5 Ways to Find Hope for Anxiety and Depression | Spiritual Inspiration

Anxiety and depression can prevent us from an abundant life. Our hope is found in Jesus and in His Word, but it doesn’t always feel that simple. Here are 5 ways to find hope for anxiety and depression.

Disclaimer: This is NOT medical advice, and this is not meant to be a fix for anxiety and depression. This is meant to help people have a few starting points to find HOPE for anxiety and depression.

Intro: I can relate

I can relate, Friend. I have been broken many times in many ways. And I know what it feels like. What it feels like to wonder if there’s hope for anxiety and depression.

I know what it feels like to pretend to have it all together because everyone else needs you to be strong. I know what it feels like to be exhausted, worn, and beaten down. And, I know what it feels like to be used and abused.

I know what it is like to be surrounded by people, yet still feel completely alone. Also, I know what it is like to cry out of desperation and feel like no one hears me.

I know what it is like to feel unloved, worthless, ashamed, and rejected. All too well I know what it is like to constantly feel like “I’m not good enough”. The feelings of panic, the doubt, the lack of control, the anger, and the insecurity can be overwhelming.

I understand, Friend. I have been there, and I am here with you today. But, there is hope for anxiety and depression. So, can I take a moment to share with you what I’ve learned?

What I also know now

Striving for perfection, overworking, not taking care of ourselves, maybe it’s training up children, all the tasks of homesteading or homeschooling, maybe it’s your career… so many different things can lead us to anxiety and depression.

But, I now know what it feels like to be full of peace and joy. I know what it feels like to be loved unconditionally. Also, I know what it feels like to have strength that is bigger than me because it is not my own. I know what it is like to be accepted, forgiven, and to have worth. 

Another thing I have learned is that I am good enough not because of anything I have done, but because Jesus is good enough and He lives in me. And He has covered me with His blood and saved me. I know what it is like to have our Father God in control. I know what it feels like to have my tears dried, and my ashes turned into beauty. Moreover, I know what it feels like to always have someone who hears me when I call. 

5 Ways to Find Hope for Anxiety and Depression

1. Remember what Jesus went through

The best part about knowing that Jesus hears us is knowing that He also knew what all these things felt like. Jesus was rejected, beaten, and falsely accused when all He did was good. He loved and served God and others with every action and word.

Yet, He was even deserted by his disciples; those that were supposed to be closest to Him and witnessed His miracles and outpouring of love. And to make matters worse, Jesus’ disciples left Him when He needed encouragement and strength the most.

They failed to support Him in prayer while He was troubled in the Garden of Gethsemane asking God to take away the cup of suffering. Then, almost all of them left Him while He was being accused, beaten, and crucified on a cross.

People tried to make him feel fearful, worthless, and ashamed, but Jesus knew His worth. He knew that His Father in heaven still loved Him, and He knew that He had worth, purpose, and a place waiting for Him in a kingdom not of this world.

Friend, whatever it is that is causing you heartache, turmoil, and desperation… I have great news for you, today…

Jesus understands your anxiety and depression

Even more than I or anyone else can understand your pain, Jesus can. But, He doesn’t want you to stay there. Jesus is alive today “at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us” (Romans 8:34). If you have put your faith in Jesus as the Son of God, Jesus is pleading for YOU as our advocate to the very ONE seated on the highest throne (1 John 2:1).

Oh, dear Friend. You are not alone. God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit all hear you.

2. So, pray

God is BIGGER and GREATER than our circumstances! Our God that spoke our universe into creation…He is bigger and greater than all of your problems. So, take a deep breath. God can turn all of your bad into good! He is merciful, gracious, and full of love, and the sun can rise again and break through your darkness. So, what can happen when you regularly enter in His presence?

You can be healed and transformed. I have seen it happen. It has happened in my life, and in the lives of many others. For those broken pieces to be made into a new, beautiful creation, you must first pray and call on Jesus as your Savior and seek forgiveness of your shortcomings. Pray for His loving guidance and wisdom in your circumstances. Listen for His voice to speak to you. Then, you must submit your life to Him daily and walk in His ways. And, then surrender to the great plan He has for your life.

“This is what the Lord says, he who made the earth, the Lord who formed it and established it—the Lord is his name: ‘Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.’” Jeremiah 33:2-3 NIV

Praise God that He has made a way for us to be redeemed and restored through His Son Jesus! And our brokenness can also be healed. But sometimes we may need more help by talking to a trusted ministry leader or counselor. Certain things may take longer than others, but there is hope. We can be healed. We can choose to keep praying and put our trust in Him.

