I was reading Isaiah 28 this morning, as part of my Bible in one year plan (which is turning out to be the Bible in three years, with kids and work and chaos and all, but that’s still not bad – all 66 books in three years). And I came upon this verse:So this is what the Sovereign Lord says:
See, I lay a stone in Zion, a tested stone,
a precious cornerstone for a sure foundation;
the one who relies on it
will never be stricken with panic.
(Isaiah 28:16)
This verses seem prophetic in a number of ways.
Both Paul and Peter take these verses to be referring to Christ (Romans 9:33, 1 Peter 2:4-6), who is our sure foundation.
As we come to Christ, Peter writes, we, like living stones, will be built into a spiritual house, into a living priesthood.
“A trusting life”, says The Message translation of Isaiah, “won’t topple.”
As I write this, we are preparing for a pandemic, or in some cases struggling to contain a pandemic (depending on the country in which you find yourself, and the timing of the virus).
These words of Isaiah are words that we should hold in our hearts here and now.
They are prophetic not just in their pointing to Christ as our Lord and Savior, as the foundation upon which we can build our lives, but in their speaking into times of crisis and panic.
The one who relies on Christ will not be stricken with panic.
Now I don’t want to pretend that Christians are never scared. That we never panic. That we are never tempted to throw in the towel, to plead with God in prayer, to opt for the safer option, to cling to comfort and security, or even occasionally to drop to the floor in the fetal position in a ball of stress and anxiety.
But in times of crisis, in times of stress and panic – whether it’s losing our job, receiving a frightening medical diagnosis, or preparing for a coming pandemic – if we press into our faith, if we run to God instead of remaining curled in on ourselves, then he will pick us up from the floor, gentling uncurl us from the fetal position, and walk with us through our own personal or collective crises.
Our job in times of crisis is to lean into God…
…to listen to what he is speaking into our lives…
…to trust that he has everything under control…
…to respond to each other in love instead of fear and greed…
…to take a deep breath, maybe have a snack and a nap, and to press on to where God is calling us.
Bible Verses for Anxiety
These Bible verses are ones that each of us can cling to in times of crisis, in times of panic and anxiety. They assure us of a number of things:
- God is in control.
- He can work all things for good. (Important here: not all things are good, but that God can redeem even the nasty bits of life.)
- He is our protector, redeemer, and savior.
- God walks with us through times of suffering.
- Love trumps fear.
- Focusing on Jesus helps us through hard times.
- We are given power and authority as adopted sons and daughters of God.
Do not fear
Our first job is to not panic. God reassures us throughout Scripture: do not be afraid. Perhaps the reason that we are so prone to fear and anxiety is that we focus on the wrong things, we put our hope in the wrong things.
If we pin all our hopes on a job, on our good health, on owning a house, on our reputation, on financial security…then when our idols are shaken we fall into fear.
If we lean into God and put all our trust in him, then we have a firm foundation and no reason to be afraid.So do not fear, for I am with you;
do not be dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you;
I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. – Isaiah 41:10
Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. ~ Matthew 6:34
Tell everyone who is discouraged, Be strong and don’t be afraid! God is coming to your rescue… ~ Isaiah 35:4
Immediately he spoke to them and said, ‘Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.’ ~ Mark 6:50
Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. ~ Philippians 4:6-7
Peace is what I leave with you; it is my own peace that I give you. I do not give it as the world does. Do not be worried and upset; do not be afraid. ~ John 14:27
Do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. Life is more than food, and the body more than clothes. Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds! Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest? ~ Luke 12:22-26
‘For I am the Lord, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you. Do not be afraid, for I myself will help you,’ declares the Lord, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel. ~ Isaiah 41:13-14
God is in control
One of the biggest reasons that we do not have to fear, is that God is in control. Jesus demonstrated this when he calmed the wind and waves during a storm: he is in control of even the wind, even the waters.
And we can trust that God works all things together for our good. That doesn’t mean that all things are good, or that God causes suffering for our good, but that he can take darkness and suffering and redeem it. He can take all the fractured pieces of our lives and weave them together into something beautiful.
He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, ‘Quiet! Be still!’ Then the wind died down and it was completely calm. He said to his disciples, ‘Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?’ ~ Mark 4:39-40
Then he placed his right hand on me and said: ‘Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last.’ ~ Revelation 1:17
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. ~ Romans 8:28
God protects us
Can you think of any times in your life when you were clearly under God’s protection? I can think of a few times in mine.
Throughout Scripture, God assures us that he will protect us; he will comfort us; he will fight for us.
All we need to do is to run to him, to find refuge in his strength (and not in our own power or in the world around us), and to be still.
