Table of Contents
- Introduction
- Bible Verses/Prayers for Anxiety
- Prayers for Anxiety and Stress from Saints
- Other Prayers for Anxiety and Nervousness
- Mental Health and Prayer
- Related Prayers
We all feel anxiety at times for different kinds of reasons. At Hallow, we believe prayer is a component of supporting and strengthening mental health, but we also know it isn’t a standalone solution. If you are experiencing severe depression, severe anxiety, or simply need support, we urge you to reach out to a mental health professional in your area.
This being said, we hope these prayers for anxiety might help provide solace, consistency or lead you out of moments of pain, suffering, or discomfort. Most importantly, we hope these prayers remind us that we are never alone in this world — we always have God and an army of Saints behind us.
Anxiety doesn’t go away with a prayer like magic, but it might help us find support and love in our faith — to ultimately lighten our burdens.
Bible verses to ease your anxiety and nervousness
We know praying with a verse might not make something you’re struggling with instantly go away. However, we hope these verses remind you that God is always with you — in good times and in bad. Consider choosing a verse each day, week, or month to memorize or reread multiple times. It might not relieve anxiety away in full, but it might help relieve it at the moment.
1 Peter 5:6-7
“Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, so that he may exalt you in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.”
Romans 8:38-39
“For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Romans 8:28
“We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.”
Jeremiah 29:11
“For surely I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for your welfare and not for harm, to give you a future with hope.”
John 14:27
“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid.”
Philippians 4:13
“I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.”
Psalm 23:1-4
“The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures;
he leads me beside still waters;
he restores my soul.
He leads me in right paths
for his name’s sake.
Even though I walk through the darkest valley,
I fear no evil;
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff—
they comfort me.”
Prayers for anxiety and stress from Saints
Let us think only of spending the present day well. Then, when tomorrow shall have come, it will be called TODAY, and then, we will think about it.
St. Francis de Sales
When you say these prayers for anxiety, remember that you are never alone. There are thousands of others praying them with you, as well as the Saints who wrote them in their own moments and seasons of struggling and feeling overwhelmed. All of these Saint prayers for anxiety can be found in the Saints Challenge on Hallow.
Let Nothing Disturb You (St. Teresa of Avila)
This prayer reminds us that this earthly life is temporary; everything in this life shall pass, but God is eternal. Pray this prayer for calmness when you feel overwhelmed.
Let nothing disturb you,
Let nothing frighten you,
All things are passing away:
God never changes.
Patience obtains all things.
Whoever has God lacks nothing;
God alone suffices.
READ MORE: ST. TERESA OF ÁVILA
Surrender (St. Ignatius of Loyola)
Pray this prayer when you feel overcome by stress or worry. It reminds us that God gave us everything, and it is to Him that we can return it all.
Take, Lord, and receive all my liberty,
My memory, my understanding,
And my entire will,
All I have and call my own.
You have given all to me.
To you, Lord, I return it.
Everything is yours; do with it what you will.
Give me only your love and your grace,
That is enough for me.
Be at Peace (St. Francis de Sales)
In this prayer, St. Francis de Sales helps us remember that God is with us today, and He will be with us tomorrow, too. This is a prayer to help us grow our trust in God and give over our anxieties to Him.
Be at peace.
Do not look forward in fear to the changes in life;
Rather look to them with full hope that as they arise,
God, whose very own you are, will lead you safely through all things.
And when you cannot stand it, God will carry you in His arms.
Do not fear what may happen tomorrow;
The same everlasting Father who cares for you today
Will take care of you then and every day.
He will either shield you from suffering,
Or give you unfailing strength to bear it.
Be at peace,
And put aside all anxious thoughts and imagination.
Stay With Me, Lord (St. Padre Pio)
This prayer from Pio is our call on God to simply be present with us. As we pray, we recognize that we were never, are never, and never will be alone — God is always with us.
Stay with me, Lord, for it is necessary to have You present so that I do not forget You. You know how easily I abandon You.
Stay with me, Lord, because I am weak and I need Your strength, that I may not fall so often.
Stay with me, Lord, for You are my light and without You I am in darkness.
Stay with me, Lord, to show me Your will.
Stay with me, Lord, so that I hear Your voice and follow You.
Stay with me, Lord, for I desire to love You very much and to be in Your company always.
Stay with me, Lord, if You wish me to be faithful to You.
Stay with me, Lord, for as poor as my soul is I want it to be a place of consolation for You, a nest of Love.
ALSO PRAY: Padre Pio Healing Prayer
Holy Spirit, Come Into My Heart (St. Catherine of Siena)
When we are at a loss for words, we can always call on the Holy Spirit. This prayer for love and guidance is similar to a short prayer we say at Hallow often: “Come, Holy Spirit.”
Holy Spirit, come into my heart;
Draw it to Thee by Thy power, O my God,
And grant me charity with filial fear.
Preserve me, O beautiful love, from every evil thought;
Warm me, inflame me with Thy dear love,
And every pain will seem light to me.
My Father, my sweet Lord, help me in all my actions.
Jesus, love.
Jesus, love.
READ MORE: Prayers to the Holy Spirit
Other prayers for anxiety and nervousness
These prayers, meditations, and methods might ease your anxiety or lead you to a clearer understanding of both mind and heart.
Lectio Divina
Lectio Divina is a meditative way of reading Scripture in which we focus on listening rather than speaking while we rest with God. In times of anxiety, praying Lectio Divina with relevant Scripture might help ease pain or discomfort. You can read more on drawing comfort from Scripture here and hear some suggestions that might speak to you. (Hint: the Psalms, the Gospels, and the Book of Job are all good places to start.)
Daily Examen
The Daily Examen is a reflective prayer that helps us notice where God moved throughout our day. For this reason, it’s usually prayed at night. However, depending on when a prayer for anxiety might work best for you, you can adapt it to fit your needs. For Mental Health Awareness month, Hallow recognized the Examen as a tool for strengthening mental health. Exchanging anxiety for gratitude isn’t easy, and we recognize that. However, we believe that this practice grows our capacity to slow down, reflect, and appreciate where God moves throughout our daily lives.
In Hallow, we offer several Examens in our various Praylists, praying for Calm, Hope, Humility, Gratitude, and more.
Before sleep
Do you ever have trouble falling asleep at night? From making tomorrow’s to-do list or ruminating on moments from today, finding peace before sleep is something many of us struggle with daily. For many, time before sleep is the most-anxiety producing time of the day. We encourage you to pray when your head hits the pillow. It might not immediately stop or prevent your anxiety, but it might remind you that you are never alone. If you find solace in praying with Mary, you can always repeat a decade of the Rosary or simply repeat the Hail Mary prayer until you fall asleep.
Hail, Mary, full of grace,
the Lord is with thee.
Blessed art thou amongst women
and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God,
pray for us sinners,
now and at the hour of our death.
Amen.
We hope these methods and prayers for anxiety support you in truly resting with God. Remember, He always meets us where we are.
Please note: While prayer is an important part of strong mental health, it is not a standalone solution to severe mental illness such as depression, addiction, severe anxiety, etc. If you are experiencing any of these, we urge you to reach out to a mental health professional in your area.
Related Prayers
Updated June 2022*