How can we trust God to carry our anxiety?
Anxiety and worry are common emotions that we all face to one degree or another. At one season of my life, if you asked me my opinion of worry, I would have told you it was pointless. As a young person, I didn’t seem to worry very much. I honestly found it puzzling when I encountered people who did.
That changed when I entered adulthood and started to become responsible for the lives of other people. When the well-being of others seemed directly tied to my health or performance, I gradually began to allow anxiety to creep in. I didn’t notice it at first, but over time, I was forced to admit that in certain areas of life, I was starting to worry more than I used to.
When that became clear to me, I began praying about it, and the Lord gradually helped me understand that my anxiety tended to be connected to two different, but related scenarios.
1. I worried about things that affected my family that I couldn’t control.
2. I became more anxious when I tried to do things in my own strength that I should have been partnering with others to accomplish.
Having identified those sources of anxiety, the Lord has been using the teaching found in His word to help me address anxiety when it appears in my life, and one of the primary Scriptures He has used to retrain my thinking is 1 Peter 5:6-7.
Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, 7 casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. (1 Peter 5:6-7)
The book of 1 Peter was written by the apostle Peter to encourage first-century Christians who were facing various forms of persecution and suffering for their faith in Jesus. Peter addressed this letter to believers scattered throughout Asia Minor (modern-day Turkey), and he took time to remind them of several foundational truths, including their identity as God's chosen people, and the fact that they were set apart, redeemed by the blood of Christ, and called to live holy lives.
Peter encouraged the early church to submit to authority, whether in society, the workplace, or the home, as a testimony that would bring glory to Christ. He also reminded believers that Christ suffered unjustly during the days of His earthly ministry and left us an example of how to endure hardship with grace and trust in God.
Peter also warned the church that even though suffering is part of the Christian journey, God's grace will sustain them. The Lord sustains us on normal days, and He sustains us in the midst of seasons that might make us feel a little anxious.
In a world that constantly urges us to take control, promote ourselves, and bear the weight of every burden alone, the apostle Peter offers a radically different invitation in 1 Peter 5:6-7: humble yourself under God’s mighty hand and cast your anxieties on Him. These two exhortations are deeply connected. One flows from the other. When we recognize God’s sovereignty and submit to His timing and will, we’re free to release our worries into His loving care.
Humility is not self-degradation, nor is it passivity. It’s the posture of trustful surrender. Peter writes to believers who were suffering and struggling under persecution, reminding them that God’s hand, though it may seem heavy in the moment, is mighty and purposeful. To humble ourselves is to say, “God, You know best. I will trust Your timing rather than strive in my own strength to fix what I cannot control.”
Notice the promise that follows: “so that at the proper time he may exalt you.” God does not ignore your faithfulness. In His perfect timing, He lifts up those who patiently entrust themselves to Him. The exaltation may not look like worldly success, but it will be rich with the approval and reward of God Himself.
The next verse shows us how to live out this humility: “casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.” The word “casting” implies a decisive action like throwing something heavy off your shoulders. Peter invites us to toss our fears, concerns, and uncertainties onto God’s shoulders, not once, but continually. He’s inviting us to make this the overall pattern of our lives.
Why? Because God cares for you. This is the heart of the passage. God is not distant. He is not cold or indifferent to your pain. He’s not waiting for you to prove your worth before He helps. He cares deeply, personally, and constantly.
When you combine God’s mighty hand with His tender care, you discover a safe refuge for every anxious heart. His strength is sufficient, and His love is near. Whatever you’re facing today, uncertainty about the future, health concerns, financial pressure, relational strain, God invites you to stop carrying it alone.
Have you ever attempted to list or name the burdens that are weighing you down? If you have (or when you do so for the first time), lay them before the Lord. Say, “Father, I give these to You. I trust Your power. I trust Your timing. I trust Your loving ability to handle this for me.”
And then walk forward in peace, knowing that the God who holds the universe also holds you, and He cares more than you can imagine.
But I’m guessing that you’ve probably noticed that 1 Peter 5:6-7 isn’t the only place in Scripture that speaks of God’s offer to relieve us of our worries. Paul’s comments in Philippians 4:6-7 also complements the counsel Peter offered.
