A Prayer for When the World Makes You Anxious
By Kelly Balarie
Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things. (Phil 4:8)
I watch the evening news. And, I'm convinced they should no longer call it evening news, friends, they should call it: The Anxiety Hour. Do you watch it too? Do you feel it crawl all over you?
You see the tears. You see the evil. You see the injustice. You see the pain. You see the prognosis. You see no answers. You feel helpless.
If you could do something to change anything, you would. But, you feel small, unable. You assure yourself, even your loudest call would ring hollow and uncared for, in this echo-chamber called the world.
There is an undercurrent of fear. The tensions under the surface of forced calmness are like riptides. They are rising. We all see them. We want to turn away. Pretend. Run. Hide. Shiver. Shake.
Yet, is this what Jesus called us to? Self-preservation and dread? Worry and anxiety?
Might we consider: The news is not evil, but how our heart distrusts God easily could be?
If we fill our mind with the grim, we can hardly keep our mind set on Him. We can't see if we are blinded by the anger that boils over in our heart. We get distracted and what emerges doesn't look like love. It doesn't look like Jesus.
And what hits me is this: Jesus never called us to hone in on what's wrong with everything, he called us to remember God is in control - of everything. This is peace.
Dear God,
I am prone to worry. I let the happenings of the world, the elections and the economy sit heavy on me. I need to find your peace. I invite you to restructure my thinking. May my hope be you. May my peace be you. May you help love flow out from me. Give me clarity. May I change what I am able to change and release what I can't. May I know that the greatest joy is staying where you are. God, thank you that you have the whole world in your hands. I need not fear because you are the best manager, orchestrator and caretaker. You made it all. I believe in your plan.
Amen.
Editor’s Note: Content taken from “5 Verses to Reclaim Calm When the World Makes You Anxious” by Kelly Balarie. You can read that piece in full here. All rights reserved.
Related Resource: Starting 2026 with Intention: Confidence, Diligence, and God’s Direction
As we begin a brand-new year, I want to help you slow down and listen for God’s invitation in your life. In this episode, we kick off our One Word 2026 series — a simple, prayerful way to reflect on where you’ve been and discern how God may be inviting you to grow in the year ahead.
I introduce the heart behind choosing a spiritual “one word,” not as a goal to achieve, but as a posture to receive. We explore two of the six words I’ll be offering this month — confidence and diligence — and look at how Scripture invites us to grow, not by relying on our own strength, but by trusting God’s faithfulness over time.
This episode is part of our How to Study the Bible Podcast, a show that brings life back to reading the Bible and helps you understand even the hardest parts of Scripture. If this episode helps you know and love God more, be sure to subscribe to the How to Study the Bible Podcast on Apple or Spotify so you never miss an episode!
