Prayers for fear and anxiety
Worry has a way of filling every quiet moment, and being told “just trust God” has never once made it stop.
These prayers don’t scold the fear. They take it seriously and set it down, piece by piece, in front of the God who says: cast it on me, because I care for you.
Start here
When the worry will not switch off
Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings. And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. 1 Peter 5:6-11 (NIV)
Lord, I humble myself under Your mighty hand today. I cast all my anxiety on You because You care for me deeply. Help me stand firm against the enemy who seeks to devour my peace. Remind me that I am not alone in my suffering. God of all grace, restore me, make me strong, firm, and steadfast after this season of struggle passes.
Change any words that don’t fit, or stop at the one line that’s true today. More on this one.
All 54 prayers for fear & anxiety
Each one pairs a passage with a short prayer. Find the line that matches where you actually are, rather than where you think you should be.
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Cast Your Anxiety
When the worry will not switch off
Lord, I humble myself under Your mighty hand today.
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Competence From God
When you feel out of your depth
Lord, when fear tells me I am not enough, remind me that my competence comes from You alone.
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Not Crushed
When you are under pressure from all sides
Father, fear presses in on every side, but I will not be crushed.
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Peace at All Times
When you cannot find a calm minute
Lord of peace, give me peace at all times and in every way.
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Spirit of Power
When fear is making the decisions
Father, the Spirit You have given me is not a spirit of fear.
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All Things Hold Together
When everything feels out of control
Jesus, when fear makes me feel like everything is falling apart, I remember that in You all things hold together.
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Peace of Christ
When your thoughts will not settle
Father, I give the peace of Christ permission to rule in my anxious heart.
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Do Not Be Afraid
When you are facing something alone
Father, You command me not to be afraid or discouraged because You are with me.
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Chosen Before Creation
When you feel like an afterthought
Father, You chose me in Christ before the creation of the world.
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Incomparably Great Power
When the problem is bigger than you
Lord, open the eyes of my heart to see the hope I have in You.
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Strengthened in My Inner Being
When you have nothing left inside
Lord, strengthen me with power through Your Spirit in my inner being.
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Grace in Time of Need
When you need help right now
Jesus, You were tempted in every way and understand my fears.
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What Can Man Do
When you are afraid of another person
Father, You have said You will never leave or forsake me.
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Trust and Not Be Afraid
When you want to stop being afraid
Lord, I declare that You are my salvation.
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Steadfast Mind
When your mind will not stay still
Father, I fix my mind on You.
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Rest and Quietness
When you cannot stop pushing
Lord, teach me that my salvation is found in repentance and rest, not in striving.
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I Will Help You
When you need someone to take your hand
Lord, You take hold of my right hand and whisper, "Do not fear; I will help you." I receive Your help today.
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Through the Waters
When you are going through it, not around
Lord, You tell me not to fear because You have redeemed me.
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No Fear When Heat Comes
When you are bracing for the worst
Lord, make me like a tree planted by water.
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My Peace I Give You
When the world's calm is not enough
Jesus, You leave me Your peace—not the fragile peace the world offers, but Your own peace.
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Peace in Trouble
When trouble has already arrived
Lord, I know I will have trouble in this world, but I can have peace in You.
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Do Not Be Discouraged
When you have to start something hard
Father, You command me not to fear or be discouraged.
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Do Not Worry
When you are worrying about money
Father, You tell me not to worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself.
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Foundation on the Rock
When the storm is already here
Lord, the storms of life beat against me, but I am building my life on the rock of Your words.
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Come to Me
When you are carrying too much
Lord, I am weary from carrying this anxiety.
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Peace That Transcends
When peace does not make sense yet
Father, I present my anxieties to You with thanksgiving.
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Do Not Lean on Understanding
When you cannot think your way out
Father, my anxious mind tries to figure everything out, but You call me to trust, not to lean on my own understanding.
