On the Run 

Living with anxiety feels a lot like living on the run—except you’re running away from your own life. Panic settles in your chest as you try desperately to escape to a safe place that seems just out of reach. Worries swirl around in your head at a speed that makes it hard to breathe, and fear wells up, causing indecision and self-doubt.

Sound familiar? There’s a constant pressure never to shut off your life—emails never stop, notifications pile up on our phones, and let’s not forget the comparison trap social media brings. So, how do we live with that, when we know that as Jesus followers, we are called to live anxious for nothing? Too often we feel weighed down by guilt because we think Christians aren’t supposed to feel this way. But what if we can stop running from something and start running to someone?

We can. You can. The promise that we can live anxious for nothing isn’t based on what we can produce but on the presence of God.

Check out what it says in Philippians 4:6-7 NIV: 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.

On our own, we are hopeless in the fight against anxiety. But with God? We have access to His presence, which offers peace we can’t even begin to understand.

What’s even better about that promise? It’s a continual process. In every situation. Every time we start feeling anxious, we can go to God for His peace because peace is a by-product of God’s presence.

Anxiety will not often disappear instantly. It’s a moment-by-moment, continual process of seeking His presence. Over the next few days, we’ll share stories of everyday people who have battled with anxiety and what they’ve learned along the way.

Scriptures – Day 1

Philippians 4:4-7 (NLT)

⁴ Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again—rejoice! ⁵ Let everyone see that you are considerate in all you do. Remember, the Lord is coming soon.

⁶ Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. ⁷ Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.

John 16:16-33 (NLT)

¹⁶ “In a little while you won’t see me anymore. But a little while after that, you will see me again.” ¹⁷ Some of the disciples asked each other, “What does he mean when he says, ‘In a little while you won’t see me, but then you will see me,’ and ‘I am going to the Father’? ¹⁸ And what does he mean by ‘a little while’? We don’t understand.” ¹⁹ Jesus realized they wanted to ask him about it, so he said, “Are you asking yourselves what I meant? I said in a little while you won’t see me, but a little while after that you will see me again. ²⁰ I tell you the truth, you will weep and mourn over what is going to happen to me, but the world will rejoice. You will grieve, but your grief will suddenly turn to wonderful joy. ²¹ It will be like a woman suffering the pains of labor. When her child is born, her anguish gives way to joy because she has brought a new baby into the world. ²² So you have sorrow now, but I will see you again; then you will rejoice, and no one can rob you of that joy. ²³ At that time you won’t need to ask me for anything. I tell you the truth, you will ask the Father directly, and he will grant your request because you use my name. ²⁴ You haven’t done this before. Ask, using my name, and you will receive, and you will have abundant joy. ²⁵ “I have spoken of these matters in figures of speech, but soon I will stop speaking figuratively and will tell you plainly all about the Father. ²⁶ Then you will ask in my name. I’m not saying I will ask the Father on your behalf, ²⁷ for the Father himself loves you dearly because you love me and believe that I came from God. ²⁸ Yes, I came from the Father into the world, and now I will leave the world and return to the Father.” ²⁹ Then his disciples said, “At last you are speaking plainly and not figuratively.³⁰ Now we understand that you know everything, and there’s no need to question you. From this we believe that you came from God.” ³¹ Jesus asked, “Do you finally believe? ³² But the time is coming—indeed it’s here now—when you will be scattered, each one going his own way, leaving me alone. Yet I am not alone because the Father is with me. ³³ I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.”

2 Thessalonians 3:16 (NLT)

¹⁶ Now may the Lord of peace himself give you his peace at all times and in every situation. The Lord be with you all.

What if anxiety can bring you closer to Jesus? Jordan spent a whole year praying his anxiety away until he discovered something deeper—a stronger relationship with Jesus. Maybe you can relate to his story:

“I think I’m going to die.” That’s exactly what I thought to myself numerous sleepless nights last year. I would try to fall asleep, only to be woken up in terror for no particular reason. My chest was tight. I felt like I was choking, and I couldn’t breathe at times. The cycle would repeat, and eventually I resigned myself to sleep on the couch so I’d stop waking up my wife.

