Fear, Worry, and Anxiety in the Bible

What does God say about anxiety in the Bible? It’s a question that’s often asked as anxiety rates have continued to rise over the past few decades. Experts estimate that 19% of American adults have an anxiety disorder. Meanwhile, 43% of Americans say they are more anxious in 2024 than they were the year before.

Increasing anxiety rates can be linked to many societal and individual factors, including social media, substance use, isolation, the Covid-19 pandemic, divorce rates, a highly contentious and polarized political climate, and more. It’s impossible to point to one thing that has caused anxiety to rise so drastically, but what we do know for sure is that many people are struggling with fear and anxiety.

How has anxiety been addressed historically in Christian circles? The subject of anxiety has often been a controversial one, with some claiming that worrying is the same thing as not trusting God, or that anxiety is a sin. Those claims are overly simplistic and can often serve to make those struggling with anxiety or other mental health issues feel condemned and discouraged.

As our psychological and scientific understanding of the mechanisms of anxiety grows, we can integrate that knowledge with the teaching of Scripture about anxiety. Anxiety in psychology and anxiety in the Bible are not mutually exclusive. What we learn about how anxiety works can help us apply what God says about anxiety in the Bible.

Does the Bible make a blanket statement that anxiety is a sin? No; that’s a false misconception. Scripture is more nuanced and compassionate than that.

As we move toward an integrated understanding of worry, fear, and anxiety, we can unpack the deeper meaning in God’s Word, allowing us to move toward healing and wholeness, even without easy answers or solutions.

Understanding Fear, Worry, Anxiety, and Mental Illness

Let’s talk about the differences and similarities between fear, worry, and anxiety.

“Fear is an intense biological response to immediate danger, while anxiety is an emotion regarding things we think may happen.” (Baton Rouge Behavioral Hospital)

Fear is a biological impulse and a hormonal response of self-preservation in the face of a threat.

Anxiety is less focused and immediate than fear and is often vague and more fixated on things that may or may not happen.

Worry is often more specific than anxiety and tends to be more logical and solution oriented. However, it can also involve rumination and excessive fixation on a real or imagined problem. One definition of worry is “allowing one’s mind to dwell on difficulty or troubles.”

Fear, anxiety, and worry can all be normal and can all serve a purpose. Without fear, we wouldn’t avoid immediate pain or danger. Without anxiety, we would be unable to marshal our mental resources to identify possible future danger. Without worry, we might lack a wise concern that guides us to take care of our responsibilities.

However, any of these emotions can cross a line from helpful into unhelpful, from normal to disordered, from occasional to pervasive. Being in a highly fearful state can look like excessive anxiety or occasional panic attacks, or it can become a diagnosable disorder such as panic disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, or generalized anxiety disorder.

According to Harvard Health, “Anxiety disorders are characterized by severe, persistent worry that is excessive for the situation, and extreme avoidance of anxiety-provoking situations. These symptoms cause distress, impair daily functioning, and occur for a significant period.”

Anxiety disorders have specific diagnostic criteria. Whether or not your anxiety level can be characterized as disordered, Christian counseling can help you identify the root of your anxiety, find out more about anxiety in the Bible, and help you find positive coping mechanisms to use in your daily life.

Often, Christians struggle to know whether anxiety or worrying is their choice or whether it’s a mental illness. You might feel guilty for having anxiety but also feel unable to make it go away on your own.

There’s often more going on in the body and brain than a simple decision to worry. Trauma can imprint a threat response in our brain. You can be conditioned to view life as more or less threatening based on your experiences. The good news is that the brain can be rewired, and trauma can be healed. The choice you have is in how you respond, and sometimes that’s not intuitive. Help and support are essential.

Galatians 6:2 says, “Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way, you will fulfill the law of Christ.” A Christian counselor view it as a privilege to walk with clients on the road to healing from fear and anxiety.

A Christian Approach to Anxiety

There’s a common perception that the church stigmatizes mental illness. More often, the church doesn’t address it and doesn’t know how to talk about it. This can lead to confusion or shame.

Mental illness is becoming a more frequent topic of conversation in the church. Slowly, we, as Christians, are developing a greater understanding of people who struggle and how we can care for them.

The more informed we are about anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues, the better we can support those who struggle and walk alongside them, so they are not alone. If you are struggling with anxiety and you feel alone, our prayer for you is that you would experience God’s presence even in your anxiety. He is faithful even when our minds and bodies feel broken.

What the Bible Says about Anxiety

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, NIV

Many Bible verses about anxiety in the Bible can be taken as guilt-inducing if you view them as commands instead of encouragement. Try reading those Scriptures again, remembering God’s love and compassion while you read them. Remember that you are his creation, and he cares for you. He’s not condemning you for your anxiety but reminding you what is possible through his strength.

For example, Philippians 4:6 says, “Do not worry about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, present your requests to God.” In context, Paul has just finished writing to the church about his eager expectation of being transformed by Jesus into his likeness in heaven (vv. 3:20-21). Paul then goes on to give practical counsel to the believers in Philippi, urging everyone to rejoice, be gracious, pray, be thankful, and rest in God’s peace (vv. 4:4-7).

Paul is encouraging the believers that because their citizenship is in heaven (v. 3:20), they don’t have to worry. Instead, they have the privilege of bringing their requests to God, and they have the promise of his peace.

Notice that Paul doesn’t start with telling the believers not to be anxious – he spends the entire letter up to that point talking about the gospel, humility, his own view of knowing Christ, and finally why, in light of all these things, we can bring our anxiety to the Lord.

Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the LORD is kept safe. — Proverbs 29:25, NIV

Worry can show a lack of trust in God, and it can also show a physical response to trauma or a lack of safety. God is compassionate over all of these things. This proverb shows two contrasting states of mind: the fear of man vs. trusting in the Lord. Here we can see the Lord’s kind reminder that when we live to please other people, it’s like being stuck in a trap; but when we rely on Him to meet our needs, we can be set free.

God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. — Psalm 46:1, NIV

If you feel confused about your anxiety and fear, confess that to the Lord (Psalm 61:2-4). Cast your cares on him and submit them to him (1 Peter 5:7). His mercies do not fail, even when we, in our humanity, are weak and frail (Lamentations 3:22). There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ (Romans 8:1). There is no simple solution, but we have the promise of his presence (Hebrews 13:5).

Christian Counseling for Anxiety

Whether you’re wondering about anxiety in the Bible, solutions for panic, fear, or worry, or just want someone to talk to so you can figure out how to cope better with daily life, the counselors at our office are here for you. Contact us today to schedule your first session. You can call us, browse our online counselor directory, or fill out our contact form.