When Anxiety Weighs the Heart
Real Struggles With Real Solutions • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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Introduction:
Anxiety is a persistent sense of worry, fear, or uneasiness about real or perceived threats.
Anxiety represents a complex emotional and physiological state involving uneasiness about present or future uncertainties.
More specifically, it manifests as a combination of looming dread or impending danger alongside vague uneasiness.
The experience encompasses both mental and bodily dimensions—psychologically, it involves agitation, racing thoughts, sleep disruption, and difficulty calming oneself, while physiologically, it produces sustained muscle tension, trembling, elevated heart rate, and breathing irregularities.
It affects people spiritually, emotionally, mentally, and physically.
It can be triggered by:
Uncertainty
Financial pressure
Family conflict
Health concerns
Work stress
Fear of failure
Trauma
Overthinking
Social pressure
The Bible speaks repeatedly about anxiety, worry, and fear — not to shame the sufferer, but to guide them toward God’s peace.
Anxiety is one of the most common struggles people face today.
It affects the young and the old, the wealthy and the poor, the churched and the unchurched.
Many Christians feel guilty for being anxious, as if anxiety means they have failed God.
But Scripture shows that anxiety is not a sign of weak faith — It is a sign of being human.
The author of Psalm 94 (Who most believe to be David) said...
19 In the multitude of my anxieties within me, Your comforts delight my soul.
Solomon wrote...
25 Anxiety in the heart of man causes depression, But a good word makes it glad.
Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 1:8...
8 For we do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, of our trouble which came to us in Asia: that we were burdened beyond measure, above strength, so that we despaired even of life.
God does not shame the anxious — He shepherds them.
28 Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”
Anxiety matters because it affects:
Our trust in God
Our ability to pray
Our relationships
Our worship
Our spiritual stability
The Bible does not ignore anxiety.
It addresses it directly and compassionately.
Today we will look at what Scripture says about anxiety, the biblical solution, how to implement that solution, and how the church can help those who are struggling.
Body:
What the Bible Says About Anxiety
Anxiety is real and a common human experience.
25 Anxiety in the heart of man causes depression, But a good word makes it glad.
Scripture acknowledges anxiety — it does not pretend it does not exist.
Anxiety often comes from fear and uncertainty.
Jesus addresses worry directly in Matthew 6:25-34
25 “Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? 27 Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature? 28 “So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; 29 and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31 “Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.
Do not worry about your life (Matt. 6:25, 27, 31).
eat
drink
wear
Anxiety or worry takes care of itself when you put your faith first.
33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.
Even strong believers struggled with anxiety sometimes.
David said...
4 Those who hate me without a cause Are more than the hairs of my head; They are mighty who would destroy me, Being my enemies wrongfully; Though I have stolen nothing, I still must restore it.
During the rebellion of Absalom David said this...
2 Attend to me, and hear me; I am restless in my complaint, and moan noisily, 3 Because of the voice of the enemy, Because of the oppression of the wicked; For they bring down trouble upon me, And in wrath they hate me. 4 My heart is severely pained within me, And the terrors of death have fallen upon me. 5 Fearfulness and trembling have come upon me, And horror has overwhelmed me.
Elijah was overwhelmed and afraid of Jezebel in 1 Kings 19.
Jezebel threatened Elijah’s life and he would be come very anxious even to the point of wanting to die.
1 And Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, also how he had executed all the prophets with the sword. 2 Then Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, “So let the gods do to me, and more also, if I do not make your life as the life of one of them by tomorrow about this time.” 3 And when he saw that, he arose and ran for his life, and went to Beersheba, which belongs to Judah, and left his servant there. 4 But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a broom tree. And he prayed that he might die, and said, “It is enough! Now, Lord, take my life, for I am no better than my fathers!”
Remember: the man who was once so anxious he wished for death is the very one God later carried to heaven in a fiery chariot without dying.
Only two me ever went to heaven with out dying.
Enoch
24 And Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him.
Elijah
11 Then it happened, as they continued on and talked, that suddenly a chariot of fire appeared with horses of fire, and separated the two of them; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven.
Paul said his ministry brought conflicts on the outside and fears on the inside.
5 For indeed, when we came to Macedonia, our bodies had no rest, but we were troubled on every side. Outside were conflicts, inside were fears.
A few chapters later, in 2 Corinthians 11:22-28, Paul describes those very conflicts without and within.
22 Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they the seed of Abraham? So am I. 23 Are they ministers of Christ?—I speak as a fool—I am more: in labors more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequently, in deaths often. 24 From the Jews five times I received forty stripes minus one. 25 Three times I was beaten with rods; once I was stoned; three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I have been in the deep; 26 in journeys often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils of my own countrymen, in perils of the Gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; 27 in weariness and toil, in sleeplessness often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness—28 besides the other things, what comes upon me daily: my deep concern for all the churches.
Anxiety reveals where we place our trust.
