On the Days Anxiety Leaves You Breathless - Encouragement for Today - July 7, 2026
On the Days Anxiety Leaves You Breathless
CAROLE HOLIDAY
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“Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.” 1 Peter 5:7 (NIV)
It feels hard to breathe. Today is one of those days when anxiety wants to get the better of me.
My loyal friend recently told me, “You’re brave.” I laughed out loud. Brave is the last thing I feel. I feel fearful. Anxious.
The world lies mired in conflict and war. My own life strains from divorce’s lingering legal battles and distress over a grandchild’s health struggles. How I long to abandon my worries to a Lord who professes His willingness to relieve me of them, but my hands stubbornly hold on to them.
Turning to the red letters in the New Testament, I imagine the resurrected Jesus standing next to me in the flesh, as He did with the doubting disciples. Would His hands be canopied above my head, sheltering me from my wild imaginings, or would just one of His hands rest on my shoulder, gently reminding me that He will be the yoke for my burdens?
I recall a verse I memorized as a child: “Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you” (1 Peter 5:7).
That truth is so simple and clear. Why do I continually need to remind myself of it? Perhaps because, in my mind, my worth and God’s care are impossibly linked. If I feel worthless, how could He care?
Consider this analogy: My oldest son played professional baseball for two seasons. During his collegiate athletic career and afterward during the Major League Baseball draft, I learned about how teams valued their players. If a multimillion-dollar contract was awarded to a player, the management patiently nurtured that player. Those who were considered less valuable were overlooked.
It made sense. My son said, “Mom, if you had a dress that you paid $2,000 for and one that you bought for $100, which one would you take better care of?”
Bottom line: The player’s value determined the care he received.
That’s why, when I’m anxious and worried, I have to remember the exquisite value God has placed on me. His care is equivalent to my worth, and my worth is equivalent to what He paid for me. The price was His one and only Son, Jesus, who died on the cross for my sins and rose again to bring me salvation.
That is His investment in me and His approval of me … approval that is not couched in my behavior but my being in Christ.
I return to the identity the Creator gives me. The one that allows me to straighten my stooping shoulders and stand taller with my renewed distinction. If I understand my infinite worth, I understand God’s infinite care.
I fill my lungs with this rarefied air. I am worthy. He does care.
I can breathe again.
Lord, I’m desperately seeking You. You promise that I will find You and that You will take my burdens. I stand here with those burdens, and I hand them to You. Direct my steps as I remember my value and I trust in Your care. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
OUR FAVORITE THINGS
There are moments when you know you need God … but you can’t seem to find the words to pray. Maybe you’re carrying anxiety about the future. Maybe you’re trying to encourage someone you love through a difficult season. Or maybe your own heart just feels weary. For the Girl Who Needs Hope: 60 Biblical Prayers for the Hard Moments was created for seasons exactly like these. Inside, you’ll find Scripture-inspired prayers organized around real struggles like fear, worry, regret, and uncertainty — helping you bring honest emotions before God while staying anchored in His Truth. When you give to support Proverbs 31 Ministries today, we’d love to send you this resource as our thanks. Your support helps deliver biblical encouragement to women searching for hope, clarity, and reassurance that God is still with them in the middle of hard things.
ENGAGE
Follow Carole at caroleholiday.com for monthly musings and recipes from her cottage cooking school days.
FOR DEEPER STUDY
Read the verses below, and remember how much God values you.
Psalm 3:3, “But you, LORD, are a shield around me, my glory, the One who lifts my head high” (NIV).
When I am downcast in my unworthiness, He lifts my head. He longs to see my face.
Matthew 10:29-31, “Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows” (NIV).
When I feel unseen, He shows me how His care extends to all of creation.
Mark 5:34, “… Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering” (NIV).
When I feel forgotten, He reminds me of how He honors women as a good father would his daughter.
What thoughts or situations cause you to doubt God’s value and accompanying care for you? Share with us in the comments.
© 2026 by Carole Holiday. All rights reserved.
Proverbs 31 Ministries
P.O. Box 3189
Matthews, NC 28106
www.Proverbs31.org
