by Olivia Muenter: These soothing words will bring comfort and inner peace to your heart…

Awaken

Most adults have experienced anxiety at some point in their lives. In fact, according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, anxiety disorders are the most common mental health concern in the United States, with about 19 percent of adults and 7 percent of children experiencing symptoms. In other words, anxiety is nothing to be ashamed of, and it’s something that can be treated through a variety of methods (therapy, medication, etc.). Sometimes anxiety can feel so normal that people accept the symptoms as part of their everyday experience, but life doesn’t have to be that way. Seeking relief from anxiety is something that should be not only encouraged, but celebrated as prioritizing one’s holistic health — not just physical, but mental, too.

If you are spiritual or religious, finding solace in daily prayer can be something that helps ease your anxiety, too. Finding prayers for peace can be a great way to calm an anxious mind or take a moment to be still after experiencing a hectic day or racing mind. When it comes to anxiety, in particular, sometimes lifting up your worries to God instead of carrying them on your own can be exactly what you need to finally take a deep breath and feel safe. Here are 18 examples of positive, uplifting prayers for anxiety that may just help you in your moment of need.

And if you happen to need some additional support, know that there are free resources available, including a Crisis Text Line and a number of emergency helplines for panic and anxiety you can access 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

A PRAYER FOR SOOTHING PANIC ATTACKS

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Dear God,

I come before You to lay my panic and anxiety at Your feet. When I’m crushed by my fears and worries, remind me of Your power and Your grace. Fill me with Your peace as I trust in You and You alone. I know I can’t beat this on my own, but I also know that I have You, Lord, and You have already paid the ultimate price to carry my burdens.

For this I thank you, Amen.

— Unknown

PRAYER FOR STRENGTH

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Dear Jesus,

You are the strength of my life;

You are my rock, my fortress and my protector; therefore, whom shall I be afraid?

You are my shield, my strong-tower and my stronghold.

I will call to You because You are worthy to be praised.

So, Father, I thank you for being my strength and My God in whom I trust, Amen.

— Psalm 27:1b

A PRAYER FOR CONFRONTING FEAR

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Heavenly Father,

When I feel crushed by my own worries,

Lift my mind and help me to see the truth.

When fear grips me tight and I feel I cannot move,

Free my heart and help me to take things one step at a time.

When I can’t express the turmoil inside,

Calm me with Your quiet words of love.

I choose to trust in You, each day, each hour, each moment of my life.

I know deep down that I in Your grace, forgiven, restored by Your sacrifice, You have set me free.

Amen.

— Unknown

A PRAYER FOR FINDING INNER PEACE THROUGH GOD

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God, who is more than we can ever comprehend, help us to seek you, and you alone.

Help us to stand before all that we could do and seek what you would do, and do that.

Lift from us our need to achieve all that we can be and instead, surrender to what you can be in us.

Give us ways to refrain from the busyness that will put us on edge and off center, give us today your peace.

— Unknown

A PRAYER FOR CALMING A TROUBLED HEART

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Loving God,

Please grant me peace of mind and calm my troubled heart. My soul is like a turbulent sea. I can’t seem to find my balance so I stumble and worry constantly.

Give me the strength and clarity of mind to find my purpose and walk the path you’ve laid out for me. I trust your Love God, and know that you will heal this stress. Just as the sun rises each day against the dark of night.

Please bring me clarity with the light of God.

In your name I pray, Amen.

— Unknown

A PRAYER FOR HOPE

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Dear Lord,

I am your humble servant and I kneel before You today, helpless and weak.

I need Your hope for love, kindness and for a better life, Lord.

I ask that You fill me from head to toe with Your everlasting light.

Bathe me in Your glory, Lord and show me that everything is according to Your plan.

Help me walk in Your glorious light and show me the path so that I may follow You in faith.

Amen.

— Unknown

A PRAYER FOR LETTING GO OF WORRIES

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Heavenly Father,

Lately I’ve been so worried about things that are out of my control. Help me to trust that you are working every little detail of my life out and that I have nothing to fear or worry about.

In Jesus’s name, Amen.

— Unknown

A PRAYER TO CAST OUT FEAR

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I know that worrying gets me nowhere. Yet I still allow worry and anxiety to consume me.

In times such as these, Lord, I ask you to grant me a great amount of strength, faith, and courage to fight off the doubt and fear within my minds. Faith casts out fear while fear casts out faith.

