A Prayer When Facing Overwhelming Stress and Anxiety
By Keri Eichberger
Bible Reading
“Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.” - Proverbs 3:5-6
Stress. Worry. Uncertainty. Overwhelm. I feel it all. And this definitely isn’t the first time. Uneasiness plagued me day after day when my son started driving last fall. Fear consumed me when my dad went in for open-heart surgery a few months back. Overwhelm almost completely swallowed me 18 years ago when the ultrasound tech said, “I’m sorry we can’t find your baby’s heartbeat.” And nagging stress? I’m all worked up in it right now for my mom as she wonders how she’ll care for my dad after yet another life-altering stroke.
I know you are familiar with similar suffocating waves of anxiousness, too, aren’t you? Sometimes, the dark waters flood your world with such a constant that you feel you’ll never catch a break or a breath. You want desperately for God to intervene with his divine relief before you crack, crumble, and flat-out collapse. Listen, I know how hard it is to pause for peace to combat the craze when the world keeps bringing bad news and more and more heavy burdens. Personally, I tend to relentlessly grasp for control and take charge as if it’s in my hands to fix what’s wrong and straighten out what doesn’t make sense. Or I’ll just distract and numb out from the realities I face.
But it’s in these overloaded, weighed-down moments we all must remember to place our trust in God. He knew this was all going to happen. He did. He also knows what’s going to happen next. And he knows, ultimately, all things work for the good of those who love him. That’s you and me. And all that we’re going through. Whatever has you shaken or stirred up with stress and overwhelm, God knows. God sees. God cares. So you can take a deep breath right now, child of God. OK, I will too. Whisper the words, God, I trust you. Deeply inhale trust and exhale the stress. Again, God, I trust you. Replace each and every stress and worry with trust. God can be trusted with it all.
Listen, if life didn’t hand us all the heavy, hard waves you’re being hit with, we wouldn’t need our good God. And close to him is always right where he wants us. The best place to be. He wants you to trust in him. He wants you to lean on him. All the way through your anxious situation and season. Your almighty Father also wants to relieve your hurt and the heaviness you feel. He wants you to know he loves you, that he is making a way, and that he has everything that has you uneasy in his sovereign control. You may not understand. Many times we won’t. But he does. And his way is absolutely the best way. You and I can trust our loving Almighty God. Right where he has you. Right now. Always.
Let’s pray:
Loving Lord, I feel the overwhelm of uncertainty, uneasiness, and worry. All rooted in the enemy’s lies of helplessness. And I don’t want to be weighed down by this false fear. Lord, I know that because of your perfect love and all-powerful control, I don’t need to worry about today or fear anything the future might hold. But the world can be such a struggle. Between the people I care about and my own inner and surrounding battles, there is always something competing for my care and concern. It easily becomes more than I can handle, and right now, I need you. I need confidence in your truths. I know you love me and each of your children more than I could possibly imagine. And I know that you have all things in your powerful hands. This means I have nothing to worry about now and nothing to fear for all of my tomorrows. For this, I praise you. Give me unshakable confidence in this unfailing truth. Thank you for your love. Thank you for your power, protection, and provision.
In your mighty name, Amen.
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