How Anxiety Deepened My Faith in God
In the grip of anxious thoughts, I discovered a Savior who doesn't walk away, but walks with me.
“How do you live as a Christian when you struggle with anxiety?”
She looked hesitant, almost embarrassed, waiting for a canned response perhaps something like “Just pray more” or “Have more faith.” But I couldn’t answer that way, because I’ve asked myself that same question more times than I can count.
I’ve struggled with anxiety for as long as I can remember. For years, I heard the message sometimes whispered in the church hallway, sometimes proclaimed from pulpits that “real” Christians don’t wrestle with anxiety. That if we truly trusted God, we’d never fear. Never panic. Never break down at night.
But the truth is, anxiety has been one of my fiercest battles and, paradoxically, one of the most powerful tools God has used to shape my understanding of His love.
Here’s what anxiety has taught me about God.
We Are Not Meant to Face Anxiety Alone
Somewhere along the line, Christianity in the West began to take on a rugged individualism. We turned faith into a solo hike just you, your Bible, and your prayer closet. And while personal devotion is vital, it was never meant to replace community.
Anxiety thrives in isolation. It whispers, “You’re alone,” “No one understands,” “You’re a bad Christian.” And many times, I believed those lies. I tried to pray harder, trust more, smile through the shaking hands and racing thoughts. But that only drove me deeper into the shadows.
Then, one day, I told my sister. Her response was simple: she smiled, squeezed my hand, and reminded me that the Lord still holds me even in the storm. It felt like a thousand pounds lifted. Not because she had all the answers, but because she brought light into the dark.
The early church broke bread together daily, prayed together, bore one another’s burdens (Acts 2:42–47). That wasn’t just historical context it was the design. The Christian life is meant to be lived shoulder to shoulder. And healing, even for anxiety, often begins with a conversation.
It’s OK to Ask Hard Questions
The most damaging phrase I ever heard in church? “Just have faith.” Not because faith is wrong but because that phrase was used to silence real questions.
Why do children get cancer? Why does God allow pain? If He’s loving, why does suffering continue?
I asked those questions quietly for years, afraid they exposed me as a spiritual fraud. But anxiety often pulls those questions to the surface and when they finally erupted, I discovered something stunning: God wasn’t intimidated.
Christianity is not a fragile system propped up by ignorance. It has weathered two millennia of scrutiny and still stands strong. The gospel doesn’t collapse under the weight of hard questions in fact, it often shines more brightly in those spaces.
Jesus Himself welcomed doubters. Thomas questioned His resurrection, and Jesus responded by offering His wounds (John 20:27). The Psalms are filled with laments and unanswered cries. Our questions don’t disqualify us they can deepen our trust if we bring them to God.
The Lord Does Not Abandon Us in Anxiety
One night, anxious and exhausted, I turned to the Psalms. Psalm 94:18–19 stopped me in my tracks:
“When I said, ‘My foot is slipping,’
your unfailing love, Lord, supported me.
When anxiety was great within me,
your consolation brought me joy.”
David didn’t try to suppress his anxiety. He didn’t pretend it wasn’t real. He simply brought it to the Lord. And what did God do? He didn’t rebuke or retreat. He consoled.
Anxiety doesn’t disqualify you from God's love. If anything, it creates an opening to experience His comfort in ways you wouldn’t otherwise know. God sees every tear, every restless night, every breathless prayer and He doesn’t walk away.
Grace Meets Us in Our Weakness
For those of us with anxiety, grace takes on new meaning. It’s not a license to stay stuck but it is a lifeline for every moment we feel like we’re drowning.
Jesus carried not just our sins, but our sorrows (Isaiah 53:4). The cross wasn’t only about forgiveness it was about redemption, restoration, and total transformation. That includes the tangled mess of anxiety.
Will the fear vanish overnight? Probably not. David’s Psalms suggest his struggles didn’t disappear, even after God’s many deliverances. But the Lord never gave up on him. And He won’t give up on you.
You Are Not a “Lesser” Christian
Anxiety doesn’t make you a spiritual failure. It doesn’t mean you love God less. It simply means you’re human. And in that humanity, you are met by a God who knows what it is to weep, to agonize, to sweat blood in the garden (Luke 22:44).
Being a Christian who struggles with anxiety has deepened my understanding of grace. It has opened my eyes to the fierce compassion of a Savior who doesn’t flinch at weakness but draws nearer because of it.
There will always be mysteries unanswered questions, moments when fear creeps in. But one thing is clear: God is not indifferent. He is not distant. And He certainly is not disappointed.
He is with you. In the panic. In the quiet. In the healing process.
And one day, He will make all things new including you.
If you’ve ever felt alone in your struggle, know this: you’re not. Share this with someone who needs that reminder or subscribe to our newsletter to receive more truth that speaks to the heart of real life with God.
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