When Anxiety Shows Up in Emotions

Anxiety does not just stay in the body or the mind. It spills over into our emotions. It can look like irritability, sudden waves of dread, restlessness, or even hopelessness. The smallest inconvenience can feel overwhelming because anxious feelings are already simmering beneath the surface.

We have all been there. You snap at someone you love, not because of what they did, but because anxiety has you on edge. You rush through a conversation and cut someone short because nerves got the best of you. Or you hear a boss or spouse say, “We need to talk,” without giving any details, and suddenly your emotions spiral into worst-case scenarios. Anxiety stirs the emotions, and before long, your mood feels hijacked by worry or unease.

The psalmist in Psalm 42 knew this feeling. He asked his own soul why it was downcast and disturbed, but he did not stay there. He redirected his emotions toward hope in God. We can ask ourselves the same question when anxiety weighs down our emotions. Like the psalmist, we do not have to let our feelings have the final say. They are real, but they are not the authority. When emotions pull us down, we can remind ourselves of God’s truth, speak His Word out loud, and choose to trust His character. God is greater than the waves of emotion, and He invites us to let Him steady those feelings.

Prayer:
Lord, when anxious feelings stir my emotions and leave me restless, remind me to put my hope in You. Lift me above the weight of my feelings and steady those feelings with Your peace.

Daily Challenge:
Pay attention to your emotions today. When you feel anxiety rising as frustration, dread, or irritability, pause and pray Psalm 42:11 out loud: “I put my hope in God, for I will yet praise Him.”