When Worry Knocks, Let Jesus Answer

Amanda Beres Jan. 13, 2026

• Amanda Beres is a writer and freelance editor based in Rhode Island. She has a Master's in Professional Writing and Communication and has worked with The Global Poetics Project and the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources.

So, I’ll start with complete honesty: I tend to overthink and worry. Anyone who knows me well enough would say so. It is something God and I have worked on, and are continuing to work on. Now, I know what you’re thinking, “She’s a pastor’s daughter! She’s followed Jesus for years! Doesn’t she trust Him? Doesn’t she have strong faith?” Before you go telling me off, consider this: you can have strong faith and still worry. You can trust God and still worry. Why? Because He doesn’t tell you the whole plan right away! Even Jesus states in John 16:33 - “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” In 2nd Corinthians 10:5, Paul writes, “We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” This means worry will come! Overthinking and anxiety will hit! It’s how you respond that matters. Let’s break this down. 

First things first, let’s get this out of the way… Jesus never promised that we would not have trouble (see the verses above). But He did promise that He would be with us. Even before Jesus was born, we are told this. We see this both in Isaiah and Matthew, the Old Testament and New Testament. 

Isaiah 7:14 "Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel" (meaning "God with us").

Matthew 1:23  “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”).

There are a few hundred years between these verses. Isaiah 7:14 is a prophecy of what is to come in Matthew 1:23, and the amazing part is that both proclaim that God is with us! Perhaps I am still running on Christmas spirit here, but I find that amazing! Immanuel means God with us! Think about that, then think about how many times the Bible says, do not worry, do not be afraid, or a variation thereof. Now tie it back to John 16:33 and wow! 

And this is where I find myself at the start of this year. Actually, where I found myself at the end of 2025, going into 2026. As I said, I have a tendency to be a worrier, an overthinker, an overanalyzer. I also completely trust God. The question then is, if I trust God, why do I worry? Well, if you're like me, you like having all the answers, you want guarantees, you want to be sure. And hey, I'm no control freak, but I like knowing the outcome. 

Recently, I did a devotional by Louie Giglio called Winning The War Against Worry (not a promotion). What struck me was the connection between worry and control, and it can start from something so small. And it got me thinking about the big changes that happened in my life. New church! Finding a God centered relationship! New amazing Godly friends! Starting a new job!  And that's just the external! God softened my heart and deepened my trust! I gained wisdom! Dealt with fear, anger, and grief that I still needed to unpack…got free of it too! And if you're wondering, this all happened in 2025. Now let me tell you, the freedom of God is so real! But it requires you to let go of control. And there's the rub. 

My Nana taught me that life is a great adventure while I was growing up. As an adult, I find myself reflecting on her wisdom. Mainly, how it relates to John 10:10, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance [to the full, till it overflows].” But to get that abundant life, to have a life that is full of adventure, you have to be willing to deal with uncertainty. You must be willing to respond to uncertainty well. You must be willing to sit with questions you don't have answers to. Cue panic for me, but also Jesus entering the picture! After all, in our weakness, His power is made perfect. 

And now we come to the point of the post's title. Let Jesus do the heavy lifting! Worry and anxiety are going to show up. They're going to come knocking. But Jesus already took care of everything and knows the plan from beginning to end. It's up to us to trust. Easier said than done, believe me, I know. I've lived it. But I also know that God truly can do anything! I know God truly knows and sees everything! I've lived that too!

Here's the thing to understand about worry: it doesn't mean you don't trust God, it just means you're human. And that's what God created us to be! So let's face the facts. There will be questions we never have to. There will be moments when we have to prioritize and relinquish control. That will be another post. Life is going to have moments of worry and anxiety. God never promised a life of sunshine and rainbows all the time. What He promised was that he would never leave nor forsake us. This is so comforting to me! I don’t have all the answers, I don’t have it all figured out, and I don’t have to! God does! And He will unfold the blueprints in His time. Now, for fellow Christians, this may be something you are familiar with. For those who are not, think about it like this: God’s plans are like building a house. You cannot build up until you’ve built the foundation, and you cannot build anything without the proper materials.

Too many Christians are upset with God for not giving them the house when they didn’t build the foundation or get the proper materials. And what is the foundation? Childlike faith and trust. What are the materials? Prayer, confessing He is Lord. and the fruits of the Holy Spirit. There is so much to unpack here, but the main point is this: when worry comes, when life seems to ask too much, what will your response be? Will you seek the Lord, or shut down? As someone who, more often than she should have, chose to shut down, seeking the Lord is a far better option.  

If you’re dealing with worry and struggling to let go of control, you are not alone. I mean, even I admit I deal with that. And many people do, to some degree. And don’t think God doesn’t understand. John 11:35 is the shortest Bible verse, but a profound one. It is simply, “Jesus wept”(John 11:35). And let’s not forget that in the garden of Gethsemane, before being handed over to the soldiers, Jesus so worried, and so stressed, He was literally sweating drops of blood from His forehead. (It’s actually been scientifically proven that this can happen.) God understands stress, worry, anxious thoughts, and a need to control the outcome. But He also has our best interests in mind, and this is why I trust Him. And I hope this encourages you to trust Him. Living out faith doesn’t mean never worrying, or dealing with stress or doubts. It means being honest with God about your worry and handing it over to Him. And let me tell you, it is so freeing when that weight is lifted! It’s not always easy to let go of the control, but if you’re struggling wth worry, there are steps you can take. 

Step 1- Identify what is worrying you. Write down whatever it may be that is causing the anxious thoughts. As the devotional Winning The War Against Worry said, the need to control comes from a need to feel safe. So identify what is making you feel like you need to protect yourself. 

Step 2- Call them out as lies. Look to what scripture says, and tell God where you need Him to meet you. Whether a believer or not, 9 times out of 10, the worst-case scenario doesn’t happen. SO tell God what you’re worried about and invite Him in. Replace worry with His truth.

Step 3- Surrender it. God can handle the worry you can’t. He can bear the weight you can’t. And He wants to! That’s the whole point of the cross! So let Him!

I hope this has helped and encouraged you! There is so much more to unpack here, so stay tuned, and may God bless you! 

Blessings,

Amanda Beres