What I Would Do First If I Was Struggling With Intense Anxiety — Even Though I Was Praying
If I’m being honest, one of the most discouraging experiences as a Christian woman is praying faithfully… and still feeling anxious. You’re talking to God. You’re reading your Bible. You’re trying to “cast your cares.” Yet your chest is tight. Your thoughts won’t slow down. Your body feels like it’s in constant fight-or-flight. That disconnect can quietly make you wonder:
“Am I doing something wrong? Am I not trusting God enough?”
I want to start by saying this clearly, praying and still experiencing anxiety does not mean your faith is weak. It often means your nervous system is overwhelmed. As both a Christian and a mental health professional, here’s exactly what I would do first if I were struggling with intense anxiety and prayer alone didn’t seem to be shifting anything.
First, I Would Stop Asking “What’s Wrong With Me?”
And Start Asking “What’s Happening Inside Me?” When anxiety is loud, our instinct is to fight it spiritually:
“God, take this away.” “I rebuke this.” “Why won’t this leave?”
But anxiety doesn’t usually respond to force, it responds to understanding and safety. One of the biggest breakthroughs in my own healing came when I realized that my anxiety wasn’t a spiritual failure. It was my body communicating something my mind hadn’t yet processed.
Scripture reminds us
“Be anxious for nothing..” (Philippians 4:6 NIV)
But that verse doesn’t mean anxiety will never show up. It means anxiety is an invitation to bring what’s overwhelming us into the light. Before anxiety can leave, it needs to be listened to, not shamed.
The First Practical Step: Identify the Trigger Before Trying to Silence the Symptom
If anxiety feels intense and constant, the first thing I would do is pause and identify the trigger, not rush to make the feeling disappear.
Here’s why this matters:
Anxiety is often a reaction, not the root issue. Many women are praying against anxiety when what they’re actually experiencing is:
Unhealed emotional wounds
Suppressed grief
Chronic stress
Boundary violations
Trauma responses stored in the body
If we skip discernment and go straight to deliverance language, we miss the opportunity for healing. Jesus modeled this beautifully. He didn’t rush people past their pain, He asked questions.
“What do you want me to do for you?” (Mark 10:51 NIV)
Not because He didn’t know, but because naming brings clarity.
What This Looked Like in My Own Life
There was a season when I was praying constantly, yet my anxiety was escalating. I loved God deeply, but internally, I was unraveling. What I eventually realized was this: I wasn’t anxious because I lacked faith. I was anxious because my body was still holding experiences my spirit had already surrendered. Prayer was addressing my beliefs, but my nervous system was still living in survival mode.
Once I learned how to:
Recognize emotional triggers
Understand my body’s stress responses
Invite God into my emotional regulation (not just my thoughts
Everything began to shift. Not instantly, but intentionally.
Why Prayer Alone Sometimes Doesn’t Bring Immediate Relief
Prayer is powerful, but God designed healing to be multi-layered.
“We are spirit, soul, and body.” (1 Thessalonians 5:23 NIV).
When anxiety is rooted in emotional or physiological overwhelm, spiritual practices must be paired with awareness and regulation. That’s not a lack of faith, that’s wisdom.
“My people are destroyed from lack of knowledge.” (Hosea 4:6 NIV)
Sometimes what we’re missing isn’t more prayer, it’s understanding what we’re praying through.
If You’re Praying But Still Triggered, This Might Be Why
If anxiety keeps flaring even though you’re seeking God, there’s a good chance:
You’re reacting to unrecognized triggers
Your body is responding to old threats that feel current
You’ve spiritualized something that needs emotional processing
And none of that makes you weak. It makes you human, and deeply worthy of care.
Your Next Step
If this resonated with you, I created a free resource called “Why You’re Still Triggered Even Though You’re Praying.”
It will help you:
Identify what’s actually triggering your anxiety
Discern emotional vs. spiritual responses
Understand why prayer sometimes needs support
Take the first step toward lasting peace, without guilt or shame
👉🏽 [Download the free guide here]
You don’t need to pray harder. You need to heal deeper, and God is not disappointed in the process.
