Bible Verses About Stress
The Bible offers numerous verses to guide us through times of stress and difficulty. In this life we are guaranteed difficult times, but God offers guidance for us in His word.
Consider Proverbs 12:25, which speaks of the peace that comes from trusting in God: “Anxiety weighs down the heart, but a kind word cheers it up.”
In Psalm 61:2-3 we’re reminded of how vital it is to go to God in prayer during stressful occasions: “Lead me to the rock that is higher than I, for you have been my refuge, a strong tower against the enemy. Let me dwell in your tent forever! Take refuge in the shelter of your wings.”
These passages can be essential reminders that God is there to provide hope and comfort when our stresses feel overwhelming.
As taught throughout the scriptures, in times of stress, draw near to God. He will be your rock through it all.
Bible Quotes about Stress
How to Deal with
Stress in the Bible
Proverbs 12:25
Heaviness in the heart of man maketh it stoop: but a good word maketh it glad.
Anxiety weighs down the heart,
but a kind word cheers it up.
Worry weighs a person down;
an encouraging word cheers a person up.
Anxiety in a man’s heart weighs him down,
but a good word makes him glad.
Proverbs 12:25 provides an important reminder for those feeling stress in their lives – “Anxiety in a man’s heart weighs him down.”
This proverb speaks to how the stress of daily life can have a lasting effect on our overall wellbeing. We can combat our anxiety with kind words and other uplifting encouragement.
This proverb is both a warning and a great motivator for us to keep stress at bay as much as possible so that we can honor God in all we do.
Who can you say a kind word to today?
Psalm 61:2-3
From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I.
3 For thou hast been a shelter for me, and a strong tower from the enemy.
From the ends of the earth I call to you, I call as my heart grows faint; lead me to the rock that is higher than I. 3 For you have been my refuge, a strong tower against the foe.
From the ends of the earth, I cry to you for help when my heart is overwhelmed. Lead me to the towering rock of safety, 3 for you are my safe refuge, a fortress where my enemies cannot reach me.
from the end of the earth I call to you when my heart is faint. Lead me to the rock that is higher than I, 3 for you have been my refuge, a strong tower against the enemy.
When we are feeling burdened with attacks from the enemy, these Bible verses about stress reminds us to take refuge in our Rock, God almighty.
We don’t have to face difficulty alone. God wants us to draw near to him. Let Him be your “strong tower” when you’re feeling overwhelming stress.
John 14:27
Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.
“I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.
Jesus gives us profound instruction to not be weighed down with stress and worry. He offers an assurance of peace that can be obtained by trusting in Him, regardless of the uncertainties and struggles of life.
Christians embrace this message and use it as a reminder to stay centered by relying on their faith in moments of stress and difficulty.
The comfort that comes from Jesus’ words allows us to remain calm even when overwhelmed by our circumstances, giving us strength to face whatever challenges lie ahead.
Romans 8:6
For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.
The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace.
So letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace.
For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace.
We can find peace in life’s stressful situations when we rely on the Holy Spirit. We can pray and seek after Godly wisdom to give us the peace that can only come from God.
When we allow our minds to be governed by our flesh, how we feel in a moment, we find death and destruction.
With stress continually present in our lives, Romans 8:6 reminds us that no matter what comes our way, God will always be with us – giving us the strength to endure and become closer to Him.
Matthew 6:34
Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.
Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
“So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.
“Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.
Life is too precious to let stress take over and make us miserable. We must take the time to pause, reflect, and recognize that life is truly a journey of joys and sorrows.
That said, when we find ourselves worried about certain worries or insecurities, take a moment to remember we have a loving Father who cares for us.
Reminding ourselves that stress is only temporary can help lighten the burden and give perspective on our current situation.
1 Peter 6-5:7
6 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:
7 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.
Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. 7 Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.
So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and at the right time he will lift you up in honor. 7 Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.
Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, 7 casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.
Peter writes in these Bible verses about stress that we can cast our anxiety on God, because He cares for us.
We can find comfort in knowing that our Creator wants us to release our worries to Him, that we would not have to bear the burden alone.
