Anxiety and Faith- Can Both Exist?

Happy New Year! I cannot believe 2025 is done and we are now in a complete new year. If you are like me, you set a lot of goals for the new year, personally, for your family, financially, etc. I have always set goals and made steps in order to make sure I can track it and follow through. In looking back at the past few years, I have a bit of anxiety for this new year. I want it to be a year full of growth and financial freedom but I also know how fast life can change and things can go south. So how do we start a new year noticing that anxiety is present but does not have to be the controlling part of our life? Can Anxiety and faith both exist?

Anxiety is one of the most common human experiences- and one of the most misunderstood in faith communities. Many people quietly wonder whether their anxiety means they are failing spiritually. We hear verses about trusting God, not worrying, and having peace, and we assume that persistent anxiety must indicate weak faith. I have dealt with anxiety for years and never spoke much of it because I felt like I was failing as a Christian. So many people would tell me I just need to trust God and give it up to God, as if it was a switch I could just turn off and on. But scripture tells a very different story. The Bible does not deny anxiety. It acknowledges it, names it, and shows us how faith meets us in the middle of it.

Faithful People in Scripture Experienced Anxiety

Throughout the Bible, deeply faithful people wrestled with fear, distress, and emotional turmoil. David openly wrote, "When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought me joy" in Psalm 94:19. Elijah became so overwhelmed that he asked God to take his life in 1 Kings 19:3-4. The apostle Paul described being "under great pressure, for beyond our ability to endure" in 2 Corinthians 1:8.

Even Jesus experienced deep emotional anguish in the Garden of Gethsemane. He said, "My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death" (Mark 14:34). If anxiety were evidence of a lack of faith, these stories would not be included in Scripture.

Anxiety is a Human Response, Not a Spiritual Failure

Anxiety is not the same as sin. It is often a response to uncertainty, loss, danger, or responsibility. While Scripture calls us to trust God, it never condemns us for experiencing fear. The psalmist writes, "When I am afraid, I put my trust in You" (Psalm 56:3). Romans 8:1 reminds us that "there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." God does not shame us for our emotions; He invites us to bring them honestly before Him.

"Do Not Be Anxious" Is an Invitation to Relationship

Verses like Philippians 4:6- "Do not be anxious about anything"- are sometimes heard as harsh commands. But when read in full, the passage reveals God's heart. Paul writes, "Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God." This is not a rebuke for feeling anxious- it is an invitation to bring our anxiety into God's presence. The promise that follows is not that anxiety will instantly disappear, but that "the peace of God... will guard your hearts and your minds" (Philippians 4:7). Peace becomes a protector, even when circumstances remain difficult.

Faith Often Coexists with Anxiety

We sometimes assume faith should eliminate anxiety. Scripture shows us that faith more often sustains us through it. Psalm 23 does not promises avoidance of the valley- it promises God's presence in the valley. Paul pleaded with God to remove his "thorn" yet God responded, "My grace is sufficient for you" (2 Corinthians 12:9). Faith does not always mean immediate relief. Sometimes it means continuing to trust God while still feeling afraid.

So, Can Anxiety and Faith Exist Together?

Yes- and they often do. Faith is not the absence of anxiety; it is choosing to bring our anxiety to God rather than carrying it alone. God does not wait for us to be calm before He welcomes us. He meets us where we are. For 2026, will you join me in bringing your anxiety to God? Jesus' invitation remains: "Come to me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest" (Matthew 11:28).

Not after the anxiety is gone.

But right in the middle of it.