“But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed.” Isaiah 53:5 NIV

3. Read the Bible

Another way to find hope for anxiety and depression is to read God’s Word. This may seem simple or obvious, but some of us forget the power of entering into God’s presence through prayer and then reading the Bible. God can use the Bible to answer your questions, to guide you, to correct you, and to teach you how to live (2 Timothy 3:16).

You can find comfort in the Psalms, and wisdom in the Proverbs. The gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John teach us more about Jesus, His life, and how He told us to live. If you need an easy place to start, you can start by reading in the book of John. John wrote to gentiles in a way that was quick and easy to understand who Jesus was, and what He did for us. The letters Paul wrote to the different churches teach about the early church, how to live, and how the church was and is meant to be set up and work together in unity as the Body of Christ.

If you need more guidance on how to read the Bible, there are many resources or you can ask a trusted church leader or ministry. We will link to resources as well as scriptures about hope for anxiety and depression at the bottom of this post.

4. Think about your thoughts, then control them

The first steps actually all include our thoughts. They are to remember what Jesus went through and that He understands, so that can lead to prayer and talking to Him before talking to anyone else. Then, searching for comfort, answers, and/or wisdom in the Bible. But, then what?

Think about your thoughts and make a change where needed. You don’t have to change everything at once. Or even feel new and different at once. In fact, it takes time for our feelings to catch up with our minds sometimes. So, it’s important to stop and think about triggers as well as repeated negative thoughts. This could and might be a whole different post. But for now, know the mind is powerful and if we are constantly meditating on negative thoughts, all that will result are negative feelings, words, and actions.

We already touched on two of the best ways to control thoughts, and that is to seek God in prayer and the Bible. The more we focus on God and His ways, the less we should think about ourself and our feelings. It is vital to life to learn the habit of looking on the bright side. We can discipline ourselves by leading with controlling our thoughts, and our emotions can follow later. Again, there are situations that we may need a ministry leader or counselors to help guide us through healing. If that’s you, please get the help you need. This is meant to touch on learning to have a good discipline of a positive thought life.

As people of God, we are not supposed to live by our fleshly feelings, but we are supposed to walk by the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:16). The more we praise God for how awesome He truly is, the smaller our problems become in comparison to Him.

“But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. ” Matthew 6:33

5. Know your “why”

Another way to find hope for anxiety and depression is to know why you are doing the things you do, so you can keep moving forward. Why are you alive? We exist to bring glory to God in everything we do whether in word or action. He created us for Himself, to be with Him forever. But how do we translate this into our every day circumstances?

• Why do I have the career I have? Or why do I choose to stay home?
• Why do I enjoy the hobbies I have?
• What are my gifts and talents?
• How can I use my gifts and talents to bless others?
• Why do I wash dishes, do laundry, manage people, drive a truck, clean up messes etc?

Ask yourself several questions that apply to you and your circumstances and search for the root reasons why you do each thing. For example, do you work for money, or do you work to provide for your family? Do you homeschool because public school is expensive or not good in your area, or do you homeschool because you want to train up your children and spend more quality time with them?

Your questions and answers will be unique to you. You can journal them or write them somewhere in plain sight so that you can remember why you do what you do. Finding the purpose is what helps keep you motivated to move forward. For more help on this, visit this post we wrote a while back that contains a free printable.

Conclusion

We hope that this post has been a good starting point for you and given you hope for anxiety and depression. We hope that you remember what Jesus went through and that He understands your pain. And that you can spend time with Him in prayer and reading the Bible to continue to be filled with hope. It is also a hope of ours that you would begin to dive into thinking about your thoughts and learning to control them if that is something you have not yet learned.

Again, these are starting points. So, we hope that if you have been depressed or struggled for a long time, or are going through a serious issue, that you get the help you need right away.

We hope that you will remember each and every day that you are alive to glorify God and be with Him again someday. And we hope you remember why you do all that you do each day. Our prayers are with each and every person who reads this.

Friend, we pray that you live abundantly,

Scriptures to find hope for anxiety and depression:

• Psalms 23
• John 14:27 (favorite)
• Proverbs 12:25
• Matthew 6:25-34 (favorite)
• Philippians 4:6-7
• Psalms 27:13-14
• 2 Chronicles 20:15
• 1 John 5:4 (another favorite)
• Psalms 3:3
• 1 Peter 4:12-13
• Psalms 16:8
• Psalms 55:22 (another favorite)
• Psalms 9:10
• 2 Corinthians 4:8-9
• Luke 12:25-26

Resources

• Free online Bible
• Proverbs 31 Ministry for women
• Therapy and Theology Podcast
• Betterhelp.com