Philippians 4:6
Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
Philippians 4:7
And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
Matthew 11:28
Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
Psalm 46:10
Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.
Proverbs 3:5
Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
Proverbs 3:6
In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
Lamentations 3:22
It is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.
Lamentations 3:23
They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.
How to read these verses
These passages come from very different books: a letter, a Gospel, a song, a book of wisdom and a lament written after a city was destroyed. Read each one slowly and, when you can, read the chapter around it. A verse is heard best in its own setting.
Prayer instead of worry
In Philippians 4 Paul does not tell the reader that worries are small. He points them somewhere: to prayer, with thanksgiving, and to a peace that guards the heart and mind. Our lesson on Philippians 4 looks at the setting of this letter.
Rest for the weary
In Matthew 11 Jesus speaks to people who are tired and burdened, and his invitation is simply to come to him. It is a good verse to read at the end of a long day.
Stillness and trust
Psalm 46 is a song about God as a refuge when everything seems to shake. Proverbs 3 adds a call to trust with the whole heart rather than leaning only on our own understanding.
Mercy that is new each morning
Lamentations was written in grief. In the middle of it, the writer remembers that God's compassion does not fail and is renewed every morning. Hope here is not denial of pain; it is spoken from inside it.
When anxiety is more than worry
Reading Scripture can bring comfort, but it does not replace care. If anxiety is constant or overwhelming, talk to someone you trust and to a qualified health professional. In an emergency, contact local emergency services.