One morning, so the story goes, Death was walking toward a city. A man asked what he was going to do. “I am going to take 100 people,” Death replied. The man hurried to warn everyone he could.
That evening they met again. “You said 100,” the man said. “Why did 1,000 die?” Death answered, “I kept my word. I took 100. Anxiety took the other 900.”
It is a story, not a statistic, and I tell it for the picture, not for the numbers. The picture is this: the fear of something can weigh on a person more heavily than the thing itself. But not all anxiety is the same, and learning to tell the difference is a kindness you can do for yourself.
Feeling anxious is part of being human
The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) says that feeling anxious is a normal part of life. Many people worry about health, money, school, work, or family. An anxiety disorder is something more: the NIMH describes anxiety that does not go away, is felt in many situations, and can get worse over time.
The NIMH also notes that stress is not always the enemy. It can be positive or negative: it may inspire you to meet a deadline, or it may cost you sleep.
Anxiety as a messenger
Here is a picture I find helpful as a pastor. Think of anxiety as a messenger. It knocks to tell you that something matters to you: a child, a marriage, a job, a decision you have put off. If you silence the messenger, you never hear the message.
This is my pastoral view, not a clinical definition. It means that your first move can be to listen: What is this worry pointing to? What is one small, real step I can take today about it?
When the message gets stuck
Sometimes the messenger keeps knocking long after the message was delivered. The World Health Organization (WHO) says everyone can feel anxious sometimes, but people with anxiety disorders often experience fear and worry that is both intense and excessive. These feelings are hard to control, cause significant distress, and can last a long time if untreated. They can also interfere with daily activities and affect family, social, and work life.
That is no moral failure. The WHO says there are effective treatments for anxiety disorders, and that people with symptoms of anxiety should seek care. No one can promise how a treatment will go for a particular person, which is one more reason to talk with a professional who can look at your situation.
The NIMH offers three signs that stress may be turning into something that needs more help. Ask yourself whether the symptoms:
- interfere with your everyday life,
- cause you to avoid doing things, or
- seem to be always present.
This list is not a diagnosis. If you answered yes to any of these, a licensed professional can help you understand what you are facing.
What the Bible lets us say about anxiety
Scripture does not pretend anxiety does not exist. A psalmist writes: “When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought me joy.” (Psalm 94:19, NIV) Notice that he says the anxiety was great. He does not hide it, and he finds that God’s comfort reaches him there.
Proverbs offers a practical thought: “Anxiety weighs down the heart, but a kind word cheers it up.” (Proverbs 12:25, NIV) In my reading as a pastor, that is an invitation to let someone speak a kind word to you, and to speak one to someone else. You do not have to carry the weight alone and in silence.
And Peter writes: “Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.” (1 Peter 5:7, NIV) I hear this as a hand held out, not as an order to feel nothing. Bringing your anxiety to God and bringing it to a professional can happen in the same week.
If you would like to see how Jesus met his disciples in the middle of a storm, and find five practical ideas for coping, read Anxiety in the Middle of the Storm.
If you could hear the message your worry has been trying to tell you, what do you think it would say, and who could help you answer it?
Would you like to talk with a professional? Call (407) 559-7093 (Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Eastern) or find professional help here. For general questions that are not an emergency, write to drduany@zodugroup.com. Please do not send health information by email.
This article is for education only. It does not offer diagnosis or personal advice, does not replace evaluation or treatment by a health professional, and reading it or writing to us through this site does not create a therapeutic or pastoral counseling relationship. This site is not an emergency service and is not monitored continuously: do not send health information through comments or public forms. The author is a licensed psychotherapist and pastor, and is part of ZODU.
Sources
- National Institute of Mental Health. (2024, December). Anxiety disorders. NIMH. https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/anxiety-disorders
- National Institute of Mental Health. (n.d.). I’m so stressed out! Fact sheet. NIMH. https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/so-stressed-out-fact-sheet
- World Health Organization. (2026, September 15). Anxiety disorders. WHO. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/anxiety-disorders
- New International Version. (2011). Psalm 94:19. BibleGateway. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+94%3A19&version=NIV
- New International Version. (2011). Proverbs 12:25. BibleGateway. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+12%3A25&version=NIV
- New International Version. (2011). 1 Peter 5:6-7. BibleGateway. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Peter+5%3A6-7&version=NIV
Scripture quotations taken from The Holy Bible, New International Version® NIV®, Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used with permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
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