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I Will Not Fear
When you are outnumbered
Lord, I will not fear though troubles assail me on every side.
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Not Be Shaken
When you feel unsteady
Father, I keep my eyes always on You.
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My Strength
When you have run out of strength
Father, I love You, my strength.
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I Fear No Evil
When you fear no evil and still feel it
Father, even in the darkest valley, I will fear no evil because You are with me.
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My Light and Salvation
When you are afraid of what is coming
Lord, You are my light and my salvation—whom shall I fear?
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Strength and Shield
When you need protection today
Father, You are my strength and my shield.
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Into Your Hands
When you need to let go of it tonight
Lord, into Your hands I commit my spirit.
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Delivered From Fear
When fear has taken over the day
Father, I seek You and trust You will answer me.
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Steps Made Firm
When you are afraid of falling
Lord, make my steps firm.
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Refuge and Strength
When the ground is giving way
Father, You are my refuge and strength.
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He Will Sustain You
When you cannot carry it another day
Father, I cast all my anxious cares on You.
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I Trust and Am Not Afraid
When you are afraid and choosing to trust
God, when I am afraid, I put my trust in You.
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He Vindicates Me
When you need someone on your side
God Most High, I cry out to You.
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When My Heart is Faint
When your heart is giving out
Father, my heart grows faint with anxiety.
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My Fortress
When you need somewhere to stand
Father, You are my rock, my salvation, my fortress.
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Terror of Night
When the fear comes at night
Lord, I will not fear the terror of night or the arrow of anxiety that flies by day.
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When Anxiety Was Great
When anxiety is bigger than everything
Lord, anxiety is great within me, but Your consolation brings me joy.
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No Fear of Bad News
When you are dreading the phone call
Father, make my heart steadfast so I have no fear of bad news.
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Delivered From Death
When you came through something bad
Father, You have delivered me from death, my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling.
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From All Harm
When you are afraid for someone you love
Lord, keep me from all harm.
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The Lord Surrounds
When you feel unprotected
God, You surround me like mountains around Jerusalem.
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Like a Weaned Child
When you need to stop wanting for a bit
Father, help me calm and quiet my anxious soul.
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Help Is the God of Jacob
When the help you counted on failed
Father, my help is not in humans who fail—my help is in You, the God of Jacob.
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The Old Order Passes
When you need to know it will not last
Father, I look forward to the day when fear and pain pass away.
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Peace With God
When you are not at peace with God
Lord, because I am justified through faith, I have peace with You.
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More Than Conquerors
When you feel like you are losing
Lord, in all these struggles I am more than a conqueror through You who loved me.
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Wise About Good
When you are afraid of being fooled again
Father, make me wise about what is good and innocent about what is evil.
Questions people ask
Why does 'just trust God' not help?
Because it is an instruction, not a help, and it lands as a rebuke when you are already trying. The prayers here do not tell you to stop being anxious. Several of them start by saying the fear is there and going from that.
Is anxiety a lack of faith?
The psalm behind one of these prayers says 'when anxiety was great within me', in a book of scripture, without apology. Treating anxiety as evidence of weak faith is a modern idea, not a biblical one.
What do I pray at 3am?
Something short. The prayers here are a few sentences on purpose, and it is fine to stop at the one line that is true tonight and leave the rest.
The passages behind these prayers
Some of these come up again and again, in more than one kind of hard day. Each passage has its own page with what was going on when it was written, and what it does not claim: 1 Peter 5:6-11 , 2 Corinthians 3:4-6 , 2 Corinthians 4:8-18 , 2 Thessalonians 3:16 , Colossians 1:15-17 , Colossians 3:15 , Deuteronomy 31:8 , and Ephesians 1:3-14 .
When the words still won’t come
Sometimes what you’re carrying doesn’t fit one category. You might also find what you need in prayers for doubt or prayers for loneliness. And if all you can manage today is a single sentence, that counts. God has never graded prayers by length.