Anxiety in our hearts can manifest itself in our lives in different ways. We may have feelings of worry, nervousness, or agitation about something that might possibly happen. Or our anxiety may be an obsessive focus or concern that troubles us, and we just can’t seem to put it down. For whatever reason, we become overwhelmed, and the result will be a heavy and burdened heart, which will negatively affect every area of our lives.

So, if anxiety weighs down the heart, what lifts it up? The Scripture say that an encouraging word lifts up the heart! Sometimes encouraging words seem hard to find in this world, yet God has plenty of encouraging words and promises for us. We need only take the time to seek them out, hold on to them, and believe them. God also uses people-and He can use anybody- to encourage us with gracious words that are positive, loving, and caring.

It is God’s will to uplift our heavy hearts and make them glad as He sends encouraging words into our lives. When we begin to focus on His loving grace and His ability to help us, we will gradually experience a change in our hearts for the better.

“Anxiety in a man’s heart weighs it down, but an encouraging word makes it glad” (Proberbs 12:25).