5 Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for “God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble.” 6 Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, 7 casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.
Anxiety is an invitation to cast all your cares on Jesus.
Jesus said come to me to find rest.
28 Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”
The Biblical Answer to Anxiety is God.
Prayer instead of panic
James says that the prayer of the righteous man avails much.
16 Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.
Paul says with prayer, attitude and the proper life you can find the peace of God to guard your hearts from being anxious.
6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; 7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. 8 Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things. 9 The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you.
Notice: “These do, and the God of peace will be with you.
Contentment or peace instead of worry
Peace comes from being content.
Paul had to learn to be content
11 Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content:
Peace comes when you learn your strength does not come from you but from Christ.
12 I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. 13 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
Paul told Timothy peace or contentment comes from realizing godliness is enough.
6 Now godliness with contentment is great gain.
When you realize godliness is enough you trust in the character of God.
Trust in God’s character instead of anxiety.
Isaiah said...
3 You will keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on You, Because he trusts in You. 4 Trust in the Lord forever, For in Yah, the Lord, is everlasting strength.
The writer of Hebrews says if we will leave covetousness behind and be content with what we have then God “will never leave you nor forsake you.”
5 Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” 6 So we may boldly say: “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?”
The question then is: If God is for you then who can be against you.
The writer of the Psalm 118 says this.
Psalm 118:6 “6 The Lord is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me?”
Paul said this...
31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?
Renew your mind with truth.
Paul says do not be conformed to this word.
2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
Do not find anxiety or peace from the world.
34 “Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword. 35 For I have come to ‘set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law’; 36 and ‘a man’s enemies will be those of his own household.’
Find your peace in God and His word.
24 He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine but the Father’s who sent Me. 25 “These things I have spoken to you while being present with you. 26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you. 27 Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
This is accomplished by setting your mind on the things above.
2 Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.
Cast your burdens on the Lord.
The Lord cares for you.
6 Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, 7 casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.
God does not ask us to bare anything that He is not able to bare.
Seek God’s kingdom first.
At the end of the chapter on worry God says the solution is to “seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness.”
33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.
Anxiety decreases when priorities align with God’s will.
How The Christian Implements God’s Answer.
Daniel prayed three times a day (Daniel 6:10).
10 Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went home. And in his upper room, with his windows open toward Jerusalem, he knelt down on his knees three times that day, and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as was his custom since early days.
He knew he was about to be cast into a lion’s den so he prayed.
7 All the governors of the kingdom, the administrators and satraps, the counselors and advisors, have consulted together to establish a royal statute and to make a firm decree, that whoever petitions any god or man for thirty days, except you, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions. 8 Now, O king, establish the decree and sign the writing, so that it cannot be changed, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which does not alter.” 9 Therefore King Darius signed the written decree.
Daniel turned anxious thoughts into prayerful moments.
Replace anxious thoughts with Scripture.
3 Whenever I am afraid, I will trust in You.
10 Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’
Practice spiritual focus
3 You will keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on You, Because he trusts in You.
This requires intentional focus — not passive hope.
Take small steps of obedience.
22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.
Doing the right thing calms the mind.
How Christians Can Help The Anxious
Speak encouraging words.
25 Anxiety in the heart of man causes depression, But a good word makes it glad.
Encouragement is a ministry.
11 Therefore comfort each other and edify one another, just as you also are doing.
Be there for one another
Onesiphorus and his household was there for Paul.
16 The Lord grant mercy to the household of Onesiphorus, for he often refreshed me, and was not ashamed of my chain; 17 but when he arrived in Rome, he sought me out very zealously and found me. 18 The Lord grant to him that he may find mercy from the Lord in that Day—and you know very well how many ways he ministered to me at Ephesus.
Pray with them and for them.
Paul said this about prayer.
18 praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints—19 and for me, that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.
Offer presence, not pressure.
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.
Help them stay connected.
Sir up to love and good works.
24 And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, 25 not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.
Convince them of their worth to the body.
18 But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased. 19 And if they were all one member, where would the body be? 20 But now indeed there are many members, yet one body. 21 And the eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you”; nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” 22 No, much rather, those members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary. 23 And those members of the body which we think to be less honorable, on these we bestow greater honor; and our unpresentable parts have greater modesty, 24 but our presentable parts have no need. But God composed the body, having given greater honor to that part which lacks it, 25 that there should be no schism in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another. 26 And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.
Conclusion:
Anxiety is real — but so is God’s peace.
Anxiety is heavy — but God invites us to cast it on Him.
Anxiety is overwhelming — but God is greater than what overwhelms us.
Jesus said, “Do not worry,” not because life is easy, but because God is faithful.
Today, if anxiety weighs your heart, remember:
God sees you.
God cares for you
God invites you.
God strengthens you.
God walks with you.
And as the church, we should be walking with one another.
Real struggles have real solutions — and God’s peace is greater than our anxieties.
