An Anxious Heart Needs Kindness

Anxiety weighs down the heart, but a kind word cheers it up (Proverbs 12:25, NIV).

How true this is. Not a rational word, but a kind word. We can often be tempted to give rational explanations to explain why a person shouldn’t be anxious. And truth be told, there probably are rational reasons why a person should not be anxious. But the way God tells us to counter anxiety is kind words.

Words like…
I understand.
I’m here for you.
That is hard, I get it.
Let me pray for you right now.
I can help you with that.
I love you.
I’m here to listen, tell me what you are struggling with…

Incarnate the truth that God cares for them in what you say. That kindness will go a long way towards helping them through it. There will be a time for reason and clear thinking. But when a person is in the midst of anxiety, take God’s advice and say something kind. The irony is, that is the reasonable way to address the anxious spirit.