Daily Bread for Daily Anxieties
“…do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”—Phil. 4:6-7
We ask for daily bread because we have daily needs. When those needs feel uncertain or when I can’t control the outcome, they can also become daily anxieties.
I don’t generally live in a state of anxiety, but I am beginning to recognize that my anxiety often flares when I feel powerless to change a situation. This is when I fixate on solutions, not the Savior. I forget to pray, because I’m busy trying to manage what feels unmanageable. That’s what happened to me this week.
Eating the Bread of Anxious Toil
While going through my bills, I noticed a recurring charge for my son’s online class—something I thought was a one-time payment. I immediately felt a surge of panic and frustration, imagining the worst. I scrambled to fix it: searching websites, emailing the teacher, even calling the credit card company.
I’ll be honest. Praying didn’t even enter my mind—I just wanted to make it right, fast. I’m even sad to say that, I got what I wanted but through angry demands.
So as I sat down to write this post, I asked myself, how would I have counseled myself if I this kind of situation comes up again? How might I think about it differently? Or in terms of our series: What is my “daily bread” here? What need is driving my anxiety? Where do I feel out of control?
One thing is for certain: Underneath my frustration was fear—had I fallen for a scam? I felt vulnerable, out of control, unsure who to trust. What I really needed, more than a refund, was spiritual “daily bread”: wisdom, protection, peace. I needed to trust that God sees, knows, and helps—even in something that seemed too small to pray for but was pressing hard on my heart.
So, with the benefit of 20/20 hindsight, how might I pray for this daily bread, using Philippians 4:6-7?
How to Pray When We Feel Anxious
Using what we’ve been learning, here’s one possibility:
1. Turning to God Instead of Fixing First
Father, here I am again—anxious about something small but stressful. I admit, I didn’t even think to pray at first. I went straight into panic mode, trying to control, solve, and fix. I rushed to write emails, search websites, and make calls, all while feeling a rising sense of helplessness. But now I pause to turn to You. You are near, and I don’t have to be frantic. Help me bring my needs to You before I rush to handle things myself.
2. Naming My Requests Honestly
Lord, I feel anxious about this unexpected charge. I didn’t anticipate it, and I’m afraid it won’t be resolved quickly. I feel vulnerable—like I’ve made a mistake I can’t undo. I don’t want to be taken advantage of or lose money needlessly. I feel rattled and insecure. Please provide help in this. I ask for clarity, wisdom, and a trustworthy response from those involved. Meet me in the place where I feel exposed and out of control.
3. Trusting God’s Nearness and Peace
God, You promise peace—not when things are perfect, but when I bring my burdens to You. Thank You that You are near. I don’t need to know the outcome to have peace. I just need to know You are with me in it. Calm my racing thoughts. Guard my heart from fear and frustration. Steady my emotions with Your presence. Teach me to rest in the truth that Your peace doesn’t depend on how quickly this gets resolved.
4. Asking for My “Daily Bread”
This is today’s trouble, Lord. I bring it to You as part of my daily bread—this need to feel secure, to have wisdom, and to know I am cared for. I’m not promised ease, but I am promised grace for today. Feed me with what I need most: trust in You, peace in my heart, wisdom for each step. I can’t control this outcome, but I can choose to depend on You right now.
5. Ending with Dependence and Hope
So I surrender this situation to You, Father. Thank You that You know the whole story—even what I can’t see. Help me believe that You will care for me, that You will provide what I need, that You are working even in this. You are my peace, and I rest in You. Amen.
How different my experience might have been!
Let’s Pray: Turning Ordinary Anxieties into Prayer
Now it’s your turn. Instead of letting our anxieties gnaw at us or spur us to take matters into our own hands, let them be the invitation from God we need to bring them to him, whether they are like mine or not. He welcomes anything and everything. Not just once, but every day, if needed.
So begin by surfacing one pressure, stressor, temptation, worry. Then use the following prompts to help you fill in your own details to help you start praying your anxieties instead of trying to bear them on your own.
1. Pause and Name the Pressure
Before rushing to fix things, pause. Check in with yourself: What’s really going on inside me right now? Take note of the restlessness, the temptation to take over, the stress.
Prompt:
“Right now, I feel anxious about ____________.
I’m tempted to fix or avoid it by ____________, but I want to bring it to You first, Lord.”
2. Ask for Today’s Bread
God invites us to ask for what we need—not just physically, but emotionally and spiritually. Ask Him: What is the deeper need I’m feeling underneath this anxiety?
Prompt:
“Beneath this anxiety, I realize I need __________ (e.g., peace, wisdom, protection, courage).
Help me receive what You provide instead of scrambling to take control.”
3. Rest in the God Who is Near
Peace doesn’t come from predicting outcomes—it comes from knowing God is near. He guards our hearts when we pray with thanksgiving, even before the situation is resolved.
Prompt:
“Father, thank You that You see me and care for me.
I trust You to help me with ____________.
Guard my heart and mind with Your peace.”
Just as asking for daily bread acknowledges God’s care for today, Philippians 4:6–7 shows us how to pray in the midst of our anxious tomorrows. In both, we are invited to move from self-reliance to depending wholly on Him. From anxious striving to prayerful trust. From fear of lack to gratitude for His faithful provision.
