitude.
Growing up, you were probably taught one of the magical phrases of social etiquette: “Thank you. ” And to this day, whether you get a free sample or a nice compliment, you probably still utter those words with a smile. “Thank you” may be a small phrase, but it carries a powerful message. It’s more than just having good manners – it’s actually one of the actions you need to take to escape anxiety.
In Philippians 4:6–7, you’re urged to pray with thanksgiving. Being thankful allows you to see the good side of whatever troubles you’re experiencing – the good fortune rather than the bad luck. It's essential to be mindful of where you set your focus because it ultimately shapes your reality. The less attention you direct to your troubles, the less prominent they’ll be in your life. The more attention you direct to your blessings, the better you can fight anxiety. A great way to practice being thankful is to put your blessings on paper.
Writing down your thoughts in ink helps you disconnect from your emotions and think rationally. At the end of the page, you’ll realize that you actually have a lot more blessings than troubles. You just couldn’t see them at first glance. But you need to go beyond just feeling thankful – Psalm 100:4 reminds you to express it verbally too. Tell people you appreciate the time and effort they share with you. Thank God for the graces he sends your way.
By acknowledging the goodness of others and the blessings of God, you can cultivate a heart of thankfulness and experience greater contentment in life. Unfortunately, despite the numerous mentions of giving thanks in the Bible, it’s still common for people to complain instead of expressing gratitude. That’s just part of human nature. This is where practicing discipline comes into play.
Make it a habit to be thankful every single day until it becomes ingrained in you, like a reflex. It’s not an easy habit to develop, but Hebrews 12:11 promises that your efforts won’t be in vain. You’ll reap your reward as long as you commit yourself to the task without reservations.
Chapter 5: Action 4: Indulge in God’s gift of peace.
Imagine conquering mountains and swimming across rivers to follow the arc of a rainbow to the end, where the elusive pot of gold awaits you. That’s exactly how battling anxiety is. The journey to the end of the rainbow represents the three actions we’ve just covered. As you put these actions into practice, Philippians 4:6–7 guarantees that you’ll ultimately get to your pot of gold: God’s gift of peace.
However, this isn’t the kind of peace that gets rid of all your problems. Instead, it’s the peace that keeps you at ease during both calm weather and chaotic storms. It’s a peace that prevents you from relapsing into anxiety, no matter what challenge life throws at you. The best part is that you don’t even have to go off searching for this peace. John 14:27 reveals that Jesus has already gifted this to humanity – now you just have to indulge in it. The key is to watch out for peace thieves.
They come in all shapes and forms, from money troubles to an unexpected job loss or an expensive surgery. They can also be minor disagreements with other people. But the biggest peace stealer of all? Your mindset. When you wallow in anxiety and focus on the negatives, you deprive yourself of the chance to indulge in God’s peace. So determine which things steal your peace, and then follow the three actions Philippians 4:6–7 taught you.
It’ll also make a big difference if you start shifting your mindset to that of Jesus Christ. According to Romans 8:6, when you think in line with the Spirit, peace will be yours for the taking. And that’s exactly what you came here for in the first place.
Final Summary
The secret to overcoming anxiety lies in one powerful passage in the Bible, Philippians 4:6–7. It outlines four specific actions to take. The first is to battle anxiety with five easy-to-follow techniques. The second is to pray sincerely and lift your problems to God.
The third is to practice gratitude, even in the middle of chaos. And the last action is to enjoy the peace that Jesus Christ has given humanity. By implementing these steps, you’ll free yourself from the shackles of anxiety and be able to live your best life in the care of God.
About the Author
Joyce Meyer is a New York Times best-selling author of Christian books and the president of Joyce Meyer Ministries, a Christian nonprofit. She also hosts a daily program called Enjoying Everyday Life.