Faith and Anxiety – Part 2
Stephen Walters, M.Div., M.A.
In my previous blog, I talked about the worry that anxiety (and maybe other mental health struggles) can make us feel that we are not being “faithful enough” if we identify as a Christian. I would like to dig more into thoughts about that and help set the stage for how our faith can help set us free from the dysregulation of anxiety. Also, while I write this from the perspective of Christianity, I know that often any level of faith or spirituality can produce shameful and guilt based emotions when it comes to faith. If you find yourself in that category, let me know how I can help you.
When Faith and Anxiety Feel in Conflict
Many Christians point to verses like “Do not be anxious about anything” (Philippians 4:6) and feel convicted or discouraged when anxiety persists. It can feel like a command being broken rather than an invitation being extended. But context matters. These passages were not written to shame people for experiencing anxiety—they were written to guide people toward what to do with it. Scripture consistently acknowledges human struggle, not denies it. Even deeply faithful individuals in the Bible experienced intense distress, fear, and anguish. Their stories remind us that emotional struggle and spiritual devotion can coexist. The fact that Paul writes about anxiety shows that God knows we will experience it and that God wants us to have freedom from it. Not that God wants to punish us for anxiety or condemn us as unfaithful.
Instead of viewing anxiety as something to suppress or judge, it can be helpful to see it as a signal:
- Something in your life may feel uncertain, unsafe, or overwhelming
- Your mind may be trying to protect you
- Your body may be holding stress that needs attention
So, view anxiety as a signal and not a sin. When we treat anxiety as a signal, we move from condemnation to curiosity. I mean, God created us and wired us with the nervous system that kicks in when we have stressors. So, God is aware of it and has created our bodies to respond to it.
So, if God created me, and knows I’ll experience anxiety, how can I use my faith as a way to help relieve me from the stress and strain of anxiety? Great question. We’ll address that in part three.