The Power of Prayer on Work-Related Anxiety
There are a million things that may trigger your anxiety, but don't be alarmed: there is nothing prayer can't heal.
Work-related anxieties are common stressful situations that tend to arise due to work or due to your responsibilities at the workplace. Sadly, they are very common, and anyone who is fully-invested in their craft will experience it at some point. For some, work-related anxiety may linger for days, months, even years. For others, it hits once, then it tapers out gradually over time. There are many ways for anxiety to manifest, and they are not all alike.
Although it is never truly possible to pin down the concrete reasons behind anxiety, engaging in deep, meditative prayer can grant you some clarity and relaxation, and ultimately, make it easier for you to tackle the causes behind your anxieties. Here is the process...
Preparing Yourself for Prayer
The first step to undergoing any meditative phase is to prepare yourself for it. Since anxieties are psychological and emotional in nature, the best way to prepare for it is to calm your thoughts and your emotions, even for a moment.
Take a page from the verse of Matthew 6:5, which states: "when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen," and be guided by this advice. To prepare best for deep, meditative prayer, find a quiet and calm location, away from things that may remind you of your anxieties, and observe silence for a short while.
Like most meditative practices, make sure to sit on a flat, comfortable surface, rest your muscles, close your eyes, and breathe. It is very important to do some breathing exercises before you pray, to ensure that your mind and body are synced and relax.
Take as much time as you need when preparing for prayer. The preparation period for prayer is something you cannot rush. Although the preparation portion is the first step to deep, prayerful moments, it is vital and it should be taken seriously. This is one stage of the whole prayer process that can't be skipped, because doing so might make you unprepared for the more important and spiritually-challenging step: praying as deeply and as sincerely as you can muster.
While praying, sometimes it helps having something to focus with, so try holding in your hand a comfort cross while praying.
Let These Bible Verses Guide You
One way to truly achieve that level of clarity is to find inspiration from the Bible. If you don't know how to phrase your prayer to the Lord, or if you want to work on a single thought before starting your prayer (for many people, this helps), here are some Bible verses on anxiety to serve as a guide.
"The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters. He restores my soul; He guides me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You have anointed my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and loving kindness will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever." - Psalm 23:1-6
"For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind." - 2 Timothy 1:7
"So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." - Isaiah 41:10
You may even incorporate these verses in your prayer.
Moving forward, you can dive into your prayer session by speaking with God, through prayer, like you would a friend, or by repeating a prayer template, like the one below.
Prayer for Anxiety, through the Intercession of Saint Dymphna
Good Saint Dymphna,
Great wonder-worker in every affliction of mind and body, I humbly implore your powerful intercession with Jesus through Mary, the Health of the Sick, in my present need.
(State your needs here)
Saint Dymphna, martyr of purity, patroness of those who suffer with nervous and mental afflictions, beloved child of Jesus and Mary, pray to Them for me and obtain my request.
Amen.
Seek Medical Help or Professional Therapy
Make it a habit to pray everyday at home, before work, and most importantly, after it, so you may assess the level of stress you've encountered at work with the Lord's presence in your prayer session. Aside from keeping a consistent relationship with God through prayer, you may also supplement your healing by seeking medical help or professional therapy.
God has blessed us with friends, family, and medical professionals who can help us traverse through the difficult journey of anxiety and depression. If you seek further healing, don't be afraid to seek the advice or assistance of a medical professional.
36 comments
Please for the help to overcome bouts of anxiety/panic and depression attacks. Along with the easing up of my emphysema.
Thank you Blessed St. Dymphna for your assistance in being focused, calm and peaceful in mind, body, energy, essence, emotions and spirit.
Please pray for me my anxiety and depression also pray that my medication will work now.
I just wanted to share that I have been experiencing anxiety flushes and attacks for the past couple weeks. I went online last week and found out who Saint Dymphna is and prayed to her. In less than a week, my anxiety flushes and fears have evaporated and i feel some strength of mind returning. I believe this is a miracle that happened and I just wanted to share and thank you for making this available. God bless her.
Please pray for me to find the strength I need to face my challenges in my life with my health which needs improvement, my obesity and diabetes I need to get healthy and it is so hard with other challenges that my mind. My daughter is only 20 but wants to leave the nest already and i am filled with separation anxiety, fear and sadness of what I will feel once she is gone. Also my son is 22 with autism and he is very filled with anxiety about this impending change so we are both suffering but I need to be strong for him because he has his own transitional challenges. He is on the autism spectrum so he has been able to attend high school until 21 so last year was his last year in school and he feels so lost and is struggling to find transition acceptable. His sister is his best friend and her leaving is making him feel in more lost. My mother is 85 and entering her twilight years though she is healthy and still driving, I think about her welfare as well and her house is 30 years old and we are experiencing alot of rennovations and repairs we cant afford. So I just need to get my bearing, my strength and my power to accept these stressful challenges and be strong enough to flush away the anxiety that plagues me. Please help me find the strength to be strong enough for everyone and myself. I love my children more than life itself and do not want to fail them.