Let's face it. Life can be tough. From work to home and everywhere in between, new worries fly at you every day from every direction. Sometimes you cringe just turning on the news. Couple these concerns with your personal fears and insecurities, and you have the perfect recipe for anxiety.

Anxiety can shake you loose from your spiritual foundations and destabilize your peace of mind.

Several years ago I went through my own bout with anxiety. And I know how jarring it is to have your peace of mind disrupted to the core. But despite how prevalent anxiety might be in your life, scripture tells you not to be anxious.

For many, that command may seem like a lost cause. And if you relied on yourself to overcome anxiety, that would be true. But as Paul taught in Philippians 4:6-7, prayer is the most powerful weapon we have to ward off anxiety.

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.

It's so encouraging to know that the God of the universe cares about relieving our anxieties. 

A lot of believers are confused about how prayer works. Maybe you can identify with this person's comments:

"I don't get why when people pray for something and get it, they think it was because of their faith. And if they don't get what they prayed for, they think they don't have enough faith!"

Clearly, there's a lot of confusion surrounding prayer. But if you truly want to be free from anxiety, you need to know how prayer really works! It's not a magic bullet, or an instant fix. It's merely a conversation with God, one in which you're recognizing that God is bigger than all your problems.