10 Bible Verses About Not Worrying

God commands us in His word to not worry or be anxious (Philippians 4:6). This can seem like an impossible mandate to fulfill. We live in a broken world where there is a great deal of cause for anxiety, whether it’s work stress, difficult relationships, financial hardship, illness, grief, or any number of different causes.

All too often we find ourselves worrying about present or future uncertainties. Why then, would there be so many Bible verses about not worrying? God knows us and how our hearts and minds are prone to turn to our fears and concerns, and He is aware of how detrimental anxiety is to our emotional and physical wellbeing.

10 Bible Verses About Not Worrying

He has given us Scripture not just as a comfort, but as a powerful weapon with which we can wage war against worry. Here are just ten Bible verses about not worrying which we can turn to when anxiety strikes:

He is before all things and in him all things hold together. – Colossians 1:17

Reflecting on this verse in Colossians can help give us the perspective that, even though we are in a state of anxiety and feel like nothing is as it should be, God remains the same. He is the God who existed before anything else did, and He is the source of constant sustaining power, “in which all lives and moves and has its being”. Our worries and issues may overwhelm us, but they are not bigger than the One who is supremely in control.

Finally, brothers, whatever is noble, whatever is pure, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy – think about such things. – Philippians 4:8

This verse summarises much of popular psychology. Without delving too much into the “why” behind this, Philippians 4:8 gives us a practical antidote to worrying. We are to turn our minds away from anxiety-inducing, frightening, scary thoughts, and we do this by replacing them with edifying ones. We must turn our thoughts to God’s goodness and how He has helped us through tough times in the past.

If I say, ‘Surely the darkness will overwhelm me and the light around me will be night,’ Even the darkness is not dark to You, and the night is as bright as the day. Darkness and light are alike to You. – Psalm 139:11-12

Remembering that even the darkness is not dark to God can help us when we feel afraid; we have victory in Jesus over darkness. Saying this verse out loud in our low moments can help chase our fears away – not in some magical way but simply by affirming what we know to be true from God’s Word and preaching it to ourselves. Psalm 139 contains helpful verses about not worrying, reminding us of our creator and how much he loves us and has done for us.

He shall say, ‘Hear O Israel, today you are going into battle against your enemies. Do not be fainthearted or afraid; do not be terrified or give way to panic before them, for the Lord your God is the one who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies to give you victory. – Deuteronomy 20:3-4

Many Old Testament Bible verses about not worrying remind us to have courage. Indeed, God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and a sound mind (2 Timothy 1:7) and the fact that God is with us to fight us against our enemies (in this case worries which steal our joy) and ensure victory, helps us to assume the right posture against our fears. They have no right to make us terrified or panicked – instead, they should retreat in the face of our all-powerful God!

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 understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. – Philippians 4:6 

This is perhaps the most often quoted of all Bible verses about not worrying, and the first line, telling us to not be anxious about anything, can at first feel discouraging, with its seemingly simplistic call to stop worrying. God does not leave us without a practical way to achieve this, however, with the key is the word “but”, followed by the command to pray in every situation.

When we discipline ourselves to pray about our anxieties, rather than worry about them, and come to God with a thankful heart for all He’s done for us in Christ, His Word promises that we will experience a peace that cannot be explained; and which will protect us from drowning in our fears.

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. – Romans 8:28

As Christians, we understand the incredible truth that God is always working for our good. Even when life seems bad and things go wrong, He can use those circumstances to draw us closer to Him, to sanctify us, and to help us be witnesses to His gospel.

Reading these kinds of Bible verses about not worrying can be tough when all we want is for the suffering to go away, but if we look back at our lives and how God worked to the good in earlier situations, we can be encouraged that the same is happening, even though we might not see it at the time.

In my distress I called to the Lord; I called out to my God. From his temple he heard my voice; my cry came to his ears. – 2 Samuel 22:7

The God who heard David’s cry for help thousands of years ago is the same God who hears us today when we call out in distress. He is a compassionate God who wants us to know that He is close and that He cares about our worries. While we may not be delivered from all our enemies in this life, He gives us new mercies every day, and just like He rescued David, He rescues us from our distress.

Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. – Matthew 6:34

This is another one of those Bible verses about not worrying that can seem clichéd – like it does not offer much comfort when we feel overwhelmed by anxiety. Reflecting on its practical truth, however, can help us to shift gears – what good does worry about the future ever do? Very often we worry about things that never even come to pass, and as Matthew 6:27 points out, “Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?”

Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. – James 1:2-4

It seems counterintuitive to consider trials as joy, but in James, we are told that the very things that make us worry, are what will bring produce perseverance and bring maturity. If we take our eyes off our current anxieties and turn them upwards towards God and His eternal perspective, we will not remain stagnant in our worries but instead, be shaped into Christlikeness – our goal as Christians.

I can do all this through him who gives me strength. – Philippians 4:13

When we are at the very end of ourselves and feel like we don’t have what it takes to carry on, we can be refreshed by this reminder that it is God who gives us strength, and who will continue to do so, even when we’ve run out of the will to do anything but worry.

We don’t need to muster up the personal will to heave ourselves out of a negative mindset, but rather need to rest at his feet, and soak up His grace; and in this way be renewed. What a wonderful relief!

When meditating on Bible verses about not worrying, it is also helpful to read the passage around it to get context. Immersing ourselves in God’s word when we are feeling anxious will never return void; it is our lifeline to the life-giver Himself, who wants us to find our peace in Him.