How can I help others deal with anxiety?
Job 2:11-13When three of Job’s friends heard of the tragedy he had suffered, they got together and traveled from their homes to comfort and console him. Their names were Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite. When they saw Job from a distance, they scarcely recognized him. Wailing loudly, they tore their robes and threw dust into the air over their heads to show their grief. Then they sat on the ground with him for seven days and nights. No one said a word to Job, for they saw that his suffering was too great for words.
Job 16:2“I have heard all this before. What miserable comforters you are!”
Psalm 18:13Spouting off before listening to the facts is both shameful and foolish.
For seven days, Job’s friends simply stayed with him in his suffering, offering no words of advice. Their presence was the strongest comfort they could offer. It was when they opened their mouths, offering advice on things they didn’t understand, that they made Job’s situation worse. When someone suffers from anxiety, we shouldn’t offer quick clichés in answer. That’s like putting a band-aid on a deep, festering wound. It’s better to simply listen and be present.
James 2:16Suppose you see a brother or sister who has no food or clothing, and you say, “Good-bye and have a good day; stay warm and eat well”—but then you don’t give that person any food or clothing. What good does that do?
If we saw someone walking around with a festering wound, we wouldn’t tell them, “That looks bad. I hope you get better soon.” Like a wound, anxiety can also fester, though its effects may not always be physically obvious. In either case, a kind word or a quick Bible verse, though not without value, doesn’t go far enough to address the problem. We should encourage that individual to seek professional help.
1 Corinthians 12:26If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it, and if one part is honored, all the parts are glad.
James 5:16Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.
We can help others deal with anxiety by listening to them and praying for them.
Proverbs 12:25Worry weighs a person down; an encouraging word cheers a person up.
Anxiety is fueled by persistent negative thoughts. We can help others counter their anxious thought patterns by reminding them of what is true, offering comfort and encouragement.
Deuteronomy 31:6“So be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid and do not panic before them. For the Lord your God will personally go ahead of you. He will neither fail you nor abandon you.”
Psalm 55:22Give your burdens to the Lord, and he will take care of you. He will not permit the godly to slip and fall.
Romans 8:31What shall we say about such wonderful things as these? If God is for us, who can ever be against us?
Ephesians 4:15-16Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church. He makes the whole body fit together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love.
We are the body of Christ—learning, living, loving, and growing together. Ultimately, the comfort we give the anxious should point back to the Prince of Peace himself. Trusting in God’s love and faithfulness isn’t always easy for those with anxiety. But when both our words and actions reflect God’s love and faithfulness to them, it becomes easier for them to grasp.