One day, I went to a doctor and explained my symptoms—the chest pain, the trouble falling asleep, and the panic attacks. After a couple of tests over a few visits, he diagnosed me with anxiety. Can I be honest? It made me feel like a failure as a Christian. Hadn’t I been praying against this the right way? I’m not supposed to deal with this, I would think to myself, I’m supposed to have peace and not worry—that’s what Jesus said to do!

After following the doctor’s instructions and starting to take a small dose of medication, I continued praying for anxiety to just go away. I didn’t want to have to deal with it anymore.

In 2 Corinthians 12, in the NIV translation, Paul described his “thorn in the flesh.” While we never know for sure what Paul’s “thorn” was, anxiety can certainly feel like one for a lot of people, including me. Paul said that he pleaded with the Lord three times to take it away, but instead, Jesus told him, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”

The grace of Jesus is sufficient, no matter the circumstances. As I began praying for healing, I began to draw closer to Jesus. Like Paul, God hasn’t taken away my “thorn.” However, I’ve found myself more passionate about reading His Word, and I’ve prayed more than I ever have before. I thought what I needed was healing for my anxiety. In reality, I needed more of Jesus. Now, I’m not saying if I had been closer to Jesus that I wouldn’t have had anxiety. I’m also not going to stop praying for anxiety to leave. I keep praying to be delivered from this thorn just like Paul did. But something even better is happening to me than being instantly healed from anxiety: I’m developing a deeper understanding of God and a richer relationship with Him.

Instead of just praying for peace, I found myself drawing closer to the Prince of Peace. When I began to worry about my future, I reminded myself that He is the Alpha and the Omega—the beginning and the end, the first and the last.

I prayed for my anxiety to go away, but I found something much better: the overwhelming, loving presence of Jesus in my life—even in the midst of anxiety.

Scriptures – Day 2

Philippians 4:6-7 (NLT)

⁶ Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. ⁷ Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.

2 Corinthians 12:7-9 (NLT)

⁷ even though I have received such wonderful revelations from God. So to keep me from becoming proud, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger from Satan to torment me and keep me from becoming proud. ⁸ Three different times I begged the Lord to take it away. ⁹ Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me.

Romans 15:13 (NLT)

¹³ I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Psalms 4:8 (NLT)

⁸ In peace I will lie down and sleep,   for you alone, O Lord, will keep me safe.

Revelation 22:13 (NLT)

¹³ O Lord our God, others have ruled us,  but you alone are the one we worship.

Is peace really possible today? Cheri went on a quest 11 years ago to find out. Here’s what she discovered along the way:

I remember it vividly. The day I decided I couldn’t live like this anymore.

Here I was, a fully devoted follower of Christ, responding to life pretty much like everyone else. I lived in fear and worry, yet I knew it shouldn’t be that way! Consistently I read in the Word of God not to be afraid and to be anxious for nothing. But that sounded impossible!

God has a lot to say in the Bible about fear and its antidote: peace. In one instance, Jesus and His disciples were on a boat crossing the Sea of Galilee when a furious storm threatened to sink them. They all fought to keep afloat, and what was Jesus doing? He was sound asleep! Right in the middle of the storm.

The disciples asked, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?” Jesus got up and rebuked the storm, and it went completely calm. Then He asked the disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?” Mark 4:40 NIV

That pretty much summed up the conversations I was having with God. I could feel Him asking me why I was afraid, and I was answering, Isn’t it obvious? Look at my circumstances! Who wouldn’t or couldn’t be afraid?

In my quest for peace, several things became crystal clear.

1. My circumstances were determining my level of peace. If life’s circumstances were all good, then I was at peace. If storms were encircling me, I was stressed, anxious, and tired all the time—exhausted from my emotions. I was just like the disciples in the storm. I was fearful of the storm, hurt, and confused because I thought God didn’t care. But Jesus brought me to my next point.
2. Jesus was trying to teach me peace is possible, no matter the storm. Are you relating to this battle? It’s not easy, is it? I was still struggling to understand how Jesus could expect me to experience peace in the storm, wondering if He truly even cared, when I realized my next breakthrough point.
3. My storms revealed my level of trust. Peace doesn’t mean everything is going right in your life. It means being at peace when storms are shaking your life. I hadn’t learned to trust God and find peace even in those storms. Have you hit that wall yet?

