The Connection Between Pride and Anxiety

Humble yourselves…cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. 1 Peter 5:6-7 (NIV)

The root of all worry and anxiety lies in the belief that what happens is ultimately in our hands. If you think that what happens is ultimately in your hands, that’s pride.

The proud person feels that he or she has to make things happen. But the truth is, none of us can add an inch to our height or an hour to our life by worrying about it. What happens finally is in the hands of God.

There is a powerful insight here for the person who struggles with frequent bouts of anxiety. If we want to deal with our anxiety, the place to begin is by dealing with our pride, because humility is the ultimate release from anxiety.

It is important for us to be able to distinguish between the voices of Pride and Humility. Pride says, “What happens is up to me,” and this only creates more anxiety. Humility says, “Lord, everything that concerns me is in your hands,” and this is the beginning of peace.

When you hear the voice of Pride, you can counteract it by “casting all your anxiety” on Jesus. How do you do that? Tell him what you are anxious about and then hand that situation over to Him. Put it into His hands. You can do this knowing that He cares about you.

If you hear the voice of Pride or you are feeling anxious about a situation, go ahead and cast your anxiety on Jesus right now.