God Can Transform Your Anxiety

God can transform your anxiety not just into calm, but into joy, as you learn to replace fearful thoughts with His truth.

“When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought me joy.”
Psalm 94:19

I love that Psalm 94 doesn’t just say, “When anxiety was great within me, you calmed me down.” Nope. God doesn’t take us from anxiety to calm. He can actually take us from anxiety to joy.

How does he do that? Truth can switch the track in our minds. When we remember what God says, we change courses from thoughts that lead to anxiety to those that can instead lead to emotions like courage and even celebration.

For example, you might feel fear about an upcoming meeting at work. And yet as you pray and remember that what God has told you is true, you find yourself becoming first calmer and then even filled with confidence and anticipation.

Practicing Changing Your Brain

We’re human, and for our brains to learn to respond in new ways takes time and practice. But we can begin to change by saying, “Okay, I’m feeling anxious. That’s okay. It’s the same system that’s related to a lot of other things—like enthusiasm and joy. God, please help me pinpoint the thoughts that are causing fear and replace them with faith instead so my emotions can change too.” This won’t happen instantly, and that’s totally fine. God understands. Yet as you practice this transformation, over time you will probably notice a little less anxiety and a little more excitement coming into your life.

Instead of immediately running away, see some of the moments when you feel anxiety as opportunities to retrain your brain. Lean into them. Learn from them. And let them eventually lead you to more joy.

In His Word

Read Psalm 55. Notice the verses about trust and how God sustains us. Are there any cares you can cast on the Lord today?

In Your Life

What helps you when you are anxious or overthinking? Take a moment to remind yourself of the truth of God’s sustaining love for you.

We Recommend

We recommend the book 365 Truths for Every Woman’s Heart: A Daily Devotional of Encouragement and Prayer by Holley Gerth. We love how Holley provides us with short, accessible daily reminders of hope and brings us back to Scripture.

Let’s Connect

Holley Gerth loves humans, words, and good coffee. She’s a Wall Street Journal bestselling author, master life coach, and cohost of the More than Small Talk podcast. Her background also includes being a counselor and cofounding one of the first online communities for Christian women. Holley is passionate about helping people embrace who they are and become all they’re created to be. You can connect with her and find more resources at HolleyGerth.com.