— Unknown

A PRAYER FOR OTHERS WHO ARE ANXIOUS

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Father,

You know that sometimes life and the circumstances we face are just hard. But you are our source of peace.

I pray for the one reading these words right now. I pray that whatever they are facing right now, that they would take a deep breath and inhale more of you and your peace while exhaling any of the worries that weigh them down. I pray that they would be anxious for nothing, but would come to you in prayer with all their needs, thanking you even now that you know how you’re going to take care of every last detail.

I thank you that you care about the things that we care about, and that you are our source of peace in the midst of the storms.

In Jesus’ name, Amen.

— Dr. Michelle Bengtson

A PRAYER FOR UNBURDENING THE MIND

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Dear Loving Lord,

I am feeling stress, I am worried.

Too many things occupy my mind.

Won’t you help me?

Show me Lord, your order and your plans, are eternal.

Let me trust in your will alone.

Your word tells me where there is love, there is no fear.

Let me be filled with your love.

The perfect love that tells me I am not condemned, but I am saved.

I can do all things through you.

You Strengthen me.

In Jesus name, Amen

— Unknown

A PRAYER TO SOOTHE AN ANXIOUS HEART

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Dear Lord,

I thank you that I can come to You always for any reason. I’m grateful that when I pray to You, You answer me. Help me to come to You at the beginning of my fears and anxieties instead of waiting until I can’t stand them anymore. The quicker I come to You the better. You want to free me from ALL my fears. Help me look to You for help more often so that I can be radiant with Your joy.

In Jesus’ name, I pray, Amen.

— Jennifer Heeren

A CELTIC PRAYER OF PEACE

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Calm me, Lord, as you calmed the storm; still me, Lord, keep me from harm.

Let all the tumult within me cease, enfold me, Lord, in your peace.

Calm me, Lord, as you calmed the storm; still me, Lord, keep me from harm.

Let all the tumult within me cease, Lord, enfold me in your peace.

— Unknown

A PRAYER FOR THE WEARY

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Father, my heart is heavy. I feel like I have to carry the burden alone. Words like overwhelmed, distraught, exhausted seem to describe where I am. I am not sure how to let you carry my heavy load, so please show me how. Take it from me. Let me rest and be refreshed so that my heart won’t be so heavy in the morning.

In Jesus’ name. Amen.

– Ron Moore

A PRAYER FOR TRUST IN THE LORD

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Blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him.

They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream.

It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green.

It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.

— Jeremiah 17:7-8

 

A PRAYER TO OVERCOME ANXIETY
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Dear Father,

In this space of total anxiety, I’m praying to you, the God of all.

Jesus, I need you so much.

The weight of this world consumes my heart and my spirit is confused.

I know you are not the god of confusion; you are the God of order, love and peace.

I pray you would restore order right now in me.

May my mind perceive that you make me sound.

May my soul receive that you give me strength.

May my heart believe that you show me love.

Thank you for the relief of an unburdened heart.

Amen.

— Rachel Wojo

A PRAYER FOR SERENITY

best prayers for anxiety serenity prayer by reinhold niebuhr
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God,

Grant me the serenity

To accept the things I cannot change;

Courage to change the things I can;

And wisdom to know the difference.

Living one day at a time;

Enjoying one moment at a time;

Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace;

Taking, as He did, this sinful world

As it is, not as I would have it;

Trusting that He will make all things right

If I surrender to His Will;

So that I may be reasonably happy in this life

And supremely happy with Him

Forever and ever in the next.

Amen.

— Reinhold Niebuhr

A PRAYER FOR COURAGE

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Dear Lord,

Your word tells us that we are not slaves to fear. You have given us many promises that tell us to rest in you and your word. In Romans 8: 15-17 you tell us, The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.Thank you for this wonderful promise. I will remember these words during the difficult times that I am tempted to give in to fear, but instead will decide to completely trust in you. May you keep your words in my heart and mind, and help me to dwell on them throughout the day. Thank you, Lord.

— HappierHuman.com

A PRAYER FOR EMPOWERMENT

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Heavenly Father, thank You for being an overcoming God! I know I can take heart because You have overcome the world. Empower me to rise above my circumstances. Help me cast my anxiety on You because You care for me. Give me Your power to overcome. Thank You for giving me the victory! In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

— Esther Fleece Allen

Source: Woman’s Day