When you are feeling anxious or worried, it’s a good idea to go to the Bible. God knows our fears and worries, and the Bible has many words to lift us up, giving hope and relieving us of anxiety.

1. Isaiah 41:13 For I, the Lord your God, hold your right hand; it is I who say to you, “Fear not, I am the one who helps you.”

You are not alone. God is here, He is with you. This is an important reminder because anxiety can be overwhelming. But God is here to help you.

2. John 14:1 Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me.

God became a man, Jesus Christ, and lived as one of us. He knows your situation. Jesus reminds you to turn to him in faith.

3. Psalm 34:4 I sought the LORD, and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears.

When you seek God, the Bible tells us that God will answer. Seek God with all your heart and he will deliver you from your fears.

4. Psalm 94:19 When the cares of my heart are many, your consolations cheer my soul.

Anxiety can make your heart feel heavy and burdened. Read the Word of God and let God lift you up.

5. Proverbs 29:25 The fear of man lays a snare, but whoever trusts in the LORD is safe.

Our fears try to bring us down and trap us. God is our refuge, he is our safe harbour. Put your trust in God.

6. Colossians 3:15 And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful.

When we let God into our hearts, there is peace. That peace isn’t just for ourselves, but for all who follow Jesus Christ. 

7. Romans 15:13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.

We need to keep our faith in God. It can be hard when we are anxious. But ask people around you to pray for you.

You wonder when the pain will stop—the crushing weight of the world’s emptiness. You wonder when you’ll stop picking up the phone only to realize there’s no one to call. You wonder when a song or smell that reminds you of that person won’t clutch at your throat and blind your eyes without warning.

“A single person is missing from you, and the whole world is empty,” as author Joan Didion puts it.

The emptiness can feel like a life sentence. You might feel alone, like no one fully understands your pain.

Jesus understands your suffering—because he suffered too (Isaiah 53:3). After Jesus was born on the earth, he promised to conquer our great enemy—death—forever.

On the cross, Jesus destroyed death by dying for us. Jesus suffered and died for you so that you can live in union with God (1 Peter 3:18). In the Bible, Jesus says he wants to take your suffering and trade it for joy (Matthew 11:28-30). Even when the world feels empty, even when you’re overcome by grief, God can give you a peace “far beyond human understanding” (Philippians 4:7).

That doesn’t mean you won’t still long for your lost loved one. It means that God can help heal the great emptiness you feel in your heart if you tell him about your pain and ask him for peace. Take a moment right now to reflect on these verses about God’s love for you, and then try to tell him how you feel:

God sees your suffering.

You know how troubled I am;

you have kept a record of my tears.

Aren’t they listed in your book? — Psalm 56:8

You can talk to God about your pain.

Trust in God at all times, my people.

Tell him all your troubles,

for he is our refuge. — Psalm 62:8

God is with you in the depths of your anguish.

Even if I go through the deepest darkness,

I will not be afraid, Lord,

for you are with me.

Your shepherd’s rod and staff protect me. — Psalm 23:4

God can bring you joy.

He has sent me to comfort all who mourn,

To give to those who mourn in Zion

Joy and gladness instead of grief,

A song of praise instead of sorrow.

They will be like trees

That the Lord himself has planted. —Isaiah 61:2b-3

God can give you peace.

Peace is what I leave with you; it is my own peace that I give you. I do not give it as the world does. Do not be worried and upset; do not be afraid. — John 14:27