5 Powerful Verses to Anchor You in a Sea of Anxiety

　　In the movie Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, Newt Scamander tells his friend Jacob, “Worrying means you suffer twice.”

　　For those of us who have been plagued by worries, we understand what he means. The majority of what we fret about are events in the future, or at least our perception of these events. We suffer twice because not only are we going to experience these events, which may involve discomfort, but we have already suffered through excessive mental preoccupation with the events. Worrying only increases our problems.

　　Although we cannot control worries from popping into our minds, we can control how we respond to events that cause us to worry. The Bible directs us on how to respond while also giving us comfort and encouragement.

　　Before examining Bible verses that can help us not to worry, though, we need to understand a few things. Unlike self-help books, Scripture never promises us that reading verses will make anxiety and fear vanish. Turning to the Bible during tough times does not instantly solve all our problems. However, it can change our perspective and refocus our attention on God instead of on our struggles. We can cling to the truth of what the Lord says because His Word is solid and unchanging.

　　In addition to recognizing that reading Bible verses will not miraculously change our circumstances, we also need to recognize that, in some instances, excessive worry could be part of an underlying mental health issue. We do not need to guilt others into believing they lack faith in God because they are struggling with anxiety and worry due to mental health. These symptoms may stem from conditions like generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) or depression. When worrying becomes unmanageable, we should pray and read Scripture but also seek out medical help. Doing so is not unspiritual nor does it mean a person lacks trust in the Lord.

　　The following five Bible verses may not take away our worries or fix our problems, but they can anchor us. Whenever we face the surging sea of anxious thoughts, we can cling to these truths and find firm footing.