"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:6-7)
Anxiety creeps in during uncertain times, unsettles our hearts, and clouds our thoughts. It has a way of robbing us of joy and distracting us from our trust in God. But in Philippians 4:6-7, the apostle Paul gives us a powerful antidote to anxiety: prayer.
Paul doesn't say, “Ignore your concerns,” or “Pretend everything is fine.” Instead, he invites us to bring everything, our worries, fears, and needs, to the Lord. “In everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.” This is not a casual suggestion; it’s a call to communion with the One who holds all things together.
The command “do not be anxious about anything” may seem impossible at first, especially when life feels overwhelming. But it’s not a call to self-reliance. It’s a call to release. Anxiety thrives when we try to carry burdens we were never meant to bear alone. Prayer is the act of placing those burdens into God’s capable hands.
Please notice the tone Paul encourages: not just prayer and supplication, but thanksgiving. Gratitude is a powerful perspective-shifter. When we thank God in the midst of our circumstances, we are reminded of His past faithfulness, His current presence, and His future promises. Thanksgiving helps reframe our view of reality through the lens of God’s goodness and sovereignty.
What happens when we choose prayer over panic? Paul assures us: “The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” This peace doesn’t come from resolved circumstances; it comes from God Himself. It is supernatural, unexplainable, and deeply comforting. It acts like a protective guard around our hearts and minds, shielding us from the chaos that anxiety would otherwise cause.
This peace is not the absence of trouble, but the presence of Christ. It’s the calm confidence that comes from knowing we are seen, heard, and held by the Lord. Even when nothing around us makes sense, the peace of God stands watch over us, reminding us that we are secure in Him.
But Scripture reveals that it wasn’t just Peter and Paul who addressed the common struggle of anxiety. Jesus Himself also spoke of the peace He offered to those who will trust in Him. There are several places in the gospels where Jesus addressed the issue of worry, but one of my favorite passages is found in John 14:27.
"Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid." (John 14:27)
To put this passage in context, Jesus spoke these words just hours before His arrest. At the time, the disciples were confused, anxious, and afraid. They didn’t understand why Jesus was talking about leaving them. Their world was about to be turned upside down, but in the middle of that uncertainty, Jesus gave them a promise: His peace.
This wasn’t just any kind of peace; it was His peace. The peace that allowed Him to sleep in a storm. The peace that kept Him calm before Pilate. The peace that held Him steady in Gethsemane. That’s the kind of peace He gives to us, not a fragile or fleeting peace, but a deep, lasting peace that comes from knowing who holds the future.
Jesus made it clear that the peace He gives is not like the so-called “peace” this world attempts to offer. The world’s peace depends on circumstances. It’s a circumstantial peace that only works when things are going well, when there’s money in the bank, when everyone is healthy and happy. But that kind of peace disappears the moment something goes wrong. The peace Jesus offers isn’t based on what’s happening around us; it’s based on who He is. It’s a peace that stays with us even in the midst of uncomfortable or unpredictable circumstances.
Jesus also tells us, “Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.” That’s not just wishful thinking; it’s an invitation to trust Him. He’s not asking us to ignore our fears or pretend everything’s fine. He’s asking us to hand our fears over to Him. When we remember that Jesus is in control, that He’s present with us and for us, our hearts don’t have to be overwhelmed.
This kind of peace isn’t just for private or internal comfort. It also becomes a witness to the world. When people see you walk through difficulty with calm confidence, when you face uncertainty with steady faith, they notice. Your peace points them to Jesus. It says something loud and clear: Christ is alive, and He gives His people something real to hold onto.
Several years ago, I had this exact experience with a good friend who isn’t a follower of Christ. He observed the peace I had while going through a testing experience, and he couldn’t help but ask me about it. I still remember when he said, “If I were going through what you’re going through, I would have lost my cool. That would have upset me severely. How were you able to remain calm and hopeful?”
In that conversation and many more, I did my best to make it clear to Him that the peace He was observing in my life was the fruit of the work Jesus was accomplishing in my heart.
So today, if your heart feels troubled or anxious, take a moment to breathe and remember this promise. Jesus has already given you His peace. It’s not something you have to earn or chase; it’s already yours. Talk to Him about what’s weighing on you. Ask Him to help you rest in His presence, and let His peace settle over your heart. Your heart doesn’t need to be troubled, and you don’t need to give in to fear.
© John Stange, 2025