It was obvious I had some room to grow. But I’m learning that the path to peace is found by trusting and fixing our thoughts on the One who is never unsettled by storms. It didn’t happen overnight, but little by little, more peace and rest rejuvenated my tired, weary soul.

Scriptures – Day 3

Philippians 4:6-7 (NLT)

⁶ Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. ⁷ Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.

Mark 4:35-41 (NLT)

³⁵ As evening came, Jesus said to his disciples, “Let’s cross to the other side of the lake.” ³⁶ So they took Jesus in the boat and started out, leaving the crowds behind (although other boats followed). ³⁷ But soon a fierce storm came up. High waves were breaking into the boat, and it began to fill with water.

³⁸ Jesus was sleeping at the back of the boat with his head on a cushion. The disciples woke him up, shouting, “Teacher, don’t you care that we’re going to drown?”

³⁹ When Jesus woke up, he rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Silence! Be still!” Suddenly the wind stopped, and there was a great calm. ⁴⁰ Then he asked them, “Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?”

⁴¹ The disciples were absolutely terrified. “Who is this man?” they asked each other. “Even the wind and waves obey him!”

Joshua 1:9 (NLT)

⁹ This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

Isaiah 26:3 (NLT)

Jesus meets us in the middle of anxiety, even when we don’t feel Him at first. Chelsea first experienced anxiety right after graduating from college. Here’s her story of how God brought her out of darkness and into His peace.

The feelings of fear, worry, and depression were so real. I could barely eat because of the daily nausea. I slept more than 12 hours every night, yet every morning it was a battle to even make myself get out of bed. I was so wrapped up in my own mind that most days I simply didn’t speak. I sought help from my family, a doctor, a counselor, pastors, and friends, but my dark days seemed to be never-ending.

We all experience dark days. And those dark days may last weeks. Or months. Or years. But if you know the story of Good Friday, the day Jesus gave His life for yours, you know there is good news, friends. Friday is dark, but Sunday is coming!

We have a hope in the darkness, and our hope has a name. His name is Jesus.

On my darkest day, a Friday in July, I finally drew near to Him just as He had been drawing near to me.

I prayed:

Jesus, help me reject the lies of the enemy. Jesus, help me overcome my anxious heart. Jesus, help me trust that You are in control. 

Jesus, help me believe that the Spirit who raised You from the dead dwells in me.

And two days later, on Sunday, I woke up without the heaviness of depression and without the feeling of anxiety. For the first time in so long, I could feel His peace. And I experienced a miraculous healing that can only be explained by the goodness of God.

During my dark days, Jesus gave me hope. Even when I couldn’t feel Him, He was there. Every single day that I felt far from Him, He was pulling me closer to Himself.

I don’t know if you’ll experience the sudden, miraculous healing from your pain like I did. But I know for sure God is with you in the pain.

Jesus understands human suffering. And He cares. He cared enough to leave Heaven and die for us to put an end to our darkness once and for all.

The Bible says: … His life brought light to everyone. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it. John 1:4-5 NLT

Sunday’s coming.

Scriptures – Day 4

Philippians 4:6-7 (NLT)

⁶ Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. ⁷ Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.

1 Peter 5:6-7 (NLT)

⁶ So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and at the right time he will lift you up in honor. ⁷ Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.

Romans 8:11 (NLT)

¹¹ The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, he will give life to your mortal bodies by this same Spirit living within you.

Isaiah 53:3 (NLT)

³ He was despised and rejected— a man of sorrows, acquainted with deepest grief. We turned our backs on him and looked the other way. He was despised, and we did not care.

Psalms 56:8 (NLT)

⁸ You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book.

John 1:4-5 (NLT)

⁴ The Word gave life to everything that was created, and his life brought light to everyone. ⁵ The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it.

