Quieting an Anxious Heart

By Toli Yeptho Baruah, New Delhi, India

Scripture Reading

• Luke 10:38-42
• Philippians 4: 5b- 7
• 1 Peter 5:6-7

Anxiety is loud. It is chaotic. It is also dull and dreary. It seems to suck something out of us, making us weary and exhausted. It is anything but peace and quiet. The buoyancy of joy is almost alien to an anxious soul. 

Anxiety seems to be right there where we do not want it and yet it seems to be sticking to us. Even in the presence of Jesus. Martha was worried and troubled about many things. The Greek word for anxiety is merimnao which means “to be in pieces, to be troubled with worries.” This lends itself to a picture of confusion and restlessness. 

Anxiety has many roots and can entangle us into sins that we never want but somehow seem to be pulled into. Who wants to be wearied with jealousy or heavied with resentment? Who would not want to be filled with peace and rejoice over every blessing of ours as well as of others? But anxiety will not let us. 

Quieting means “to make or become quiet, still, calm, or silent.”

The word “quiet” has its root in the Latin word quietus, which refers to sleep and more generally is used to refer to the absence of activity, noise, or trouble. It also means not agitated and being in a state of rest and tranquility.

So, how do we come to this point of being tranquil and peaceful? There are no shortcuts nor is there a one-solution-fits-all answer. Thankfully, the scriptures provide clear direction and hope. 

The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4: 5b-7

 Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.

1 Peter 5:6-7 

Go to God to quiet our anxious hearts 

Whenever I have been anxious, I have realized that I have not been going to God. Instead of being humble and going on my knees, I end up ruminating, which leads to thoughts that are definitely not noble nor admirable nor excellent nor praiseworthy. I lose sense of what is right and wrong; what is true and false; and all I can think of is what should have been or what could have been. If anyone could peer into my mind, it would be an ugly mess instead of being lovely and pure. 

But whenever, I have decided to surrender and to seek God during my anxious times, I have truly experienced peace that was beyond me. The situation or the people did not change immediately, but I no longer felt the heaviness of worry and anxiety. Truly, the Lord is near, and he hears our prayers and petitions for peace. His peace is the best guard for our hearts and our minds. This is beyond understanding because it cannot be fully explained; it can only be fully experienced. When we experience this peace of God, we will grow in our faith and in our ability to say, like Paul, that we have learned to be content in any and every situation, whether we are in plenty or in need, whether well-fed or hungry.

Be grateful to quiet our anxious hearts

It is interesting that in Philippians 4:6, prayers and petitions are to be presented with thanksgiving in every situation. Whenever I feel anxious, my default model is to be unhappy and whine. Anxiety has a way of making us think and feel that everything is wrong or bad, which in turn makes us feel hopeless and even faithless. A deliberate and clear effort to remind ourselves of the blessings we have in Christ--especially our salvation--can do wonders to a worried soul. There are so many things to be grateful for even on a difficult day, but this requires perspective and an ability to set our hearts and our minds on things above, on things that are unseen but eternal.

A heart overflowing with thankfulness is a heart filled with joy. It is also a heart that is rooted and built up in Christ (Colossians 2:6-7).  If we take out the time to read further in Colossians 2, we will see that we have been brought to fullness and are complete in Christ. 

We are also cautioned to not be captivated by any worldly philosophy. The world teaches us that it is correct to expect everything immediately and to complain if we do not have it. The world is also the flesh in us, which wants us to call our own shots and to have our way no matter what. A deep dissatisfaction with our lives will keep us anxious and restless, but a deep gratitude will result in hearts filled with joy that overflows into praise and worship.

Let go of control to quiet our anxious hearts

The older I grow, the more I notice that many of us are putting unnecessary pressure on ourselves to be in control. We forget that only God is in complete control of everything. A form of pride creeps into our hearts making us believe the lie that we are in control. This leads us to scheme and manipulate and even twist the truth to achieve what we desire. We are upset that our expectations are not met and disturbed that we are disappointed. 

While we are given the free will to be in control of different things like our obedience, our attitude, our posture, and our efforts; there are some things that are not in our control at all. These include how others think of us, treat us, or make their choices for their lives, and our unseen tomorrow.

1 Peter 5:6 says God will lift us up when we are humble, and it goes on to say in verse 7 that we are to cast all our anxieties onto God. Many of our cares seem to be about being lifted or exalted in the eyes of others. What if we decide to let go and let God do whatever He wants to do in our lives and whenever He wants to? What if we check our expectations and see whether it matches up to what scripture says about life and love? What if we decide to be meek and relinquish all control--real or imagined--to the one who is above all? 

I want to end this devotional by praying that whoever is reading this will be able to have the peace of Christ rule in her heart so that she can be still and know God.

Questions for Reflection

1. Are you ready to experience the peace of God? What do you think it will take for you to go to God consistently?
2. Try taking out time to thank God for every blessing you can remember out of the uncountable blessings He has generously bestowed on you. See if this can become a daily practice in your life.
3. Is there anything in your life that you seem to be wanting to control or that is causing you to be stressed? Are you willing to humble yourself and give it to God so that you can be totally at peace, knowing that God is in control?

Today I will

Take out a sheet of paper and write down those things that are worrying you and causing anxiety. Next, pray to God about everything on your list. Be sure to include a time of gratitude in your prayer, thanking God for what He has already done. Afterward, tear up the list and throw it away. With faith and trust in our God, envision that He has taken each of those items onto Himself because He cares for you.

About the Author

Toli became a disciple in 1997 on Delhi University campus, where she completed her master’s degree in English Literature. She has been married to her husband, Emmanuel, for 21 years and they are blessed with two daughters: Deborah (19) and Lydia (15). Toli has been in the ministry for more than 20 years. She and Emmanuel currently lead the church in New Delhi. She enjoys reading, being with babies, baking from time to time, and cooking some favourite meals.