Ps. 112:7

“He will not fear bad news. His heart is steadfast, trusting in Jehovah.”

2:07 a.m. The phone buzzes on the nightstand. Your chest tightens before you see the screen. Your mind sprints ahead to what-ifs you can’t yet know.

Anxiety disorder — a persistent, excessive tendency to anticipate and fear negative outcomes — the next phone call, test result, conversation, or piece of news that might bring trouble.

359 million people worldwide in 2021 suffered from an anxiety disorder.

Isn’t anxiety basically fearing bad news? Yes, it can be a disorder needing medical attention, but in the end, isn’t that what anxiety is?

Most anxiety is anticipatory — worrying about what might happen but very rarely actually does. The mind runs ahead, inventing scenarios, bracing for impact, and burning energy on outcomes that frequently never arrive. The dread feels real in the body and the thoughts, yet the actual event often stays imaginary.

Anticipatory anxiety can be debilitating, paralyzing one with fear. It can cause a person to resist reaching out in Jehovah’s service and reaping the blessings.

Take heart! Ps. 112:7 says he will not fear bad news. Who will not fear bad news? Vs. 1 tells us: Happy is the man who fears Jehovah. Those who fear Jehovah need not fear bad news. As the latter half of vs. 7 says: His heart is steadfast, trusting in Jehovah.

In this case, “no fear” describes a settled direction of trust, not the total erasure of human alarm. Alarming things do happen, but by trusting in Jehovah, he can steady your heart.

Steadfastness is not the absence of anxiety but the reorientation of fear.

So how do you fight anticipatory anxiety? By fearing and trusting in Jehovah. If you do, you have no reason to fear bad news.

If the anticipated concern comes true? You will face it with steadfastness, trusting in Jehovah. A steadfast heart doesn’t pretend it doesn’t hurt; it turns immediately toward Jehovah. It prays, asks for help, grieves honestly, and keeps doing the next faithful thing. Trust doesn’t erase adrenaline; it directs it.

Of course, it is not that easy. Anxiety doesn’t always come with any rhyme or reason. It just lurks there in the background, tormenting you. But when that happens, remember this verse: you have no reason to fear bad news.

“Jehovah is my light and my salvation. Whom should I fear?Jehovah is the stronghold of my life. Whom should I dread?” — Ps. 27:1

“You will not fear any sudden terror”. — Prov. 3:25

“Trust in him at all times, O people. Pour out your hearts before him.God is a refuge for us.” — Ps. 62:8

“You will safeguard those who fully lean on you;You will give them continuous peace, Because it is in you that they trust.” — Isa 26:3

Jehovah is my stronghold. Trust in him and pour out your hearts in supplication, and he will be a refuge. He will safeguard you and give you continuous peace.

Continuous peace! What a blessing that is! Meditate on that and put your anxiety in a box. It is still there; you can look at it and say, yes, there is my anxiety, but you are at the same time free from fear.

And if the bad news does turn out to be true? You will boldly face it with Jehovah’s strength and support. There is no reason to fear it.

You may not be able to erase anxiety, but you can refuse to let it define you. A steadfast heart and a restless mind can occupy the same person — as long as the heart keeps turning toward the One who is its stronghold. You can choose.