Revelation 21:1-7 (NLT)

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the old heaven and the old earth had disappeared. And the sea was also gone. ² And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven like a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.

³ I heard a loud shout from the throne, saying, “Look, God’s home is now among his people! He will live with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them. ⁴ He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.”

Do you ever feel guilty for being a Christian who isn’t “anxious for nothing”? Does having anxiety give you more anxiety because you feel like you’re not supposed to feel it? Lori was in the same boat until she discovered one thing that changed everything.

My marriage was in shambles. I was shouldering all of the responsibility of raising three kids, two of them teenagers (Lord, help me!) all on my own. Working, cooking, cleaning, carpooling, fixing, financing, supporting, loving, providing—it was all on me. My anxiety was through the roof, and I didn’t know what to do about it.

I was trying everything I could think of: counseling, meditation, medication, music, exercise, reciting Scriptures, you name it! Nothing seemed to take it away. Don’t get me wrong, it was definitely helping to do these things. I learned to use the tools I needed to get myself centered on Christ again. But I was still struggling. Looking back, one thing I realize I wasn’t trying was “not trying.”

If you search Scripture, you will find a ton of verses about worry. I know because I was looking for a magic formula to help me conquer it once and for all. In my search, I found something unexpected. You have to pay attention to see it, but in these verses there are implicit instructions from our Father to do nothing. Yes, seriously—nothing.

In Matthew 11:28 NIV, Jesus says, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” He is doing the work here, not us. We just have to come to Him.

In John 14:27 NIV, He says, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you …” Are you sensing a theme? He is giving us peace. He is giving us rest. We do nothing.

Again in Matthew 6:25-34 NIV, this famous passage tells us not to worry, for God even “clothes the grass of the field,” so how much more will He take care of us? We’re told to “seek first his kingdom … and all these things will be given” to us. That’s right—did you catch that? Given!

God is a giver. He has the answers, and He has our back. Some things we just can’t do ourselves, but that is exactly how He designed it. For us to need Him.

All of those things I worried about worked out, one way or another. It wasn’t until I took a breath, rested, truly came to Jesus, got quiet, let go of all the details, told God that I trusted Him completely—and then learned to do nothing—that I finally found peace. Ultimately, my prayers became less about my situation and more about my trust in Him.

If you need to do the same, I highly encourage you to rest in Him. You can trust Him. Here’s what I pray when I’m feeling overwhelmed by anxiety again:

Dear Lord,

I come to You today to ask for help. You are my everything. Lord, I need rest. I give You my worry. Take it, Lord. I accept Your peace, love, and understanding. Help me to turn to You and not to myself. Help me to stop doing and start trusting. Help me to wait on Your answers, because I know that they are good. Give me wisdom, hope, and peace. Thank you, Lord, for Your patience and grace. I love You, and I know You love me so much more than I could ever imagine. Amen.

Scriptures – Day 5

Philippians 4:6-7 (NLT)

⁶ Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. ⁷ Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.

Matthew 11:28 (NLT)

²⁸ Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.

John 14:27 (NLT)

²⁷ “I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.

Matthew 6:25-34 (NLT)

²⁵ “That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing? ²⁶ Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are? ²⁷ Can all your worries add a single moment to your life?

What if you can praise God even in the middle of pain? Brian experienced anxiety that led to some physical symptoms as well. But through his experience, he discovered that he still had much to thank God for. Here’s his story:

I first dealt with acute anxiety and panic some years ago while living in a foreign country during a challenging stage of life. While trying to learn a new language, start a business, be the light of Christ where there was virtually no church present, and parent twin one-year-olds, it was as if I gradually descended a dark valley.

Over the course of several months, I suffered from chest pains, headaches and other sickness that served as a catalyst for fear and concern unlike anything I’d ever experienced. Up until this point in my life, I really hadn’t battled worry too much, and if I’m honest, I even prided myself on being a courageous risk taker. But I soon began to dwell on worst-case scenarios—convinced something serious was wrong with me or that something terrible would happen to my family.

People ask whether my anxiety was circumstantial, physiological, or spiritual. Having considered this quite a bit, I am fairly convinced that the answer is “yes.” I believe that often there can be multiple things at play. Stress has a way of boiling to a point where even those with the highest tolerance are susceptible to its building force.

