A Prayer for When You Are Anxious - Your Daily Prayer - January 9

A Prayer for When You Are Anxious
By Wendy van Eyck

I am my beloved’s, and his desire is for me. - Song of Solomon 7:10

When I first read about the following prayer in a book by Brennan Manning called, “The Furious Longing of God,” I thought it sounded too simple but I gave it a try anyway.

I can’t remember the exact words Manning wrote but I remember reading something along the lines of, 'if you pray this prayer every day for one month it will change you.'

This prayer has changed me.

This 5-word prayer has become my "go-to" prayer anytime I feel anxious.

Driving to the oncologist to get scan results: Abba, I belong to you.

Waking in the middle of the night with concerns about work or finances: Abba, I belong to you.

Worrying over a relationship that is struggling to work: Abba, I belong to you.

Praying for a friend: Abba, [insert name of friend] belongs to you.

As I pray it I find myself remembering who God is: Big, mighty, good, merciful, loving, Abba.

As I pray it I find myself surrendering to who God is: In control, infinite, beyond comprehension, seeking my good.

As I pray it I find myself believing who I am:  Human, living in forgiveness, valuable, beloved, desired by God.

Ponder: Are you willing to try praying this prayer every day for a month and see if it helps your anxiety?

Prayer: I exhale and inhale when I pray it as Brennan Manning suggested, but I’ve found my own rhythm:

Inhale: Abba

Exhale: I belong

Inhale: to

Exhale: you

I find the combination of breathing and words calm me. This makes sense to me because none of us are only physical or only spiritual. We are both, so why not use both to find peace when I'm anxious?

Editor’s Note: Portions of this devotional were taken from Wendy van Eyck’s devotional, How to Pray When You are Anxious. You can read that piece in full here.

Related Resource: What If God’s Heart Toward You Is Kinder Than You Think?

In this episode of Talk About That, you will laugh along with stories about children’s books, volleyball mornings, St. Patrick’s Day, and even the questionable legacy of the Power Team, but underneath the humor is a thoughtful conversation about one of the deepest questions of faith: how God truly sees us. John and Jonnie reflect on weakness, mercy, and the struggle many believers feel in accepting that God is not only patient with them, but genuinely pleased to call them His own. It’s an honest, encouraging reminder that our relationship with God is not built on performance, perfection, or “having it all together,” but on His love, grace, and fatherly delight in His children. You'll come away challenged to see yourself less through the lens of self-criticism and more through the steady, compassionate eyes of a God who knows you fully, loves you deeply, and may just be rooting for you more than you realize. If you laughed out loud listening to this episode, be sure to follow Talk About That on Apple and Spotify!