By Anna Gibson
Maybe she’s mad at me. The thought sneaks in, unbidden, at two in the morning.
I try to shrug it off, roll over, and will myself back to sleep. But I can’t.
Was it something I said to my sister? Is she offended? I gnaw on these thoughts, and wakeful minutes pass.
Sigh. I flip over and try to pray, but my mind remains unfocused.
My heart beat quickens. My muscles tense. Thoughts meander through unrestful territory.
My husband’s health. My adult kids’ challenges. Money matters.
I know I’ll be exhausted by morning. This prediction increases my stress.
The Bible tells us God “grants sleep to those He loves” (Ps 127:2). Yet, worries plague many Christians in the wee hours of the morning.
Why We Worry
You and I are fearfully and wonderfully made (Ps 139:14). God designed our bodies with a powerful danger response system. When we sense trouble, hormones like cortisol increase in our bodies, providing extra strength to fight or escape attackers.
Our trouble comes when dangers are vague or last too long, and those helpful fight-or-flight chemicals linger. We weren’t created to live in a constant state of danger.
Be Anxious for Nothing
Anxiety can either hinder us or propel us into the arms of our loving God.
Jesus gave radical instructions to an anxious crowd on a mountainside. He told them to worry about nothing (Mt 6:25–34).
Worry wastes our energy with “what if?”
Jesus still speaks to us today through His Word and challenges every believer with this question: “Is not life more important than food, and the body more than clothes (Mt 6:25)?”
Imagine being there with Jesus on the hillside.
Your tired feet and legs rest on cool grass. Through the shady sycamore branches, the sun’s warmth shines upon your face.
A family of house sparrows sings. A dove coasts on the breeze. The Lord cares even for these birds.
Worries shrink at the Master’s words. Gaze at the surrounding hills with vibrant wildflowers. A melody rises in your heart.
New understanding grows. When you walk in obedience, God takes care of you (Mt 6:33–34).
4 Practical Ways to Pray and Overcome Worry
Spending time in God’s Word helps us see worry as a lack of trust. We want to rest in faith, but sometimes our feelings don’t line up.
Try these simple steps when struggling to pray under stress.
#1 – Keep your prayers simple.
Use the acronym P.R.A.Y. to help corral unruly thoughts.
- P – Praise
Tell the Lord how wonderful He is. Thank Him for something.
- R – Repent
The Lord already knows all about us. Tell God about your sin and ask forgiveness.
- A – Ask
Tell God all about your troubles and seek His help. Cast your cares on God because He is ready and willing to help (1 Pt 5:7).
- Y – Yield
Remind yourself how God’s way is always best and surrender to His will.
#2 – Pray Scripture slowly.
Breath prayers can train us to pray Scripture slowly and change worries into rest. Here’s how to try a breath prayer.
First, choose a simple Scripture, such as Matthew 6:26 HCSB:
“Look at the birds of the sky: They don’t sow or reap or gather into barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Aren’t you worth more than they?”
Next, take a deep breath in and think to God, “You care for the birds with food.” Hold that air in your lungs until the count of five.
Then, exhale until the count of five and say aloud, “You care for me.”
Repeat this exercise several times. Slower breathing and the truth of Scripture work together to calm a busy mind.
#3 – Cultivate a habit of thanksgiving.
Thankfulness restores our perspective. For every worrisome thought, find three reasons to give thanks to God.
If we’re worried about a friendship, we could pray something like this:
“Thank You, Lord, for my friendship. Thank You for the opportunities to clear up misunderstandings. Thank You for teaching us to communicate.”
If we’re worried about a husband’s health, we could pray:
“Thank You for healing my husband in the past. Thank You for his healthcare plan. Thank You for teaching us to trust You.”
#4 – Pray persistently.
Never give up on prayer. Anxious thoughts can serve as an alarm clock to turn to the source of our strength, the Lord.
Learning patterns of prayer and thanksgiving weakens worries. We can replace “what if?” with “even if” truths.
Even if my friend is upset with me, God still loves me. Even if my spouse gets sick, God still cares for us. Even if I feel awkward or distracted in prayer, the Lord still hears me.
Transform Pressure Into Prayer
The next time we wrestle with worry, let’s reshape it into a reminder to cast our cares on God. Let’s trust the Lord to transform worry into peace and our prayers into a fragrant offering (Phil 4:6–7; Ps 141:2).
Our prayers are precious to God (Rv 5:8).
Anna Gibson
Anna Gibson, a homeschool mama of four college students, shares her experience with homeschool families in Florida. She fosters a love of literature and writing with students. Anna’s first book, Karate Mama, shares her adventures in discovering God’s strength in her weakness. Her website, hopewrestles.com, helps readers grasp hope in Christ through ordinary, perplexing, and overwhelming life circumstances.