Also, like other physical limitations or sickness, some of us experience times when our bodies’ chemicals are out of balance. In addition, our spiritual enemy seems to be an opportunist when it comes to his attacks, striking in our areas of weakness.

In Paul’s famous challenge to be anxious for nothing in Philippians 4:6-7, he calls us not only to pray but also to give thanks. The context of Paul’s instruction is not on the heels of victory or after receiving a miraculous breakthrough. In fact, Paul himself was facing a pretty terrible situation. He was writing to the Philippian church from prison and facing a very uncertain future. And yet, his letter reflects his deep joy and attitude of rejoicing.

So in the middle of our pain, we can also give praise. 

I don’t believe Paul is asking us to drum up insincere gratitude. I think Paul is challenging us to give thanks where thanks is due, even in the midst of whatever current struggle we are going through.

I have found that I am never without things to celebrate. Even during some of the most difficult trials I have faced, there have also been things I’m thankful for. Meditating on those and voicing gratitude to Him helps transform my perspective and recalibrate my mind.

An overload of negative or stressful thoughts can create a general sense of impending doom. But even when stating my gratefulness to God as a forced act of discipline, I often experience the weight begin to lift.

That’s not to say there’s some gimmicky formula to an anxiety-free life. But the principle of praising God even through pain is a pathway to His life-giving presence, which offers us peace.

Scriptures – Day 6

Philippians 4:4-8 (NLT)

⁴ Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again—rejoice! ⁵ Let everyone see that you are considerate in all you do. Remember, the Lord is coming soon.

⁶ Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. ⁷ Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.  ⁸ And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.

Psalms 23:4 (NLT)

⁴ Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me. Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me.

Psalms 34:4 (NLT)

⁴ I prayed to the Lord, and he answered me. He freed me from all my fears.

Philippians 1:18 (NLT)

¹⁸ But that doesn’t matter. Whether their motives are false or genuine, the message about Christ is being preached either way, so I rejoice. And I will continue to rejoice.

Philippians 3:1 (NLT)

Maybe one of those stories stuck out to you. Or maybe your story with anxiety is completely different. But whatever battle you’re facing with anxiety, the same Spirit who raised Christ from the dead is living in you. And He didn’t give you a spirit of fear.

That doesn’t mean that if you’re struggling with anxiety you don’t have enough faith. It doesn’t mean that you’re not trusting God enough. In fact, what if anxiety could be the very thing that helps you learn to rely on and trust in God? Could anxiety actually be a catalyst for drawing you closer to God?

Anxiety becomes a gift when it helps us depend on God. That doesn’t mean we stop seeking help or hope. It does mean that we know pursuing peace is a process.  So, is it possible to really live anxious for nothing? Yes. That doesn’t mean there won’t ever be anything to be anxious about. But because of Jesus, we can live anxious for nothing even when there’s something to be anxious about—not by our efforts but by His presence.

Check out these verses again:

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 NIV

Breathe in that truth. We often fixate on the word “peace,” but it says, “peace of God.” True peace is found only in the presence of God. So, what if the answer to anxiety isn’t less stress but more God?

Consider: How might I more regularly invite the presence and peace of God into my life?

Pray: Lord, thank You for your constant presence. I come to You today asking for the peace that only You can provide. I want more of You. I invite you into every part of my life. Help me rely on You more fully and completely today. I give you all my worry and fears. Help me live anxious for nothing by depending on You. I trust You. I give my all to You. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Scriptures – Day 7

Philippians 4:4-7

⁴ Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again—rejoice! ⁵ Let everyone see that you are considerate in all you do. Remember, the Lord is coming soon.

⁶ Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. ⁷ Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.

2 Timothy 1:7 (NLT)

⁷ For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.

John 14:27 (NLT)

²⁷ “I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.

1 John 4:18 (NLT)

¹⁸ Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced his perfect love.

Psalms 46:10 (NLT)

¹⁰ “Be still, and know that I am God! I will be honored by every nation. I will be honored throughout the world.”