I’ve battled anxiety my whole life. Can you relate? When my kids were little I worried that they would be bullied in school, or that they would get kidnapped, or that they would not do well in school. As they got older, I worried about their driving. With reason, almost all of them got in some type of fender bender within six months of getting their licenses.

I didn’t just worry about my kids. I had other worries too; finances, health, and ministry worries just to name a few.

Here’s the thing, worry robs us of peace and productivity. But worry doesn’t just “go away”. I’ve probably heard a million sermons on, Philippians 4:6. Some were good. Some were terrible. Rarely did anyone have suggestions on what to do with all those worries. Often I heard, “Worry is sin”. I remember thinking, “Great. I struggle with anxiety and now I’m worried that I’m sinning.” I didn’t want to simply “deny” my worry so that I could look like a better Christian. I wanted to be authentic. But, I needed a battle plan because worry was robbing me of peace.

Here’s the battle plan I developed. Panic to Praise. When I combined prayer, scripture and praise, my worries and fears calmed down. As a result, I became more peaceful and more productive. Here are some prayers of praise you can try this week to help quiet your worries:

When dealing with worry about your kids

Father, You know how I am struggling with worry for __________________. (Put your child’s name in the blank.) You know my concerns and cares. Lord, You invite me to trust You with all my heart (Proverbs 3:6). God, I bring before You these specific needs in his life. ________________________________________________________________ I praise You that You love him more than I do. Protect him with Your love. Hide him in the shadow of Your wings. (Psalm 91:1) I praise You that You will never stop pursuing his heart no matter how far he wanders.

When dealing with worry over financial concerns

Holy One, I praise You! You promise me that You will provide for all my needs out of your vast resources. (Philippians 4:19)   You understand how anxious I feel over the financial pressures I’m facing and yet You invite me to trust You to provide. Lord Jesus, You are my provider, my protection, and my Prince of Peace. Thank You that I can trust you?

In addition to these prayers, I find listening to music helps. One of my favorites is “I Will Look Up” by Elevation Worship.

This week when worries come, turn your panic into praise.

Leave a comment and let me know how do you deal with worry. I’ll be choosing one winner this week to win a free book. You can choose from The 30 Day Praise Challenge, The 30 Day Praise Challenge For Parents, Rewriting Your Emotional Script, or Freedom From Performing. But, you must leave a comment to be entered to win!~