Don’t pray and worry: 5 scriptures to nurture your faith in troubling times

Sep 5

Article By Amanda Bishop // EEW Magazine // Spiritual

When you’re going through storms of life, dealing with setbacks and facing worrisome situations head-on, the temptation to worry is strong.

But with your sword of the spirit and your helmet of salvation (Ephesians 6:17), you can withstand the enemy’s assault without fretting, entertaining negativity and becoming a worrywart.

Here are 5 empowering scriptures to nurture your faith in troubling times:

Philippians 4:6-7 NKJV “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” Are you worrying or praying? You can’t do both. When you make your prayer requests known to God and maintain a heart full of thanksgiving, God will give you peace in the midst of the storm.

2 Kings 4:26 NASB "…And she answered, ‘It is well.’" So many people love this verse, and with good reason. In Scripture, there was this Shunammite woman whose son died. In the end, God used the prophet Elisha to resurrect the dead boy. But before that ever happened, in the midst of the trouble, when she was asked if everything was okay, she said, “It is well.” Amazing response, right? Well, you can respond that way, too. Adopt her mentality so that, even in the worst times, you will preserve your peace, and reduce stress, as you await the best times that are yet to come.

Matthew 4:4 NIV “Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” When Jesus was tempted by the devil in the wilderness, instead of giving into temptation, He fought back with the word of God. If Jesus Christ, who was the Word in the flesh (John 1:1) used Scripture to fight and defeat Satan, so can you. Whip out your “sword of the spirit”—another name for the word of God according to Ephesians 6:17—and cut through stress.

Proverbs 3:5-6 NIV “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.” Not being able to determine outcomes is admittedly stressful. It’s true. When you are uncertain about which direction to go, you tend to internalize worry and anxiety, producing a negative effect. But the Bible prescribes reliance on God to reduce stress and apprehension. And it makes sense, doesn’t it? When you don’t know what to do, lean on the One who does. He has all the power anyway.

John 14:1 ESV “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me.” Being troubled, vexed and perplexed is no fun at all. The cure for those unpleasant side effects of worry is faith in God. You’ve got to believe. Put your total confidence in Christ the Risen Savior. Believe that in the midst of turmoil, He is more than able to turn your troubles into triumphs, according to His perfect will.

When doubt comes knocking, go through your arsenal of scriptures and answer the door while wielding your sword. This is how you preserve your peace and resist worry.