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. ~ Psalm 23:4
The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still. ~ Exodus 14:14
He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart. ~ Psalm 91:4
For You have been my help, And in the shadow of Your wings I sing for joy. ~ Psalm 63:7
The name of the Lord is a fortified tower; the righteous run to it and are safe. ~ Proverbs 18:10
You are my refuge and my shield; I have put my hope in your word. ~ Psalm 119:114
For in the day of trouble He will conceal me in His tabernacle; In the secret place of His tent He will hide me; He will lift me up on a rock. ~ Psalm 27:5
God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. ~ Psalm 46:1
In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, Lord, make me dwell in safety. ~ Psalm 4:8
God has redeemed us
This is perhaps the biggest reason why we do not need to fear darkness, struggle, and suffering: God has already redeemed us. He has promised us new life, bodily resurrection, and complete renewal.
He has called us by name; he has adopted us as sons and daughters. If the Almighty God, creator of the universe, chose to come in the flesh, to descend into the depths of the human condition in order to raise us up to renewal and eternal life, of what then, shall we be afraid?
But now, this is what the Lord says…Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine. ~ Isaiah 43:1
What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? ~ Romans 8:31
Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell. ~ Matthew 10:28
The Lord is my light and my salvation—whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life—of whom shall I be afraid? ~ Psalm 27:1
God walks with us through suffering
This one has been so important to me during times of darkness and suffering. We do not worship a distant God, but one who knows the depths of our suffering, who submitted to death, who experienced God-forsaken in Gethsemane, who descended even into hell, only to raise us all back up with him.
We have a God who knows suffering. And we have a God who promises to walk with us through the dark times.
…the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. ~ Deut. 31:6
Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go. ~ Joshua 1:9
The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit. ~ Psalm 34:18
The Lord is with me; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me? The Lord is with me; he is my helper. ~ Psalm 118:6-7
God can carry our burdens
There have been a handful of times when I’ve carried a burden that was too heavy for me – lugged it around for months or even years, weighing heavy on my shoulders and on my heart.
Carrying burdens…feeling responsible for others’ choices, trying to change things we cannot change, trying to live up to the world’s expectations…can be taxing. God tells us, instead, to cast our burdens on him.
When something is weighing on your own heart and your own shoulders, bring it to God. Physically lift it up to him. Lay it at his feet.
Give your burdens over to God every time that they begin to nag at you. It may be a continual process, as you pick them back up again and lug them around. But a continual giving over can lighten your anxiety and lighten your heart.
Humble yourselves, then, under God’s mighty hand, so that he will lift you up in his own good time. Leave all your worries with him, because he cares for you. ~ 1 Peter 5:6-7
Cast your burden on the Lord, and he will sustain you. ~ Psalm 55:22
Love trumps fear
What stronger weapon do we have than love? God has given us a spirit of love, and he has called us to act in love. Always. Perfect love casts out fear.
For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. ~ 2 Timothy 1:7
There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. ~ 1 John 4:18
And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. ~ Romans 8:38-39
Keep your eyes on Jesus
I cannot emphasize how important keeping your eyes on God is for exorcising the demons of fear and anxiety that live in each of our hearts.
Peter, when he walked on water, began to sink only when he took his eyes off Jesus.
Moses got through the desert with the Israelites because he followed the pillar of cloud and the pillar of fire. He kept his eyes on God.
When we, too, focus on God, the demons, the obstacles, the monsters and shadows that surround us lose some of their power.
God lights our way. He clears our path. But we must keep our eyes on him.
When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. In God, whose word I praise— in God I trust and am not afraid. What can mere mortals do to me? ~ Psalm 56:3-4
I keep my eyes always on the Lord. With him at my right hand, I will not be shaken. ~ Psalm 16:8
You provide a broad path for my feet, so that my ankles do not give way. ~ Psalm 18:35-36
You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you. ~ Isaiah 26:3
So this is what the Sovereign Lord says: See, I lay a stone in Zion, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone for a sure foundation; the one who relies on it will never be stricken with panic. ~ Isaiah 28:16
Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. ~ Hebrews 11:1
I prayed to the Lord, and he answered me. He freed me from all my fears. ~ Psalm 34:4
When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought joy to my soul. ~ Psalm 94:19
We are given authority as adopted sons and daughters
Finally, we are given authority over evil and we are given power as adopted sons and daughters of God.
Christ has already defeated death. He has already beaten Satan. The victory has already been won.
We are ushered into God’s kingdom as adopted offspring, and we are promised the victory that is rightfully ours.
The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” ~ Romans 8:15
Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you. ~ Luke 10:19
Perhaps the best thing to do in times of fear and anxiety, is to take the promises of God – the promises of protection, of peace, of authority over evil – and to pray them back to him.
God, when anxiety is great within me, please bring your consolation and your joy into my soul.
Provide a broad path for me feet, Lord, so that my ankles (or my heart) will not give way.
Lord, help me to trust in your light and your salvation. Cast the fear out of my heart.
And, of course, God instructs us not just to pray but to listen. “The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still” (Exodus 14:14). In stillness, in seeking God’s light and listening for his voice, we are granted peace and protection.
I cannot help but think about the apostle Peter, as I so often do, who took the leap to step off the boat when Jesus called to him, “Come,” but then started to sink when he got distracted by the wind and the waves.
Keep your eyes on Jesus. Lift up your burdens to God. Be still and listen for his voice.