"Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4:6-7).
Overthinking has been a struggle I've faced throughout my life. Reading text messages and emails has often stressed me out because I read too much into them. "Do they actually hate me?" is a question that usually comes to mind when I read a text or an email. Due to overthinking, I have lost a significant amount of time and exhausted much of my energy.
Perhaps you have struggled with overthinking as well. Overthinking has the power to cause us to ruminate over trivial matters or things we have created in our minds. Anxiety is one part of overthinking, as they often go hand-in-hand. If you are a naturally anxious person, you have already seen overthinking in your life. Rather than being calm and collective, you are stressed, overwhelmed, and drained. Whenever we are feeling this way, God wants us to come to Him (Matthew 11:28-30).
Overthinking does not have to control your life anymore. You can live in the freedom of the Lord. He has already died to set us free (Galatians 5:1). There is no reason to live in accordance with the things that hold us in bondage. Overthinking is one of those things that can cause us to lose sleep at night because we feel a prisoner to its ways.
The Apostle Paul tells us, "Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4:6-7).
Rather than continuing to live in an anxious cycle, we can give these matters over to God. Philippians 4:6-7 gives us vital instructions on how to do this in our everyday lives. Paul tells us not to be anxious in any situation, but to present our requests to God through prayer, petition, and thanksgiving. As soon as we do this, the peace of God will flood our hearts and keep our hearts and minds safe in the Lord.
When Paul tells us this vital truth, he is not saying it haphazardly. Paul wants us to reflect on his words and apply them to our lives. Instead of continuing in the cycle of overthinking, we need to present our requests to God. This can be done by sharing our troubles with Him and trusting Him with the outcome.
No longer do we need to keep our anxieties to ourselves. We need to bring them before the Lord and tell Him everything that is on our mind (1 Peter 5:7). Different people will have different anxieties, and God knows this. Even if someone in the past has made you feel as though your anxiety is not a "big deal," it is. All concerns that you need to be placed before Jesus.
Jesus never downplays your anxieties, worries, or concerns. He meets you where you are, and He gives strength to your bones. Once we can stop the habit of anxiety and dwelling on things, we will be able to stop the habit of overthinking. This can only be done by going to God in prayer and accepting His help.
Self-help books often claim that the power lies within us, but this is not entirely true. We cannot truly overcome anything apart from Jesus. The Lord is the One who helps us in our struggles and on our difficult days. Only with Him will we be able to stop the cycle of overthinking.
If your overthinking continues even after talking with God in prayer about it, consider seeking out a Christian therapist. They will be able to help you with feelings of anxiety as well as overthinking. Sometimes the answer to our prayers is found with the help of therapists and doctors. Medical professionals have been placed on the earth to help us, and we would be wise to utilize their knowledge.
"Dear Jesus, my habit of overthinking has become too much. Please, Lord, help me to let go of overthinking and entrust all my anxiety to You. I know overthinking is rooted in my anxiety, and I need help calming it down. I am choosing to give all power and control over to You. Please give me relief, Lord, from this constant battle. In Your Name, I pray, Amen."
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Originally published Thursday, 11 December 2025.
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