Having a daily prayer life allows us to have faith that God will take care of us and know that the stress isn’t just up to us alone.
Isaiah 55:1-3
Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.
2 Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? and your labour for that which satisfieth not? hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness.
3 Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David.
“Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost.
2 Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy? Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and you will delight in the richest of fare.
3 Give ear and come to me; listen, that you may live. I will make an everlasting covenant with you, my faithful love promised to David.
“Is anyone thirsty? Come and drink— even if you have no money! Come, take your choice of wine or milk— it’s all free!
2 Why spend your money on food that does not give you strength? Why pay for food that does you no good? Listen to me, and you will eat what is good. You will enjoy the finest food.
3 “Come to me with your ears wide open. Listen, and you will find life. I will make an everlasting covenant with you. I will give you all the unfailing love I promised to David.
“Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.
2 Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which does not satisfy? Listen diligently to me, and eat what is good, and delight yourselves in rich food.
3 Incline your ear, and come to me; hear, that your soul may live; and I will make with you an everlasting covenant, my steadfast, sure love for David.
Isaiah 55 shows a beautiful depiction of who God really is and how He desires to fulfill all of our needs.
These verses urge us to let go of stress and instead seek joy in the Lord and trust Him to provide for all our needs. We can find peace in knowing that God’s plans for us are good.
The stress and worries of the present moment can feel overwhelming, but it’s important to remember the promises from the book of Isaiah.
Psalm 34:4
I sought the Lord, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears.
I sought the Lord, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears.
I prayed to the Lord, and he answered me. He freed me from all my fears.
I sought the Lord, and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears.
The psalm in Psalm 34 urges us to come to God and put our trust in Him.
In times of stress and difficulty, it is important for believers to look towards God and turn away from stress-inducing situations. We can do this by deliberately engaging with the Words of God, choosing to meditate on what He has said instead of focusing on negative thoughts and experiences.
With His help, stress can be removed from our lives, replaced by peace and joy only found through relationship with Him.
Matthew 11:28-30
Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.”
Come to me, all 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.”
Bible verses about stress help us to focus on a mighty God who loves His children. They encourage us to see outside of our current situation and rely on our faith.
This quote in Matthew is from Jesus, reminding us to give our stress to Him.
In accepting the Lord’s invitation to “come unto me,” we no longer bear the weight of those troubles. Instead, our hearts are filled with Jesus’ peace and comfort – something that cannot be found in this world.
Knowing that Jesus takes our burdens when we invite Him into our lives brings tremendous relief as we realize that God is aware of our struggles and desires to ease them through His power alone.
Philippians 4:6-7
Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. 7 Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.
do not be anxious about anything, 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 your minds in Christ Jesus.
We have an open invitation to bring our worries and concerns to our Heavenly Father, while recognizing His sovereignty over our life.
Verse 7 reminds us that when we pray, focusing on the good things that He has given us, surrender control to Him and believe that He will provide for our needs, we can fully embrace a peaceful state of mind.
Placing our faith in Him gives us the ability to be still and have true rest amid life’s chaos and struggles.
Luke 12:22
And he said unto his disciples, Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat; neither for the body, what ye shall put on.
Then Jesus said to his disciples: “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear.
Then, turning to his disciples, Jesus said, “That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food to eat or enough clothes to wear.
And he said to his disciples, “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat, nor about your body, what you will put on.
When we feel stressed about our daily life, Jesus’ reminder is here for us in Luke: do not worry.
We can feel peace because we’re reminded that this life is about more than these day to day things. This life is about more than clothes and food.
At the end of this lesson, Jesus tells his disciples: “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Let our minds be fixed on heaven and the things above rather than our day to day here on earth.
Proverbs 3:5-6
Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.
Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding.
6 Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.
Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.
6 In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.
Is it easier for you to lean on your own understanding when faced with a stressful situation? Or is your first reaction to “trust in the Lord?”
This Bible verse about stress in Proverbs is often quoted to give Christians direction and peace in their life.
If we acknowledge God in all of our plans then He will help us along our way. This is a great reminder for us to give up our stress and go to Him in prayer.
God will give us peace as we trust Him.
